After its big win at Mississippi State this past weekend, the No. 15 Missouri Tigers looked to extend their winning streak as they faced off against No. 4 ranked Tennessee in Knoxville.
The Tigers went into halftime up by 6 points, having held Tennessee to just 28 points with outstanding defense. However, the second half told a different story, as Mizzou lost 85-81, allowing 57 points in the final period.
In the first half, Tony Perkins led the way for the Tigers, remaining perfect from the field and finishing with 11 points at the break. However, the second half was a different story as Perkins had a lackluster performance, shooting 1-of-3 from the field and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line.
It was clear that this game was a "tale of two halves," as Mizzou's stellar defense broke down in the second half and Tennessee's ball movement proved too much for the Tigers to handle.
While most of the Missouri squad struggled in the second half, Tamar Bates nearly single-handedly kept the Tigers in the game, scoring 22 points in the second half after being shut out in the first.
Bates made 6 of 10 shots in the second half, including 4 three-pointers, leading the late Tiger surge. Despite being down by 14 points after Felix Okpara converted a crucial and-1 with just 4:30 remaining, Bates scored 12 points down the stretch, but the Tigers ultimately fell short in their comeback attempt.
Tamar Bates has been the go-to offensive player for the Tigers, recording his fourth 20-point game of the season. As the season progresses, he is likely to remain the key player for Missouri down the stretch.
The Tigers' next contest is on Saturday at home, where they will host No. 10 ranked Texas A&M in one of the top games of the day nationwide.