Missouri accomplished a season-sweep of Tennessee with a 79-71 victory in Nashville on Friday, advancing to its first ever SEC Tournament semifinal.
D’Moi Hodge and Kobe Brown mixed for 50 factors and 13 rebounds, and so they every got here up with clutch performs down the stretch of the sport.
The Tigers additionally managed to hold with the Vols on the glass and and out-scored Tennessee 38-26 within the paint. Mizzou matched the orange crew’s physicality all through the sport, and it resulted in a win.
Missouri claimed a 67-66 lead with 4:12 remaining within the sport thanks to 2 Kobe Brown free throws. The Vols proceeded to tie the sport with a free throw from Jahmai Mashack.
Then, Mr. Nick Honor took management to swing the sport in Mizzou’s favor. He drove previous Tyreke Key for a reverse lay-up to offer the Tigers the lead, and he then hit a 3-pointer to maintain Mizzou forward.
Hodge compelled a turnover on the following inbounds play, and he then nailed a 3-pointer off a display to ice the sport. Missouri proceeded to shut out the sport from the free throw line.
Sloppy offensive play outlined the opening minutes of this sport. The 2 groups mixed to have 10 turnovers within the first eight minutes, with Mizzou recording loads of steals however being unable to care for the ball on the opposite finish.
A 1-for-8 begin from behind the arc for the Tigers enabled Tennessee to assert a 16-9 lead on the 11:42 mark of the primary half. Feelings ran excessive early on, with Uros Plavsic entering into it with a few Missouri gamers. Plavsic has made a behavior out of being a high-energy participant that will get below the pores and skin of opponents, and he set the tone of this sport early on.
The Tigers managed to chip into the lead over the course of the following couple of minutes. A private 7-0 run from Hodge tied the sport up at 25 with 3:39 remaining within the first half.
A buzzer-beating heave from Mashack gave Tennessee a 33-30 lead at halftime. The miraculous shot appeared becoming for this sport, and it capped off a frantic finish to the half that noticed each side commerce buckets.
Brown led the best way with 12 factors, and the Tigers compelled the Volunteers into 10 first half turnovers. Nonetheless, Mizzou’s incapability to maintain UT off the glass, particularly Olivier Nkamhoua, damage it all through the primary half.
Tennessee opened up on the second half on a fast 5-0 run, however the Tigers responded because of a trio of 3-pointers from Hodge, Honor after which Brown. The opening minutes of the second half have been far more fast-paced, favoring Missouri’s high-flying model.
A Noah Carter and-one gave Mizzou a 42-41 lead on the 16:20 mark, and the sport remained neck-and-neck from there on out.
After falling behind 53-49 with 11:33 remaining within the sport, the Volunteers rapidly made up floor because of back-to-back 3-pointers from Tyreke Key. The usually prolific shooter discovered his rhythm within the second half, scoring 10 factors within the interval.
Missouri will now transfer on to tackle No. 1 Alabama (27-5, 16-2) within the semifinals. The sport will happen at midday central time and may be discovered on ESPN.
