The Mizzou Tigers basketball team, winners of their last two games, looked to extend that streak to three as the #4-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide entered a tense Mizzou Arena.
Leading up to tip-off, there was a strange tension in the arena, as if it were ready to explode. That explosion came when Trent Pierce hit a layup, putting the Tigers up 12-0 and forcing Alabama head coach Nate Oats to call an early timeout.
From that point on in the first half, it was the Mark Mitchell show for the Tigers, as he finished with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Mitchell was the go-to guy for Mizzou's offense, helping them to a 59-46 lead in a high-scoring first half.
All half long, the Tigers were constantly forcing turnovers, which led to good looks at the basket. They scored 15 points off turnovers in the half.
All season long, Mark Mitchell has been one of Mizzou’s top scorers, recording a career-high 25 points last week against Oklahoma in a win. Tonight, Mitchell finished with 31 points as the Tigers took down the Crimson Tide by 12 points.
In the win, Mitchell’s 31 points set a new career high as the Tigers took down a top-5 ranked team for the third time this season. All season long, Mizzou has excelled offensively, and this performance was their best of the year.
According to KenPom college basketball rankings, the Tigers have the 8th best offensive rating in the nation, and Mitchell has played a huge role offensively all season long. He leads the team with 13.6 points per game, and over the past three games, he has taken his presence to a whole new level.
With the big win, the Tigers will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the rival Razorbacks in what should be a close game.
With the win, the Tigers collect their 20th victory of the 2024-25 campaign, just one year removed from a season with 0 SEC wins. Pretty impressive stuff from Dennis Gates.