COLUMBIA, MO.– Mizzou Men’s Basketball suffered a road loss to Georgia, 80-70, on Tuesday night in Athens. The Tigers played their second consecutive game without senior center Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr., who is taking a leave of absence following a death in his family.
Sophomore forward Kobe Brown led Mizzou with a career-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Brown added five boards, two blocks, an assist and a steal in an all-around effort. Xavier Pinson and Mark Smith added 11 points apiece while redshirt sophomore Parker Braun chipped in seven points, three blocks and a career-high three assists in 21 minutes off the bench.
Georgia outscored Mizzou 47-33 in the second half after the Tigers held a four-point edge at the break. The Bulldogs came in shooting 32 percent from beyond the arc but shot 47 percent from long range on Tuesday night. Georgia converted 21-of-26 free throws and won the rebounding battle, 34-31.
Turning Point
Mizzou led by as many as 13 in the second half, but Georgia was able to draw fouls and get in the bonus early, using key free throws to get back within striking distance. Then the Bulldogs got out on the fastbreak and hit four 3-pointers during a run that pushed them up by five. Mizzou knotted the score at 60-60, but an 8-2 Georgia run gave the Bulldogs another two-possession advantage. Georgia put its foot on the gas and prevented a Mizzou comeback in the final four minutes.
Top Tigers
- Sophomore Kobe Brown shot 8-of-15 and finished with a career-high 21 points and five rebounds.
- Senior Mark Smith hit two threes en route to 11 points and snagged seven rebounds, his most boards since Jan. 2 at Arkansas (nine).
- Redshirt sophomore Parker Braun tallied seven points, two boards, a season-high three blocks and a career-high three assists off the bench.
Game Notes
- Mizzou blocked at least seven shots as a team for the fourth time in seven games.
- Over the last three outings, Braun has contributed a combined 18 points, four blocks and six rebounds in key minutes.
- Dru Smith snapped a 10-game streak scoring in double figures, finishing with nine points vs. Georgia.
Up Next
Mizzou continues its two-game road trip when the Tigers head to Columbia East to take on South Carolina on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off vs. the Gamecocks is slated for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
