As has been highlighted more and more over the past couple of weekends, winning back-to-back games against any opponents is no easy task. Saturday night once again proved that, as the Commodores had Mizzou's number throughout the entire contest.
Despite having already defeated Vanderbilt earlier in the season, the Tigers struggled to extend a true lead against them, partly due to playing in their home arena and it being the second contest of the season.
From the start, the Mizzou offense didn't resemble their best. They struggled to convert inside the paint, had trouble connecting from downtown, and lacked overall playmaking.
Those struggles continued, especially late, as in the second half and overtime, they shot just 4-for-11 from deep, including only one triple in the extra period. Sharpshooter Caleb Grill finished with 28 points, but on just 3-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc.
Above all, the main issue in this contest was with the defense. Whether it was inside the paint, on the perimeter, or even at half court, their defense was well below what they are normally capable of, leading to a disappointing result by the time the clock hit zero.
Mizzou ended the first half with a 9-point lead, shooting well and limiting the Commodores to just 8% from three, hitting only 1 of 13 attempts. However, the recurring problem of playing two completely different halves reappeared, as the second-half defense was nowhere near the level of the first half’s.
Vanderbilt’s three-point shooting jumped from 8% in the first half to 55% in the second, hitting 6 of 11 attempts. They added another three on two attempts in overtime, which proved costly, as the final deficit was just four points.
Overall field goal percentage also significantly increased in the second period, as they shot 31% in the first, and improved all the way to 68% in the second. Along with that, they went 4-5 shooting in overtime, hitting everything apart from that one three, showing their better ability to close out opponents.
The contest ended up resembling the Tigers' win against Florida in early January: a dominant first half that gave way to a lazy second, where Mizzou struggled to close out the game effectively.
This time, the defense to close the game was even worse. Especially in the overtime period, Vanderbilt simply wanted it more. Both teams found ways to score on offense, but the clutch defense from the home team was far superior.
Mizzou was outscored by 9 in the second half and by 4 in the overtime period, leading to their eighth loss of the season. This likely pushes them further down the AP Top-25 rankings, which are released on Monday afternoon.
The game looked like it might be extremely similar to the loss last week at Arkansas, and it truly played out that way. It was a close game that neither team could fully control, until the home team, the underdog, closed it out in the end.
Responding has been a major theme of the Tigers' 2024-25 season, whether it's in-game or bouncing back from a tough loss. With just two games remaining before the SEC Tournament and the eventual NCAA Tournament, a strong response is vital if Mizzou is serious about making a run later this month.
The Tigers' next contest is another rematch against an inferior opponent, as they travel to play the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday evening.