No. 21 Mizzou (22-11, 10-8 SEC) couldn’t keep up with No. 4 Florida (28-4, 14-4 SEC) in the third round of the SEC Tournament, falling 95-81 on Friday night.
Game Recap:
The Gators never trailed, opening the game with a 10-0 run and maintaining control throughout. Florida shot an impressive 62% from the field and 38% from deep.
Despite trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, Missouri fought back with an 11-1 run to cut the deficit to 28-24. However, Florida responded, stretching the lead to 50-37 at halftime.
The Tigers opened the second half strong with a 14-4 run but couldn’t sustain the momentum as the Gators quickly re-established a double-digit lead. A late 10-2 Florida run put the game out of reach for good.
In all forty minutes of the battle, it never truly seemed as if it was Mizzou’s game to win.
Key Performers:
Tamar Bates led Mizzou in scoring for the second consecutive night, finishing with 16 points.
Anthony Robinson II and Tony Perkins each contributed 13 points, with Perkins adding four rebounds and three assists.
Missouri’s leading scorer, Mark Mitchell, was held out by head coach Dennis Gates to rest a knee injury ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Team Stats:
Florida shot 62% overall, including 9-of-24 from three (7-of-14 in the first half).
Missouri shot 44.1% from the field and struggled from deep, making just 4-of-16 attempts.
The Tigers forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 22 points.
Betting Recap:
Florida covered the -8.5 spread with ease and the total score went OVER the 160.5 line. Eric Sontag's pick was really never a sweat.
Up Next:
Missouri will learn its NCAA Tournament seeding on Sunday, with the selection show set for 5 p.m. CST.