Mizzou comes back to beat Kentucky, 73-68
On Christmas Day, it seemed the Mizzou basketball season was already at its end.
Two weeks later, the Tigers are off to their best start to SEC play in team history.
“That game was a four-minute game,” Mizzou coach Dennis Gates said. “And when we practice, we practice four-minute wars. Four-minute games. And our guys won a four-minute game at the very end. We were able to take the lead and execute.”
Mizzou used a game-ending 15-2 run to claim a 73-68 win against Kentucky at Rupp Arena. It was the first time Mizzou has won in Rupp Arena after starting 0-9 against Kentucky on the road.
And the Tigers’ second SEC win (yes, 2-0 is the best start to SEC play in program history) didn’t come without strife.
It required that game-ending run where the Tigers won the final 4:24 by 13 points for Mizzou to come back for its five-point win.
But down the stretch, the Tigers did what was necessary.
Kentucky used a 6-0 run to build a 66-58 lead with 4:37 left. Then Gates called timeout to gather his team.
“At that point, it became the players’ team,” Gates said. “It did not become my team. And what we practice is being able to communication at a high level. … We were able to steal some moments in in-game execution. And that’s what they did in our fire drill. We call it a fire drill when we get under the two-minute mark, out of bounds plays, things like that. We didn’t turn the ball over and that’s the part that won the game for us.”
Out of the break, Trent Pierce hit a layup off an assist from Mark Mitchell. Then Pierce blocked a shot on the other end, leading to an assist to Jayden Stone on a fast break dunk.
Kentucky turned it over to send the game to the U4 timeout with Kentucky’s lead quickly down to just 66-65. That sequence helped build a day of five-point, five-rebound, three-assist and four-steal day for Pierce. While Stone had 20 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting.
Both posted a second good game after returning to action Saturday after long absences.
“He was playing really well before he broke his hand,” Mitchell said of Stone. “And since he’s been back, he’s been great. I think, obviously the shooting, but I think just the toughness he gets in there. … And Trent just being back, just two really good players that really helped us win.”
Then the Tigers went to their main man to take the lead. Kentucky turned it over and Ant Robinson found Mitchell for a jumper in the paint to put Mizzou in front with 36 seconds to play.
It was just part of Mitchell’s 21-point, four-assist day and Robinson’s nine-point, 10-assist, four-rebound and two-steal game.
“He put the team on his back and allowed other teammates to step up when he needed a break,” Gates said of Mitchell. “I’m proud of Mark Mitchell and our entire program and staff.”
The Tigers made most of their free throws down the stretch. Robinson was fouled with 13 seconds left and though he missed the front end of a one-and-one, Pierce knocked the rebound to Stone. Stone then made four free throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the Mizzou win.
“They didn’t break during the moments where we could have,” Gates said. “We withstood every run that they were able to obviously executer. Whether it was big shots, whistle may not have gone our way, but our guys fought.”
First half
The game opened back and forth with the teams tying at 2, 4, 6, 8, 19 and 23. The Tigers then held the advantage for the final 4:40 after a Stone 3 made it 26-23.
Mizzou extended as far as a six-point lead at 33-27 after two Mitchell free throws. But with 38 seconds left, Kentucky hit two free throws, then Otega Oweh stole a Robinson pass and heaved in a three-quarter-court shot to make it a 33-32 lead at halftime.
Those five Kentucky points started an 11-0 Wildcat run that crossed halftime and gave Kentucky the lead early in the second half.
“That last play in the first half hurt us,” Gates said.
Stats
Mizzou shot 27-of-52 (51.9 percent) from the field, 6-of-17 (35.3 percent) from 3 and 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) at the free-throw line.
Kentucky shot 22-of-51 (43.1 percent) overall, 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from deep and 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) from the line.
Kentucky out rebounded Mizzou 31-29 and held an 8-4 lead in offensive boards. That led to an 8-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Mizzou forced 13 turnovers and scored 17 points off of those opportunities and outscored Kentucky 40-28 in the paint.
Up next
Mizzou (12-3, 2-0 SEC) will stay on the road to play at Ole Miss at 5 p.m. Saturday.