The Volunteers boast arguably the best defense in the country, topping the nation in three-point and near-proximity percentage allowed.
Second Half
- Bates for three to open the half! Tennessee coughs up another turnover, that is nine! ANOTHER, forced by Bates and Perkins is fouled from behind the three-point line. Tennessee is very aggressive on the three-point closeouts, and that can happen. Perkins hits two and the Tigers have an 11-point lead, their largest of the game! Robinson picks up his third foul though, which will sit him for a while. Oh boy, Robinson looked to have got another, so he will be out A LONG TIME. So expect TO Barrett to get more minutes. BATES FOR THREE. 4-0 run for the Vols but Bates drains that little burst of momentum. Vols get it right back though as Ziegler hits a bucket with the foul. This has been a lot of offense for these two teams granted how the game has gone. Milicic hits a three, he is 6-6 and it is now a three-point game. Ziegler hits a three, and it is a 11-1 run for Vols. Mitchell draws two shots, pending after the TV timeout. This crowd is alive. 43-43 with 15:37 left.
- Trying time for Mizzou, a dormant crowd is awake and a dormant Vols offense is kicking thanks to Igor Milicic who is 6-6 with 14 points in this game. The turnovers have given the Tigers a sizeable shot volume advantage, but Tennessee is outshooting them by 16% from the field.
- Vols hit another contested three, they are taking pages from Mizzou’s book right now. Gray gets a big bucket as a trailer, and then Bates draws two shots in transition. Milicic and Perkins trade tough paint buckets, and a three for the home team and they have the lead again. 51-50 Vols
- Vols three but Grill banks in a heavily contested three to bring it back to a one-point lead. But a PNR action gives Tennessee a three-point lead again. Ziegler hits a three and the Vols are shooting 75% from three-point land. 59-53 Vols with 11:41 left in the game.
- Bates with a calm answer to make it a 4-point game again, and they even get within 57-60, but the Vols surge again and have two shots pending. 64-58 Tennessee with just under eight minutes left, Mizzou needs another surge of momentum and quick.
- 4 free throws for Tennessee makes the lead 10, this is really just a free-throw matchup and Tennessee will take that any day. Two Josh Gray free throws, make it 70-61 Vols. Mizzou is just getting called for fouls on any defensive possession right now, and its allowing the Vols to get away with bad offense. And a lob slam for Tennessee, and this one looks over as it is now 74-61 with a chance to make it 75. 4:30 left.
- Mizzou is shooting 39% from the field in this game, and that’s really what is killing them. Once the turnovers fizzled out, this team could not shot create against this defense. And that’s fair, this is a very tough defense, arguably the toughest to do against.
- Bates breaks a six-minute field goal drought with a big three, and Barrett gets a bucket in transition and this one is only an eight-point deficit. Another missed bucket for Tennessee, and now Grill draws a foul in the double bonus, and he will have two shots. 75-67 Tennessee with 2:49 left at the final TV timeout of regulation.
- Grill hits the first free throw, and misses the second and Perkins gets a big rebound. Mizzou does a great job defending, and Bates draws two shots. He hits both, it is a 9-0 run and a 5-point game. TO Barrett picks up a foul that makes Gates very upset at the officials, and Tennessee misses one of the two shots. Barrett gets a wide open three, but misses pretty badly. Got the shot they wanted but not the shooter, and Tennessee has two shots. Bates drains a big-time stepback to make it five again. 78-73 two shots for the Vols with 50 seconds left.
- Vols make both shots, but Bates draws shots the other way. He sinks both, to make it 80-75. Mizzou wastes around 15 seconds trying to foul, and they end up sending Ziegler to the line. Ziegler hits both, and Perkins is fouled. The reality is the Tigers need a steal, or a miss on one of the free throws to make it two possessions. 82-76 Tennessee with 26.8 left, Vols ball on the inbound.
- OH CREWS. TRIPLE. 83-79. Tennessee is fouled immediately, but a miss here could be a huge moment for this game. This team never stops fighting. The first one misses, makes the second. Crews misses a three on the next possession, and this one is over with two makes.
- Final. Amazing effort by the Tigers comes just short in Knoxville, as they lose 85-81. They will face the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday.
First Half
- Mizzou has been stonewalled early, trailing 5-0 at the under-16 timeout. The Tigers are 0/4 from the field; most of what they’ve tried to do offensively has been met with at least one jersey. UT has also grabbed five rebounds compared to just one for Mizzou. The good news for MU is that Tennessee has three turnovers.
- Tony Perkins finally breaks the ice for the Tigers with a rare three against this Vol defense, both teams in a dogfight right now. There’s some offense! Tony Perkins is burning Tennessee and he is leading an 11-2 run with three threes in this game. Gates takes a timeout, and it is 13-9 Mizzou with 10:54 left in the half.
- CALEB GRILL FROM THE LOGO! This guy could hit a marble into a marble sized rim. Tennessee answers with a three after two forced turnovers by Mizzou mean nothing. TO Barrett getting more and more minutes with age, gets a nice finish off the glass. CREWS. ANOTHER THREE AND THEY ARE TEARING UP THIS VOLUNTEER PERIMETER. Mashack gets a lucky bounce for a big-man three, it is 21-17 Mizzou with 6:56 left in the half.
- Peyton Marshall opens up the scoring after the timeout with some grown man moves, Tennessee answers with buckets to make it a two-point game. Warrick hits a scorers bucket, beautiful turnaround floater. WARRICK FOR THREE, the lead is nine again. 30-21 Mizzou with 3:21 left in the half.
- Tennessee answers with a bucket to somewhat shift momentum, and get a defensive stop right after. Ziegler hits a three, and it is now a four-point game again. Gray then turns the ball over, and Tennessee has a chance to get within one or two in the span of 1:20. After drawing a foul, the Vols miss both free throws and Mark Mitchell does as always and draws two shots the other way. He sinks both for his first two points of the game. Tennessee had coughed up just 12 turnovers in their past two games against Kentucky and Florida, while Mizzou has forced SEVEN in this opening frame. Pierce with a beautiful reverse bucket, Ziegler turns it over again that is EIGHT! Bates just misses at the buzzer off the front of the iron, Tigers lead 34-28 at the half.
Pregame Updates
Nobody besides Trent Burns on the #Mizzou men’s basketball injury report ahead of tomorrow’s game at Tennessee.
Clean bill of health for the Vols, which is notable after two of their starters missed their last game.
— Eli Hoff (@byEliHoff) February 5, 2025
Game Info
Missouri @ Tennessee
When | 6:00 p.m. CT
Where | Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center; Knoxville, Tn.
TV | SEC Network | ESPN+
Radio | Tiger Radio Network // Sirius/XM -119/199
Twitter | @MizzouHoops
ESPN win probability | 16.9% Chance
5 Fan Questions
- Mizzou is one of the highest volume three-point shooting teams, will their strategy change against a potent Volunteer defense?
- Will Caleb Grill’s hot start to SEC-play continue tonight?
- Tennesee’s offense has been hit-or-miss but their defense has been sharp, while Mizzou’s offense and defense are the opposite. Which team wins the strength vs strength battle?
- Who will lead the Tigers in scoring?
- Will the Tigers outrebound the Volunteers, and what do you think the score will be?