Missouri Outlasts Texas A&M in Back-and-Forth Thriller at Reed Arena
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - If you tuned in expecting a quiet midweek SEC matchup, you got anything but. Texas A&M and Missouri delivered a high-octane shootout Wednesday night at Reed Arena that featured 13 lead changes, a barrage of three-pointers, and a furious finish that came down to the final seconds. In the end, it was Missouri who escaped with a dramatic 86-85 win, handing the Aggies a gut-punch loss on their home floor.
A First Half Offensive Showcase
Texas A&M came out scorching. The Aggies, who struggled to find the bottom of the net just days ago against Florida, flipped the script in the opening half.
They shot a blistering 65.4% from the field and knocked down 11 of their 17 attempts from beyond the arc. Even more impressive?
Those 11 threes came from nine different players - a true team-wide heat check.
Rylan Griffen led the charge early, drilling his first three shots from deep and finishing the half with a team-high 11 points. He was one of several Aggies who looked locked in from the jump.
At one point, A&M had hit seven triples, each from a different player. It was the kind of balanced, confident shooting performance coaches dream about.
But Missouri wasn’t just along for the ride. The Tigers matched the Aggies punch-for-punch, shooting 50% from the field and keeping themselves within striking distance despite trailing for much of the half. Even with a 12-4 disadvantage on the boards and a red-hot opponent, Missouri managed to head into the locker room down just five, 46-41.
Momentum Shifts and Foul Trouble in the Second Half
The second half brought a different kind of energy - more physical, more chippy, and a lot more whistles. The officials tightened things up, and Texas A&M found themselves in foul trouble early. Seven fouls in the first six minutes put Missouri in the bonus, and the Tigers took advantage.
Missouri flipped the script with a 7-0 run midway through the half, capitalizing on a cold stretch from the Aggies, who went over three and a half minutes without a bucket. That drought ballooned to over seven minutes, during which A&M missed 10 consecutive shots. It was a stunning contrast to their first-half rhythm, and it allowed Missouri to build their largest lead of the game, 74-66, with just under eight minutes to play.
But the Aggies weren’t done.
A Wild Finish
Down eight and reeling, Texas A&M rediscovered its touch just in time. The Aggies hit six of their next eight shots, clawing their way back into the game and setting the stage for a frantic final stretch. With 1:21 left, A&M had surged back in front, 85-84, capping a furious rally that brought the Reed Arena crowd to its feet.
Still, Missouri had the last word.
In a game that saw momentum swing like a pendulum, the Tigers made one more play than the Aggies when it mattered most. They retook the lead in the final moments and held on for an 86-85 win - a gritty road victory in one of the SEC’s tougher environments.
Availability Notes
Texas A&M was without forward Mackenzie Mgbako, who remains sidelined with a season-ending Jones fracture in his right foot. On the Missouri side, forwards Jevon Porter and Annor Boateng were both out - Porter due to an ongoing absence for undisclosed reasons, and Boateng after suffering a leg injury late last month.
Starting Lineups
Texas A&M: Marcus Hill, Rylan Griffen, Jacari Lane, Rubén Dominguez, Rashaun Agee
Missouri: T.O. Barrett, Jayden Stone, Trent Pierce, Mark Mitchell, Shawn Phillips Jr.
Takeaway: This was a game that offered just about everything - hot shooting, cold streaks, foul trouble, and a wire-to-wire battle between two teams that refused to back down. For Texas A&M, it’s a tough loss after such a dominant first-half performance. For Missouri, it’s a statement win on the road, earned through resilience and timely execution.