Following a win over No. 4 Alabama at Mizzou Arena this past Wednesday, the Mizzou Tigers traveled to Bud Walton Arena to face the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Tigers entered the game at 20-6 and are almost a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Arkansas, on the other hand, can't necessarily say the same.
In a highly anticipated year for Razorback fans with the addition of Head Coach John Calipari, this season hasn't gone as expected. While Arkansas has been playing better basketball without Boogie Fland, every game is a must-win for the Razorbacks, as they are on the NCAA Tournament bubble with a 16-11 record.
To open the game, the Razorbacks got off to a quick start, jumping out to an early 10-4 lead.
The Tigers found their rhythm as well, shooting the ball effectively from beyond the arc. They knocked down 8 threes in the first half and had three players—Crews, Warrick, and Grill—scoring in double figures by halftime.
Despite the Tigers' hot shooting, they turned the ball over too many times, which kept Arkansas in the game. Twelve turnovers in the first half led to 17 Razorback points.
Big man Zvonimir Ivisic was a force for Arkansas, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting. In the earlier matchup between these two teams, the Tigers struggled to contain Ivisic, as he led Arkansas in scoring with 14 points off the bench in their loss to Mizzou back in January.
In January's contest, Johnell Davis was a non-factor, scoring just 7 points in the loss. However, Davis was impressive last night, finishing the game with 18 points.
All season long, Caleb Grill has been one of the best shooters in the country, and he had 13 points in the first half. However, he was held scoreless in the second half, going 0-for-7 from three.
Grill, a 46% shooter from three, finished the game 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, and the Tigers were forced to play from behind throughout the second half.
By the first media timeout in the second half, the Razorbacks trailed by just 1 point, and all the momentum in the building was on their side.
Despite staying close for another seven minutes or so, the Razorbacks went on a 10-0 run with 9 minutes left, putting the Tigers in trouble. Mizzou ultimately fell to Arkansas by a score of 92-85.
In what was an impressive first half, the Tigers appeared to be in control of the game despite their turnovers. They passed the eye test in the first half, showing strong play and composure.
The same could not be said in the second half. It was all Arkansas, as they dominated play and seized control of the game.
Mizzou’s next game is on Tuesday, when the South Carolina Gamecocks will visit Mizzou Arena at 8 p.m.