COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri Tigers returned to Columbia with a packed Mizzou Arena waiting for them, and on Saturday night, they beat the reeling Arkansas Razorbacks 83-65. Now 4-1 in conference play, expectations for Missouri have risen, and their play has too.
Before the game, both Missouri and Arkansas had surprised the college basketball landscape, though for radically different reasons. For the Tigers, an unexpected start to the season bolstered many people’s belief in the program’s postseason potential. Most recently, Missouri had knocked off the No. 5 Florida on the road. Meanwhile, Arkansas had hoped to take its program to new heights with the addition of legendary coach John Calipari. However, the Razorbacks had gone winless through four games in conference play, falling to Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida and LSU.
With both teams on different trajectories, the intrigue of the matchup came from what version of Missouri would arrive on Saturday. Would the team be unprepared to play after its second Quad 1 victory? Has the continued success gotten in the way of progression and building toward postseason play?
Dennis Gates’ squad settled those concerns with flying colors.
Arkansas forward Jonas Aidoo started the Razorbacks off quickly, working inside the paint to put his team up 2-0. After that, Aidoo and the rest of Arkansas never claimed the lead again. On a night where numerous Missouri players found the bucket, Tamar Bates got the Tigers started early, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the opening minutes of the first half.
Starting the game with 18 unanswered points, Missouri created a buffer that Arkansas couldn’t overcome. Moreover, Missouri’s advantage came from its clear team identity, something the Razorbacks have yet to find. The Tigers stifled any opportunity Arkansas had early with pressuring zone defense, and when they had the ball, opting to go small proved to be the difference maker in shot-making. Meanwhile, as the game continued to evolve, it seemed like the Razorbacks didn’t have confidence anywhere, only finding real success when individual players drove into the lane for easy layups.
Coming out of the half, one could be forgiven for believing that Missouri’s pace would slow, an Achilles heel that marred Tigers squads in previous years. However, this group proved again why it was different, as they continued to find the basket led by junior guard Mark Mitchell. It was only in the waning minutes of the half when Missouri’s shooting finally seemed to slow. Led by its assemblage of transfer portal talent, Arkansas cut the deficit to 10 with six minutes left on the clock.
It was then that Missouri’s depth of talent made its presence known. After struggling to find the net all game, sophomore guard Anthony Robinson II rattled off four straight points from the free throw line and nailed a second-chance three-pointer from way beyond the arc. Caleb Grill finished the night off to thunderous approval by the Missouri fans in attendance, slamming home a dunk as if to signify the Tigers had truly arrived on the national stage.
On a night when so many positives could be taken, Dennis Gates reminded listeners that this team still had much work ahead.
“We’re not even at our peak,” said Gates, “I don’t think we are playing well. I’m just being honest with you. I’m dead serious. You guys may laugh at it, but I’m telling you we have about two or three more steps to go.”
If there is still more room for Missouri to grow, Saturday’s performance is an impressive omen of the schedule ahead.
Missouri returns to action on Jan. 21 at Texas.