It was just a month ago that Missouri was celebrating a win over Tennessee. The Tigers pulled off the victory behind a career-high 28 points from T.O. Barrett on their way to a 73-69 win. After the game, the Vols sat at 20-8, while Mizzou moved up to 19-9. Since that game though, the two teams have experienced much different trajectories.
Missouri won just one more game since that victory, going 1-4, including a loss to Miami in NCAA Tournament. Tennessee, on the other hand, now finds themselves in the Elite Eight with a date with Michigan for a chance to make the Final Four.
So how did Tennessee figure it all out while the Tigers fell flat?
Tennessee shows what Missouri's March could have look liked had the Tigers held on to February momentum
Tennessee has certainly peaked at the right time. After entering the tournament as a modest six-seed with a 22-11 record, not many expected the Vols to make it to a third-straight Elite Eight. But Rick Barnes and Tennessee have been glass cleaning machines, out-rebounding their opponents 124-82 so far this tournament.
Meanwhile, nothing went right for the Tigers this March, and much like previous seasons, the team may have wished the tournament was played in February instead. Mizzou is just 1-13 during March over the last three seasons, and at some point, the bleeding has got to stop.
The Tigers got a near perfedct draw as a 10-seed playing in St. Louis and still couldn't get the job done. Head coach Dennis Gates may not be on the same level as a Rick Barnes, but Mizzou is too good to be this bad in March. Instead, they'll have to watch what could have been as the Vols continue their impressive run just weeks after falling to the Tigers in Columbia.