Fayetteville, Ark. – No. 15/16 University of Missouri men’s basketball dropped a 92-85 contest at Arkansas on Saturday night. The Tigers are now 20-7 on the year and 9-5 in league play, while the Razorbacks improve to 16-11 and 5-9 versus league foes.
MIZZOU LEADERS
Junior Mark Mitchell led the Tigers with 17 points and seven rebounds, while graduate student Marques Warrick added 16 points off the bench, making 6-of-11 field goals and 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
Caleb Grill chipped in 13 points with Jacob Crews and Tony Perkins also scoring in double figures with 10 points apiece.
Anthony Robinson II led Mizzou with five assists and four steals.
GAME RECAP
The Tigers started the contest slow before a strong run midway through the period gave Mizzou the advantage. Arkansas took the early lead, 10-4, as MU committed five turnovers on its first nine possessions. The Tigers would rebound, though, as Grill had the hot early hand. The graduate student scored 11-straight points for Mizzou as he helped the visitors move in front by a point, 18-17.
Missouri added a 10-0 run to grab a 32-25 advantage after a Warrick layup. The graduate guard then helped the Tigers keep their seven-point lead into the break when he made a triple as time expired for a 48-41 halftime edge.
Arkansas would respond in the second stanza, using a 14-6 spurt in the opening minutes to move in front by a point, 55-54, with over 15 minutes remaining. The teams would battle back-and-forth in a one-possession game for the next seven minutes before a 16-4 Arkansas run put the hosts in front for good, 76-65, with 6:07 remaining.
The Tigers quickly pulled to within five in the closing minute and had an open 3-point attempt to get back within a single possession but couldn’t connect as Arkansas held on for the 92-85 victory.
TEAM STATS
Arkansas made 54.7 percent of its field goals on the day with a 6-of-18 mark from 3-point range, including a 5-of-8 performance in the second half. The Tigers, meanwhile, made 44.1 percent of their field goals and 12-of-36 from 3-point range.
The difference in the contest was in turnovers and at the free-throw line. The Razorbacks won points off turnovers, 30-14, and fastbreak points, 22-4, in addition to converting 28-of-37 from the charity stripe (Mizzou was 13-of-17).
UP NEXT
Mizzou aims to start a new winning streak on Tuesday night, hosting South Carolina. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.
