It had been 12 years since the last time the Missouri Tigers defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, and with the fan base deprived of a victory against their biggest rival, Mizzou Arena was ready to go on Sunday, helping propel Mizzou to a 76-67 upset victory over the No. 1 Jayhawks.
Leading 63-57 with just under three minutes to go, Kansas' guard David Coit made a huge three-pointer cutting the deficit to just three points and giving the Jayhawks life in a game that seemed over in the second half.
After the teams exchanged buckets, Mizzou forward Mark Mitchell had the biggest three-pointer of the night, cashing in from deep and giving the Tigers a 68-63 advantage with just 2:03 on the clock.
Mizzou wound up sulking the game away at the free throw line in what is surely the biggest win in coach Dennis Gates' tenure.
Mizzou came out hot to start the second half, extending its lead to 57-33 with 14:15 remaining in the game.
After extending the lead to 24 points, the Tigers went silent from the field, practically begging Kansas to get back into the game. And the Jayhawks made sure to take advantage, going on a 15-0 run over the next five minutes of action.
Needing anything to stop the bleeding, sophomore guard Anthony Robinson came away with a huge steal, eventually leading to a transition layup for Tony Perkins, giving Mizzou a 59-48 advantage with just 7:32 remaining.
Kansas continued pressing the matter, largely from the contributions of center Hunter Dickinson, who refused to be denied on the glass. Dickinson made sure to leave his mark, finishing with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
Within the first ten minutes of the game, it became overwhelmingly clear what the game plan had to look like in order for Mizzou to topple the Jayhawks. A steady diet of attacking the basket and playing aggressive defensively was the recipe for success.
With the help of the crowd at Mizzou Arena, it helped the home team jump out to an early lead, one they held for 18:13 in the first half.
Graduate transfer Tamar Bates had the hot hand early, getting to the hoop with ease. Bates sparked the entire team, contributing 18 points in the first half alone. But it wasn't just Bates' offensive ability, he also provided a spark on the defensive end, coming away with three steals in the first half.
Defensively, Mizzou was clicking on all cylinders, creating chaos for Kansas. The Jayhawks wound up committing an uncharacteristic 15 turnovers in the first half alone. Robinson was a difference maker on that end of the court, contributing three steals within the first 14 minutes.
Mizzou's center Josh Gray came out with a different physicality, hauling in seven rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.
Coming into the game, coach Dennis Gates appeared to tweak his coaching strategy, playing a much smaller rotation throughout. While Gates still played 11 players, many of these substitutions were quick and intended to give his work horses a breather.
The starting lineup of Bates, Robinson, Gray, Tony Perkins and Mark Mitchell were relied upon heavily from start to finish.