No. 15 Mizzou (21-10, 10-8 SEC) falls to No. 19 Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 91-83 in their regular-season finale at Mizzou Arena on Saturday afternoon. This is the Tiger's third loss in a row and fourth in their last five games.
Game Recap:
The game began promising for the Tigers, who surged to an early 11-4 lead. Tony Perkins and Caleb Grill connected on deep shots, while Kentucky struggled from the floor, missing 10 of its first 12 attempts.
However, the Wildcats clawed back with an 11-0 run, fueled by Mizzou’s four straight turnovers. Kentucky closed the first half with another spurt, leaving the Tigers in a 38-29 hole at the break.
In the second half, Kentucky built a 15-point advantage with 10 minutes to play. The Tigers showed resilience, orchestrating a 10-0 run sparked by Marques Warrick's sharpshooting, trimming the deficit to just five. But the Wildcats’ defense stiffened down the stretch, stalling Mizzou's offense and closing out the victory.
Missouri guard Tony Perkins exited the game with an injury after a collision with Otega Oweh, and although he could have returned, coach Dennis Gates opted to keep him out due to Warrick's strong play.
Tigers’ Top Performers:
Mark Mitchell: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Marques Warrick: 17 points off the bench, including two critical 3-pointers during Mizzou’s late surge
Jacob Crews: 12 points (5-of-11 shooting), 4 rebounds
Gary Rohman-Imagn Images
Mar 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) hugs Missouri Head coach Dennis Gates in the last minutes of the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Mizzou Arena.
By the Numbers:
Shooting: Kentucky 48% FG, 11-of-20 (55%) from 3-point range
Free Throws: Mizzou converted just 14-of-21 (66%) from the charity stripe
Wildcats’ Standouts: Otega Oweh (22 points), Andrew Carr (16 points, 12 rebounds)
Takeaways:
Mizzou showed improvement in its interior defense from past games, but Kentucky’s perimeter shooting proved too much to handle. The Wildcats' capitalized on Mizzou’s mistakes and maintained composure down the stretch which was the difference. The Tigers will need to clean up missed chances and turnovers in their coming matchups to make a run in the postseason.
The spread and total score fluctuated prior to gametime, but the Tigers failed to cover the -6.5 spread and the total went OVER the 171.5 line.
What’s Next:
The Tigers head into the SEC Tournament with a first-round bye. They’ll play in the second round on Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena. The final bracket is expected to release later Saturday, which will determine Mizzou’s opponent as they look to turn it around and make a strong postseason run.