After five minutes of play the Sacramento State men’s basketball team had the eye of the tiger. That’s when the Tigers took over.

After going on an 11-6 run to open the game, the Hornets (1-3) were pummeled by the No. 15-ranked University of Missouri Tigers (3-0) and All-American candidate Arthur Johnson, 98-60, Monday night. The loss finished off a 1-2 week for the Hornets, who beat Dominican University, 62-47, on Wednesday and lost on Saturday to Southern Utah, 74-68.

Against the Tigers, junior center Tony Champion led the way with 16 points and five rebounds. The 6-foot-11 center scored 14 of his points in the first half, which ended with a 50-40 Missouri lead.

“(Tony) played like another Arthur Johnson tonight,” Hornet head coach Jerome Jenkins said. “He showed heart and character tonight, but he has to build on this the rest of the year.”

With Missouri’s forwards repeatedly fronting Champion in the post, the Hornet guards lobbed passes over the top, setting up easy baskets for the junior center.

“We basically played the No. 15 team in the country even in the first half,” Jenkins said. “We are coming together as a team, and that is going to turn into wins.”

The Tigers opened the second half on a 12-2 run, and outscored the Hornets 48-20 in the second frame. Johnson led Missouri with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Ricky Paulding, also an All-American candidate, finished with 17 points.

“(Johnson) did what he was supposed to do,” Jenkins said. “He was just too much for us in the second half.”

Point guard Deshawn Freeman commanded the Hornet offense with eight assists and seven points.

“Deshawn played at the level I knew he could play at,” Jenkins said. “When he throws passes like he threw tonight, it makes things easy for our offense.”

Jimmy White finished second for the Hornets with nine points, while Derek Lambeth and Brandon Guyton scored eight apiece.

Against Southern Utah, the Hornets came out with a 32-32 tie at the half, but the Thunderbirds went on an 11-0 run midway through the second half to capture a lead they would not relinquish.

Junior swingman Emir Medunjanin led the Hornets with 16 points, while Lambeth and Rashaad Hooks scored 11 each.

Sac State earned their first victory of the year against Dominican, as Guyton led the team with 13 points. Hooks contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

The Hornets have played their first five games without five ineligible players, including their most recent classroom casualty, Cedric Thompkins.

The Hornets will host the University of San Francisco tonight at 7:05 pm in Hornet Gym.