After going winless in SEC play in 2024, the fact that the Missouri Tigers made it to the NCAA Tournament this season seemed to be a sign that things were finally changing for this team. However, it doesn't matter what happens in the regular season if you can't figure out how to win in the big games, and Missouri couldn't put it together in their game against Drake.
The Tigers fell to Drake in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 67-57 in a game where the Bulldogs led by as much as 15 points. Missouri made a run in the second half to bring the game within two points, but Drake was able to hit shots and force turnovers against the Tigers that gave them space from a surging Missouri team.
Offensively, Missouri was never able to get into a rhythm until their run in the second half, but when the leading scorer in for Mirrosuri was Caleb Grill with just 14 points, there was a problem. Every single Missouri player that stepped on the court tonight scored, but only two Tigers scored in double digits. Grill had the 14 points, and Tamar Bates just barely hit the mark with 10 points.
The writing was on the wall when you look at the stat sheet, as Drake shot 54.3% from the floor compared to Missouri's 33.3%. The Bulldogs also shot 50% from 3-point range, while the Tigers shot just 25% from deep range. Drake was also just more aggressive on the boards, with 31 rebounds compared to Missouris's 26 and the Bulldogs won the turnover battle 17-15.
Missouri was unable to keep Drake star Bennet Stirt in check, as the star guard scored 21 points and had four assists on the night. Tavion Banks came off the bench for the Bulldogs and added 15 points and nine rebounds.
While Missouri took some huge steps forward this season, The Tigers still have problems when it comes to playing in March. In 2023, Missouri finally broke their streak of losing in the first round, but the Tigers had not made it to the Sweet 16 since 2009 when they were a 3-seed.
The Tigers might have a short flight home, but it is going to be a long offseason with the sting of this game hitting this team for a while. The good news is that Dennis Gates found a way to make improvements this season and has the chance to do it again, especially with the success the Tigers had this year.