Anna 
The No. 21/22 University of Missouri men’s basketball team powered past Mississippi State with a strong defensive finish, securing an 85-73 victory in the SEC Tournament on Thursday night. The win advances the Tigers to the quarterfinals, improving their record to 22-10, while the Bulldogs drop to 21-12.
Tigers’ Standout Performers
Senior Tamar Bates led Missouri’s offensive charge with 25 points, making 8-of-12 shots from the field and knocking down three three-pointers. Graduate student Tony Perkins added a season-high 20 points, converting six of his 10 attempts and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Perkins and Anthony Robinson II shared the team lead with four assists each, while Josh Gray anchored the defense with a season-best 12 rebounds.
Game Recap
Missouri set the tone early with a 10-0 run, turning a three-point deficit into a 17-10 lead, thanks to key contributions from Perkins and Bates. The Tigers stretched their advantage to 28-20 following a four-point play by Trent Pierce and a traditional three-point play from Mark Mitchell. However, Mississippi State responded with an 8-0 run, capitalizing on four turnovers to tie the game at 28.
Mizzou regained momentum before halftime, closing the first half on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Caleb Grill to take a 39-34 lead into the break.
The second half remained tight, with the Bulldogs briefly taking a two-point lead. Missouri countered with a 7-0 run to reclaim a 52-47 advantage, but Mississippi State answered with another 8-0 burst, setting up a back-and-forth battle.
The Tigers made their decisive push in the final five minutes. Trailing 68-67, Mizzou’s defense locked down, holding the Bulldogs scoreless from the field for over four minutes. A backdoor dunk by Grill gave Missouri the lead for good, sparking a 12-2 run that sealed the victory.
Team Stats
Missouri shot 49.1% from the field, including 8-of-24 from three-point range, and converted 23-of-28 free throws (82.1%). Defensively, the Tigers held Mississippi State to just 36.4% shooting and a poor 6-of-30 (20.0%) from beyond the arc.
The Tigers also dominated in fast-break points (19-6) and won the rebounding battle (43-35).
What’s Next?
Missouri moves on to the SEC Quarterfinals, where they will face second-seeded Florida on Friday night. The Tigers previously edged out Florida 83-82 during the regular season. The game tips off at 6 p.m. on SEC Network.
Related topics: