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The Missouri Tigers saw their season come to an end on Thursday night, falling 67-57 to Drake in the NCAA Tournament. Despite a strong second-half push, Mizzou couldn’t complete the comeback, finishing the season with a 22-12 record, a 14-win improvement from the previous year.
Tigers’ Standout Performers
In their final collegiate game, Caleb Grill led Missouri with 14 points, while Tamar Bates added 10 points. Junior Mark Mitchell contributed eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Game Recap
Missouri started strong defensively, forcing five Drake turnovers early in the game. However, the Bulldogs responded with an 8-0 run, taking a 13-7 lead. A later 10-2 run stretched Drake’s advantage to 28-18, as Mizzou struggled with turnovers and cold shooting. The Bulldogs carried a 30-23 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Drake opened with a 9-0 run, extending the lead to 43-28. The Tigers fought back by drawing fouls and capitalizing on free throws, cutting the deficit to just one point (52-51) with 4:28 remaining.
Drake answered with a 6-0 run, creating separation once again. Mizzou had a chance to close the gap, but a missed open three-pointer with 1:35 left in a four-point game sealed the Tigers’ fate.
Team Stats
- Drake shot 54.3% from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range.
- Missouri struggled offensively, shooting just 33.3% overall and 4-of-16 from beyond the arc.
- Drake capitalized on Mizzou’s mistakes, scoring 23 points off 17 Tiger turnovers.
With the loss, Missouri’s season comes to a close, but the Tigers showed significant progress from last year’s campaign.
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