Here are the top 10 Missouri basketball games of the decade

The best game of the decade

No. 4 Missouri 74, No. 8 Kansas 71, Feb. 4 2012

How could this not be No. 1? The last time these two teams played at Mizzou Arena, and it’s still one of the best games even eight years later. Marcus Denmon knocked down two 3-pointers and picked up a three-point play in the waning minutes to lift Mizzou past top-10 Kansas. The Tigers had fallen behind by eight points with 3 minutes to play before Denmon finished off the Jayhawks. Kansas went scoreless for the final 200 seconds, and Denmon’s 3-pointer with 56 second left gave Mizzou the lead. Michael Dixon sank a pair of free throws to go up three points with 10 seconds to go. The prime-time game was the site of ESPN’s GameDay that day, and the game lived up to all expectations.

The rally started with a Thomas Robinson travel after a minute of scoreless basketball. Trailing by eight points, Denmon got the and-one to cut the deficit to just five. Robinson charged Steve Moore on the other end and Denmon hit a huge 3 to get behind a bucket. You could feel the tide turn after that, as with 1:30 left Mizzou brought the pressure. It was felt.

Kansas turned the ball over with a collective effort from Matt and Phil Pressey. Denmon did the rest as he hit the biggest trey in his Missouri career. Originally called a two-point shot, replay showed his foot was behind the line and Mizzou took the one-point lead. Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor missed two free throws as Kansas tried to take the lead, while Taylor’s second-chance was ended by a charge. Dixon hit his freebies to extend the advantage to three points, and Elijah Johnson missed a 3 at the buzzer.

Missouri won, and it ended up as the best game of the decade.