FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 15 Missouri Tigers saw their three-game winning streak come to a surprising halt on Saturday evening, falling to the Arkansas Razorbacks 92-85 at Bud Walton Arena. Coming off a thrilling victory against No. 4 Alabama, Missouri faced off against Arkansas, who had been struggling but proved to be formidable opponents.
The matchup was particularly pivotal for both teams, as Mizzou (20-7, 9-5 SEC) aimed to secure their standing among the top contenders in the Southeastern Conference. Conversely, Arkansas (16-11, 5-9 SEC) desperately needed the win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
The Razorbacks jumped to an early lead, capitalizing on the Tigers’ uncharacteristic mistakes. Missouri struggled with turnovers throughout the game, committing 18 turnovers compared to their season average of 10.5. This proved costly, as Arkansas scored 30 points off those mishaps. Mizzou’s leading scorer Caleb Grill, known for his sharp shooting, fell flat, finishing with just 13 points and missing 10 consecutive attempts from beyond the arc after starting the game strong.
Despite these challenges, Missouri managed to maintain close proximity to Arkansas on the scoreboard. The first half saw back-and-forth exchanges, with the Tigers taking the lead briefly. They entered halftime with a 48-41 advantage, thanks largely to positive contributions from players like Mark Mitchell, who led the team with 17 points, and Marquez Warrick, who added 16 points.
Arkansas came out of the break with renewed energy, rapidly closing the gap and regaining the lead at 55-54 with 15 minutes left to play. The Razorbacks went on to establish their largest lead of the game, up by as much as 11 points as they capitalized on Mizzou’s missteps.
“That second half was not our best performance,” stated Tigers head coach Dennis Gates. “We need to clean up our turnovers and play smarter basketball if we want to compete at this level.”
Overall, the Razorbacks dominated inside scoring, outpacing the Tigers with 44 points compared to Mizzou’s 26. The absence of Missouri’s primary center, Josh Gray, who was out due to illness, was certainly felt on both ends of the court. Upping the ante, Arkansas’ center Zvonimir Ivisic, who scored 20 points, exploited the gaps left by Gray’s absence.
Missouri managed to put up some numbers, but their shooting woes were evident. The Tigers shot only 12-of-35 from beyond the arc, struggling significantly during the second half. The team had been known for their efficiency from the line, but they managed only 13 free throw attempts against the Razorbacks’ 28.
Even as Mizzou attempted to make their moves, strong performances from Arkansas’ DJ Wagner, Karter Knox, and Adou Thiero kept the momentum firmly on Arkansas’ side. For every comeback the Tigers attempted, the Razorbacks responded with clutch shot-making.
“We knew this was going to be tough, seeing how well they’ve played at home,” commented Arkansas coach John Calipari. “Our offensive flow really helped us capitalize on their mistakes.”
Though the Tigers made late-game efforts, they were unable to bridge the final gaps. With under 30 seconds remaining, Grill’s 3-point attempt fell short, and Arkansas sealed their victory at the foul line.
The loss has significant implications for Missouri’s chances of securing a top-four seed for the upcoming SEC Tournament, as they now share fourth place with Tennessee and Texas A&M. Mizzou hopes to get back on track as they face the South Carolina Gamecocks next, needing wins to solidify their stance among the conference leaders.
“We’ve got to regroup and focus on the next game,” Grill added post-game. “We can’t dwell on this. We’ve got to come back stronger.”
With four games left on the regular season schedule, the Tigers need to find their rhythm again, starting with their upcoming match against South Carolina this Tuesday.