Missouri Escapes With a Win, But Questions Still Linger
Saturday brought chaos to the SEC, and Missouri was right in the thick of it. On a day when Mississippi State got blown out at home by Vanderbilt, Auburn stunned Florida in Gainesville, Tennessee edged Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Texas ran Georgia out of the gym in the second half, the Tigers narrowly avoided adding their name to the upset list.
It took a buzzer-beating three from Mark Mitchell to lift Missouri past Oklahoma, 88-87. And while the win goes in the left-hand column, it wasn’t exactly the kind of performance that inspires long-term confidence. But this time of year, sometimes it’s not about how-it’s just about getting the job done.
A Win Is a Win-Even If It’s Ugly
Missouri didn’t play its best basketball. In fact, they needed not one, but two last-second threes to sneak past an Oklahoma team sitting at the bottom of the SEC standings.
That’s not ideal. But at 20 games into the season, the Tigers are what they are: a team still searching for consistency, still trying to figure out if they’re tournament-worthy, and still stuck somewhere between promise and frustration.
Coming off a tough loss to Georgia earlier in the week-a game that felt like a missed opportunity to solidify their resume-Missouri couldn’t afford to let this one slip. Losing to Oklahoma would’ve been a gut punch.
Instead, they found a way. It wasn’t pretty, but it might be just enough to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes breathing.
Mark Mitchell Delivers, Again
Let’s talk about Mark Mitchell. The junior forward has been the engine for this team all season, and once again, he came through in the clutch.
That game-winning three wasn’t just dramatic-it was necessary. Mitchell has consistently been Missouri’s most reliable player, and without him, this team isn’t even in the bubble conversation.
Jayden Stone has had his moments, and T.O. Barrett is starting to emerge, but beyond that, the supporting cast has been inconsistent.
Missouri likely expected more from Anthony Robinson, and so far, that production hasn’t materialized. That’s made life tougher for Mitchell, who’s been asked to carry a heavy load on both ends of the floor.
The Offense Struggles, the Defense Wavers
The Tigers’ offense has been hit-or-miss all season, and Saturday was another example. Missouri shot poorly from the field and needed to dominate the glass just to stay in it.
The Sooners, meanwhile, couldn’t rebound but kept themselves alive by shooting the lights out. It was a back-and-forth affair with no real momentum swings-no “kill shots,” as EvanMiya.com defines them (10-0 runs or better).
Just a lot of mini-runs and lead changes.
Missouri’s defense, which has shown flashes of potential, didn’t have an answer for Oklahoma’s perimeter shooting. That’s been a theme throughout SEC play: the Tigers can’t seem to string together stops when they need them most. And when your offense isn’t humming, that’s a tough combination to overcome.
Where Does Missouri Stand?
At 4-3 in the SEC, Missouri is right in the middle of the pack. They’re not out of the tournament picture, but they’re certainly not safe, either.
The bubble is soft-as it always is-and that means a team like Missouri, with a few quality wins and a handful of close losses, can still make a case. But the margin for error is razor-thin.
Getting to 11 wins in conference play would likely punch their ticket. Ten might be enough, depending on how the rest of the league shakes out.
But nine? That’s a coin flip, especially in a year where the SEC hasn’t been as dominant at the top.
Wins over Florida, Auburn, or Kentucky don’t carry the same weight they did last season.
The Road Ahead
If Missouri wants to dance in March, they need to find the best version of themselves-and soon. That means more consistency from their role players, more reliable defense, and fewer games where they’re relying on miracle shots to survive. The Tigers don’t have the firepower to overwhelm teams, but they’ve shown enough grit to hang around.
Saturday’s win wasn’t a statement. It wasn’t a turning point. It was a lifeline.
And in January, that’s sometimes all you need.
Other SEC Scores from Saturday:
- Vanderbilt 88, Mississippi State 56 - A shocking road blowout by the Commodores.
- Auburn 76, Florida 67 - Huge win for Auburn in Gainesville.
- Tennessee 79, Alabama 73 - The Vols take down a ranked Crimson Tide squad.
- Arkansas 85, LSU 81 - Razorbacks survive a scare from LSU.
- Texas 87, Georgia 67 - Texas blows the doors off a top-25 Georgia team.
- Kentucky 72, Ole Miss 63 - Wildcats take care of business.
- Texas A&M 92, South Carolina 69 - Aggies keep rolling with a dominant win.
- Missouri 88, Oklahoma 87 - Mitchell saves the day in Columbia.
SEC Standings (as of January 25):
| Team | Conf. Record |
|------------------|--------------| | Texas A&M | 6-1 |
| Arkansas | 5-2 | | Florida | 5-2 |
| Kentucky | 5-2 | | Georgia | 4-3 |
| Missouri | 4-3 | | Vanderbilt | 4-3 |
| Auburn | 4-3 | | Tennessee | 3-3 |
| Alabama | 3-3 | | Texas | 3-4 |
| Ole Miss | 3-4 | | South Carolina | 2-5 |
| Mississippi State| 2-5 | | LSU | 1-6 |
| Oklahoma | 1-6 |
The SEC is still wide open. Missouri’s path to the tournament is still there-but it’s going to require more than buzzer-beaters and close calls.