Mark Mitchell’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Missouri Over Oklahoma in Overtime Thriller
With the game - and maybe their March hopes - hanging in the balance, Missouri needed a hero. Mark Mitchell delivered.
The Tigers were staring down a third straight loss and the kind of late-January skid that can derail a season. But with the clock hitting zero in overtime, Mitchell rose up and buried a buzzer-beating three to cap off a wild 88-87 win over Oklahoma in Columbia. Mizzou Arena erupted, and for good reason - this wasn’t just a win, it was a lifeline.
And believe it or not, Mitchell’s shot wasn’t even the first buzzer-beater of the day.
Let’s rewind to the final seconds of regulation. Missouri trailed by one with 5.6 seconds left. Mitchell had just missed a layup, and things looked bleak after Trent Pierce fouled OU’s Tae Davis, who calmly knocked down two free throws to stretch the Sooners’ lead to three.
Then came the first moment of magic.
After a timeout from head coach Dennis Gates, Missouri inbounded to T.O. Barrett.
The sophomore guard pushed the ball up the floor and found Pierce - the same player who committed the foul moments earlier - near midcourt. Pierce let it fly from deep.
Bang. Game tied.
Regulation over. And yes, that was Pierce’s first made shot of the game.
Overtime belonged to Mitchell. The junior forward was everywhere, finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. But it was his final bucket - the one that beat the buzzer and the Sooners - that will be replayed for a long time in Columbia.
Barrett, making his first career start in place of Anthony Robinson II, didn’t just look comfortable - he looked confident. Robinson had struggled offensively since Missouri’s upset win over Kentucky, shooting just 20.8% across the last four games. Gates gave Barrett the nod, and the sophomore delivered in a big way: a career-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, six rebounds, and two assists - including the one to Pierce that forced overtime.
Saturday’s win was more than just a dramatic finish. It was a much-needed bounce-back for a team trying to stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation. Missouri had dropped three of its last four heading into the matchup, and despite a historic win at Rupp Arena earlier this month and a victory over defending national champion Florida, the Tigers were trending the wrong way in SEC play.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier.
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Missouri was listed as a “next four out” team entering the weekend. Translation: there’s work to do. The Tigers are now 2-4 in Quad 1 games, with seven potential Quad 1 matchups still on the schedule - four of those against ranked opponents.
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Jan. 27: at No. 17 Alabama
- Feb. 11: at Texas A&M
- Feb. 18: vs.
No. 15 Vanderbilt
- Feb. 21: at No. 20 Arkansas
- Feb. 24: vs. Tennessee
- March 3: at Oklahoma
- March 7: vs.
No. 20 Arkansas
The good news? With Saturday’s win, Mizzou improved to 2-2 in Quad 2 games. Every win matters now, especially with just over a month to go before the SEC Tournament.
Next up: a trip to Tuscaloosa to face an Alabama team firmly in the national spotlight. The Crimson Tide feature 7-footer Charles Bediako, who made headlines earlier this season as the first player with collegiate experience to sign an NBA contract and still return to college basketball.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Tuesday. If Missouri wants to keep its March dreams alive, they’ll need another big performance - and possibly another big moment - on the road.