No. 21 Mizzou (22-10, 10-8 SEC) secured a spot in the SEC Quarterfinals with an 85-73 victory over Mississippi State (21-12, 8-10 SEC) in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday night.
Game Summary:
The Tigers started strong, jumping out to a 17-10 lead behind early scoring from Tony Perkins and Tamar Bates. A four-point play from Trent Pierce and a three-point play from Mark Mitchell helped Mizzou maintain control, but Mississippi State responded with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 28. A Caleb Grill buzzer-beating three-pointer sent the Tigers into halftime with a 39-34 advantage.
The second half remained tightly contested, with the Bulldogs briefly taking the lead on an 8-0 surge. However, Mizzou’s defense stepped up late, holding Mississippi State without a field goal for four of the final five minutes. A thunderous dunk from Grill put the Tigers ahead for good, sparking a 12-2 closing run to seal the win.
Mizzou shot 49% from the field while limiting Mississippi State to just 36% shooting and 6-of-30 (20%) from beyond the arc.
Key Tiger Performers:
Tamar Bates: 25 points, 8-of-12 shooting
Tony Perkins: 20 points, 8-for-8 FT
Josh Gray: Season-high 12 rebounds
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) drives to the basket against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half at Bridgestone Arena.
Additional Notes:
Mizzou advances to its fifth SEC Quarterfinal in program history.
Mizzou's defense stepped up big, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for four critical minutes down the stretch.
Betting Recap:
Mizzou covered the -3.5 spread and the total score went OVER the 156.5 line. Eric Sontag's lean pulled through in the final seconds.
What’s Next:
Mizzou faces No. 2 seed Florida in the SEC Quarterfinals on Friday night in Nashville. The Tigers previously defeated the Gators 83-82 in the regular season. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CST on SEC Network.