Mizzou Hoops Dominates No. 4 Alabama for Third Top-5 Win of the Season

The Crimson Tide entered a packed Mizzou Arena Wednesday night seeking an in-conference top-15 win. Head coach Dennis Gates and his Tigers appeared prepared as they warmed up, aiming for yet another ranked victory. However, this one would prove more pivotal than the rest if they were to pull it off.

To win the game, Mizzou needed to get off to a strong start—and they did just that. The score was 12-0 in favor of the home crowd just two and a half minutes in, prompting an early timeout from Alabama. The Tigers converted on 5 of their first 6 field goal attempts to open the night.

It took a Mark Sears layup three minutes into the contest to get the visiting Crimson Tide on the board.

Trent Pierce and Anthony Robinson II got involved from deep, while a pair of steals and smart drives to the basket by Tamar Bates helped the offense build an early lead against the No. 4 team in the country.

Mark Mitchell added his first three of the night, and the third overall, with just over 16 minutes to go in the first half. The shot erupted the crowd and extended the lead to 16-4, marking a very strong start.

It was clear the early lead flustered Alabama, leaving them with less confidence and leading to several early turnovers and low-percentage shots. Mizzou did a fantastic job boxing out and taking an early advantage in the offensive rebound category.

The Tigers' defense was so strong that it led to a 30-second violation, as no one on the Crimson Tide offense could facilitate. Head coach Nate Oats was visibly displeased on the sideline.

Mizzou was simply having fun out there, and everything was clicking. This was highlighted when Caleb Grill checked in, hit a three, stole the ball, and tossed it downcourt to Pierce, who found Bates for another triple, extending the lead to 24-9.

Grill's impact, which came after entering the contest off the bench, was more than just shooting. He drew multiple fouls, recorded 2 rebounds, an assist, and a steal, in addition to his 5 points, all in just 6 minutes of play.

The team's leader in three-point percentage momentarily left the game after being hit in the face by a Crimson Tide defender, but returned just a couple of minutes later. He made sure the fans knew he was okay by delivering a flashy assist to Mitchell, who finished the play with an athletic and-one, which he duplicated on the next drive down the court.

Alabama fought back hard in the early going, slowly inching their way back into the contest with smart offensive possessions and the occasional three. Despite that, the Tigers led by as much as 20 in the first half.

Robinson's second three of the night brought the lead to 14, and the team surpassed 30 points with that shot, about 12 minutes into the half. The offense was hitting everything they got a good look at and played with true confidence.

The momentum was stolen from the tip, and even when the Crimson Tide made three straight field goals and put together a small run of their own, a steal by Grill—followed by a flagrant foul by Alabama's Mark Sears—ignited the home crowd, reaching its loudest point of the night.

Mizzou surpassed 50 points in the half off another Mitchell dunk, bringing him to 16 first-half points. As if the crowd wasn't loud enough, a Tony Perkins jam pushed the decibel level of the home fans even higher.

The Tigers ended the half up 59-46, a highly respectable lead and offensive explosion considering the strong defense they faced. They shot 61% from the field in the half, forced 10 turnovers, and scored 15 points off of them, while surrendering just 4.

Mark Mitchell led all players with 18 points, while Robinson and Grill trailed closely behind with 12 and 10, respectively. It was an overall amazing half, no matter how you slice it. However, Mizzou would need to play two full halves of basketball against a team of this caliber and avoid losing the lead or momentum in the second half.

The Crimson Tide started the half with a slight run and forced a turnover on the Tigers, bringing the lead to within 10—the lowest margin it had been since partway through the first half. Any momentum they were gaining was immediately halted by their second flagrant foul of the evening.

Free throws continued to be a struggle, as Mizzou fell to just 10-of-16 on the night early in the second half, a common missed opportunity throughout the matchup.

Threes continued to rain for Alabama, and the visiting squad’s offense looked much stronger to start the second half than it did in the first. They weren't going to give up early, meaning Mizzou truly had to earn it as the second half progressed.

Grill finally brought some life into the arena as he nailed a deep three, his third of the night, to extend the lead to 70-57. Josh Gray followed this with a strong rebound on the defensive end, setting the offense up for another solid possession.

The lead remained around 10 points for much of the second half, as both teams found themselves at a standstill with well-coached offenses and defenses. A couple of Jacob Crews' buckets helped keep the Tigers ahead.

A Sears three suddenly cut the lead to just six after another missed free throw by Mizzou, highlighting how much of a factor the charity stripe was in the game.

However, the Tigers didn't let that discourage them. Pierce, Grill, and Mitchell ignited a 9-0 run in response, pushing the lead back to 88-73 and forcing another Crimson Tide timeout. Mitchell continued to take over in the crunch, finishing with a career-high 31 points in the game.

Mizzou reached 98 points with over four minutes to play, thanks to a Grill stepback three-pointer, marking the most Alabama's top defense has allowed this season. The Tigers surpassed 100 points with two minutes remaining in the game, marking their third time hitting the century mark this season.

After a long, hard-fought battle between two top-ranked SEC rivals, Mizzou emerged victorious with a final score of 110-98. It marks their 20th win, a milestone the program hasn't reached in over two years, as well as their 9th conference win.

Despite the win, it’s important to note the struggles from the free-throw line for the Tigers. They forced themselves to the line 47 times, converting on 31. Meanwhile, Alabama got there just 21 times but hit 15. This could have played a larger role in the game and will need to be addressed moving forward.

The 110 points mark their second-highest total of the season, with the first being 111 against Mississippi Valley State back in November.

Overall, the win is one of their strongest of the season, as they defended their home court and dominated a top-ranked opponent. If there were still doubters of Coach Gates and his program, they are likely believers now.

Their next contest comes Saturday night at 7 p.m., at the Arkansas Razorbacks, for a conference rematch.