COLUMBIA — Mizzou’s thrilling win over Kansas brought a wave of excitement to the community, with fans celebrating both at the game and across downtown.
The game, which kicked off at noon, brought an earlier-than-usual start for a Sunday. Local bars and restaurants, typically packed on game days, saw slower crowds initially.
Evan Lipinski, security manager at Harpo’s Bar & Grill, noted that business was slow before the game but remained optimistic about a post-game rush.
“I think it’s going to pick up after the game for sure… especially if we win,” Lipinski said.
Lipinski’s prediction proved correct as the energy downtown transformed after Mizzou’s victory. Fans, fresh from storming the court, flooded into local establishments to celebrate.
Tom Garagnani, bar manager at Shiloh Bar & Grill, said their usual Sunday brunch crowd showed up for the game, but he anticipated much larger crowds as the night went on.
“I think we are going to get pretty busy today. Columbia might get burned down tonight. We beat the number one team in the country which is pretty awesome, so we are looking forward to it,” Garagnani said.
The lively atmosphere quickly filled bars and restaurants, turning them into hubs of post-game festivities.
“I always love having big games, whether it’s football or basketball, they always draw a big crowd and people come out here to have a good time, so we love it when it happens,” Garagnani said.
Mizzou’s next game is on Dec. 14 at home against Long Island University.