After shedding at Mizzou Enviornment for the primary time this season, No. 21 Missouri will attempt to re-establish its home-court benefit when it faces Oklahoma on Wednesday.
The Tigers (17-6, 6-4 Southeastern Convention) had been 15-0 at house earlier than falling to then-No. 10 Texas A&M 67-64 on Saturday. That was Missouri’s second straight loss general, following an 85-81 setback at then-No. 4 Tennessee on Feb. 5.
These defeats dropped Missouri six spots from No. 15 within the newest Related Press Prime 25 ballot.
“The ironic factor about this convention: You may play properly and nonetheless lose a sport,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates stated. “That is how good this convention is. We misplaced our final two video games by a complete of seven factors — to 2 top-10 groups. One on a last-second shot, last-second 3.
“How significantly better would you like our guys to play?”
Missouri left a lot room for enchancment in opposition to the Aggies. Jacob Crews made 3 of 4 photographs from 3-point vary coming off the bench, however his teammates mixed to overlook 15 of 17 photographs from behind the arc.
The Tigers are averaging 9 3-pointers per sport this season. Caleb Grill is taking pictures practically 47.7 p.c (51-of-103) from lengthy distance, however he Aggies held him to 0-for-4 taking pictures on 3-point makes an attempt.
“Caleb was capable of get a pair seems, and people seems did not fall down,” Gates stated. “He shot 4 threes, and I believe all 4 of these threes had been broad open. However the gravity of which Caleb Grill performed and was on the court docket was extra vital than the factors.
“He spaced the court docket for Tamar (Bates). He spaced the court docket for Crews to have the ability to function, along with Marques Warrick, along with Tony Perkins. So these issues helped our offense, him on the court docket.”
Bates leads Missouri in scoring at 14.0 factors per sport. Grill (12.6) and Mark Mitchell (12.3) are additionally averaging in double figures.
The Sooners (16-7, 3-7 SEC) are coming off two lopsided losses to Prime 5 groups. They fell 98-70 at No. 1 Auburn on Feb. 4 and 70-52 at house in opposition to then-No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday.
After a powerful nonconference exhibiting that included victories over two ranked groups, the Sooners have struggled in league play.
“I believed what we had been doing earlier within the 12 months that we’re not doing proper now could be emotionally and bodily combating by onerous instances in a sport,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser stated.
“I believed this group was actually resilient. I used to be speaking to you after quite a lot of shut video games that we received, whether or not it was Windfall, Arizona, Michigan, Louisville, simply time and again. We had been down at halftime (in opposition to) Georgia Tech. … We had been down (in opposition to) Arkansas. We have had lots of video games the place I’ve talked about resiliency, combating by onerous.”
Jalen Moore leads Oklahoma with 17.7 factors and 5.7 rebounds per sport. Jeremiah Fears averages 15.5 factors and 4.0 assists, whereas Duke Miles contributes 10.3 factors per contest.
After sustaining a thigh harm in opposition to Auburn, Fears was questionable to face Tennessee. Nevertheless, he made his twentieth consecutive begin and scored eight factors in 28 minutes.
“He hadn’t had any reps the final two days,” Moser stated after the sport. “He gutted it out and actually tried to be there for his teammates to play on this large sport.”
–Discipline Stage Media