COLUMBIA, MO.— No. 9 seed Mizzou Men’s Basketball lost a close battle to Oklahoma in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, 72-68, on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Senior guard Dru Smith led the Tigers with a season high six 3-pointers. He finished with 20 points, three steals, two rebounds, and two dimes. Senior guard Mark Smith drained 3 three-pointers to combine for 11 points, four rebounds and an assist. Senior forward Jeremiah Tilmon muscled his way to 16 points and 12 rebounds, securing his eighth double-double of the season and the 13th of his career.
The Tigers outrebounded the Sooners, 36-32, and finished with 10 fastbreak points. Oklahoma shot 19-of-24 from the charity stripe. The Sooners were led by Austin Reaves, who scored a game-high 23 points.
Turning Point
After a close first half which saw the Tigers take a 1-point lead into the locker room, the Sooners surged in front early in the second frame. Oklahoma led by as many as nine points in the second half before Mizzou came storming back. The Tigers went on a 12-2 run behind a flurry of buckets from Dru Smith, Drew Buggs and Javon Pickett. After trading baskets for the majority of the second half, Oklahoma used a key 8-0 run at the 3-minute mark to push back in front by eight. Dru Smith pulled Mizzou within three after a pair of triples, but Mizzou couldn’t overcome the deficit in the final minute.
Top Tigers
- Jeremiah Tilmon scored 16 points, shooting 6-for-11 from the field, and snagged 12 rebounds, tying his career and season high. He added two blocks, an assist, and a steal.
- Dru Smith led the team with 20 points, including six trifectas, in addition to three steals, two boards, two dimes and a block.
- Mark Smith tossed in 11 points, going 3-for-5 from deep.
- Kobe Brown tallied eight points, five boards, and two assists.
Game Notes
- Jeremiah Tilmon earned his eighth double-double of the season, the most by a Tiger in a single season since Alex Oriakhi recorded 11 in the 2012-13 campaign.
- With his 20 points on the night, Dru Smith hit the 20-point mark for the third time this season.
- Dru Smith hit six shots from beyond-the-arc, a new career high.
Up Next
Mizzou ends the 2020-21 season with a record of 16-10, a winning percentage of .615, the highest since the 2013-14 squad netted a .657 win percentage.
