Mark Smith hit seven 3-pointers en route to a career-high 23 points, and Missouri used a strong defensive effort to beat visiting Southern Illinois 64-48 on Sunday in Columbia, Mo.

Smith hit four of his first five 3-point shots as the Tigers (6-4) used a 14-0 run during the first half to essentially take control of the contest. For the game, Smith missed only two of his nine attempts from beyond the arc for the Tigers, who shot 45.5 percent from the field.

Missouri has won back-to-back contests for the first for the first time since Nov. 18 and 20, which was followed by a three-game losing streak that included a rough home setback to Charleston Southern.

Javon Pickett came off the bench to score 13 for Missouri, which also got it done on the defensive end by holding SIU (4-7) to a season-worst 29.4 percent shooting for the game. The Salukis went more than 10 minutes without a field goal during the second half.

Eric McGill scored 11 points for the Salukis, who went more than five minutes without a field goal during Missouri's big run in the first half. They managed just five field goals in the first half.

Smith, who entered the game averaging 11.8 points, hit his fifth 3-pointer with just under 17 minutes to go in the game to kick Missouri's lead to 38-22. Missouri opened the second half on 12-2 spurt, holding the Salukis nearly another five minutes without a basket before Harwin Francois knocked down a 3 with 12:35, and the hosts up 45-27.

It only got worse for the Salukis, who were never competitive aside from first seven minutes of the game. SIU guard Ronnie Suggs Jr., who played at Missouri last season before joining up with the Salukis as a graduate transfer, finished with four points.

Missouri has won seven straight games versus SIU, which has lost four in a row against SEC teams.

--Field Level Media