Mizzou Hoops Gets on Track With Dominant Defensive Performance Against Sooners

Following their first home loss of the season—a heartbreaking defeat against No. 8 Texas A&M—and their second straight loss overall, head coach Dennis Gates and his staff knew a strong response was necessary. With the Tigers’ next opponent coming to Mizzou Arena, bouncing back was crucial given the significance of the two-game skid at this stage of the season.

Coach Gates emphasized to his team throughout the week that, despite the recent losses, their three-point shooting and overall defense had been strong. He hoped those strengths would carry over as Oklahoma came to town.

The offense got going right away, with Anthony Robinson II and Mark Mitchell finding different ways to score, giving Mizzou an early 5-3 lead. However, the Tigers' lack of size became an issue early, as multiple offensive rebounds allowed the Sooners second and third chances to convert.

That issue was quickly addressed when Coach Gates subbed in big man Josh Gray just two and a half minutes into the game, strengthening Mizzou’s rebounding efforts. Sharpshooter Caleb Grill also entered alongside Gray and made an impact with a rare layup inside the arc.

Ten minutes into the first half, the game was as competitive as expected between two SEC rivals with similar records. The Tigers repeatedly created separation on offense, but the Sooners managed to stay within striking distance for most of the half.

Jacob Crews continued his hot shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down his first three-pointer in transition off a steal by Caleb Grill. Overall, Mizzou shot 40% from deep in the first half, going 2-for-5, while Oklahoma struggled, hitting just 3-of-13 for 23%.

What started as a close contest quickly turned into a one-sided turnover battle. By the nine-minute mark of the first half, Mizzou had already forced eight turnovers and capitalized on nearly every opportunity, building a 23-11 lead.

As the half progressed, both offenses went cold. Mizzou endured a nearly four-minute stretch without a field goal, while Oklahoma struggled as well, shooting just 2-for-13 during the same span.

Strong defense forced another Oklahoma turnover, allowing Mizzou to break its field goal drought with a corner three from Caleb Grill. The Sooners responded on the next possession with a corner three of their own, ending their own scoring slump.

Mizzou played a well-rounded first half, with no glaring weaknesses on either end of the court. Shooting was efficient, the defense was aggressive without sending the Sooners to the line too often, and the Tigers capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 14 of 18 attempts.

Mark Mitchell delivered arguably his best half of basketball since arriving at Mizzou. He finished the first half with 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, and two steals, making it clear that no defender could contain him.

He reached 1,000 career points with a layup late in the first half, becoming the third player on Mizzou’s roster to achieve that milestone this season. Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill both reached the mark in the same game earlier this year.

Mizzou's depth played a key role in building a 44-24 halftime lead, with 12 players seeing action in the first half alone.

Defensively, the Tigers locked down Oklahoma to close the half, holding the Sooners to just 1-of-12 shooting in the final minutes. Oklahoma failed to make a single field goal in the last four and a half minutes.

Mizzou started the second half sluggishly, allowing Oklahoma to hit multiple shots and trim the deficit to 16 while struggling to find consistency on offense. Mark Mitchell also got off to a slow start, missing his first shot and his first two free throw attempts.

Once Mizzou dictated the pace, they regained control of the game and steadily extended their lead in what many considered a must-win matchup.

Guard Tony Perkins took over the offense in the second half, scoring on back-to-back possessions before assisting on another. He finished with 10 points, two rebounds, and five steals—tying his career high—while shooting an efficient 4-of-5 from the field.

Suddenly, the three-ball started falling, with Caleb Grill finding his rhythm from the top of the key. He drilled back-to-back threes, extending Mizzou’s lead to 25 at 67-42. The shots energized the home crowd and sparked the offense, which continued to hit shots down the stretch.

Mizzou's lead peaked at 29 points with just under eight minutes remaining in the second half.

A quick 6-0 run by Oklahoma trimmed the lead to 73-50 after a series of Mizzou turnovers led to easy buckets for the Sooners. Coach Dennis Gates called a timeout to regroup as the Tigers endured a scoring drought of more than three minutes before Marcus Allen ended it with a jumper.

This may have been Mizzou’s best offensive performance of the season. Four players scored in double figures, led by Mark Mitchell with 25 points. Caleb Grill followed with 15, while Anthony Robinson II added 10 and Tony Perkins contributed 12, both after starting the game.

Additionally, Mizzou's offense played with relentless aggression, consistently attacking the basket and earning numerous trips to the free-throw line throughout the night.

In the end, the Tigers found themselves on the right side of a lopsided game. When the final buzzer sounded, Mizzou secured an 82-58 victory, snapping their two-game losing streak. The win improved their record to 18-6 overall and 7-4 in SEC play.

Whether the offense was hot or cold in the second half, Mizzou's defense set the tone for the victory. From forcing turnovers and collecting steals to dominating the defensive glass, the Tigers remained locked in on that end of the floor throughout the game.

It's great to see Mizzou back on track, defending their home court with a dominant win. However, the road has been a much tougher challenge for them this season, and that will be put to the test next as they travel to Georgia for a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Bulldogs.