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basketball Edit

Game at a Glance

FOLLOW THE TIGERS ALL SEASON LONG WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

After each Tiger game, we take a look at the highs and lows. Here's the report from Saturday's 83-78 win over Arkansas.

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Brad and Jen Loos after the Tigers beat Arkansas in the Rally for Rhyan game
Brad and Jen Loos after the Tigers beat Arkansas in the Rally for Rhyan game (Gabe DeArmond)

TURNING POINT: Arkansas pulled within 66-65, but Arlando Cook missed a free throw that could have tied it. K.J. Walton scored Missouri's next four points to restore the lead to five. Arkansas got within two, but never could draw even. The Tigers led for the final 36 minutes and 33 seconds of the game.

IT WAS OVER WHEN: Not finally until Jordan Geist made a free throw with 14 seconds left to give the Tigers a four-point lead with 14 seconds to play. Finally, then, the Tigers could breathe easy after the first win in 60 days.

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM: Missouri won a game. And that's a good thing. And Rhyan Loos is still battling. And that's a better thing. Today's result does not erase the fact that Missouri is 6-and-16 or that they are 25-and-60 in three seasons. But today's events do make everyone realize that those things are not quite as important as we sometimes make them out to be.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Arkansas played terribly for about 25 minutes. And still got within a point. This game, even in a win, pointed out just how thin the margin for error for this team is. The Tigers played perhaps their best game of the year, shot 51%, had four players score 12 or more and still had to hang on by the skin of their teeth in the final minute.

STOCK UP: The Loos family. At halftime, Brad spoke of being able to use the money from last year's game to help a clinical trial to assist other children with cancer at Sloan-Kettering in New York where Rhyan has received much of her treatment. After the game, he concluded his media session by thanking reporters for the exposure, saying "You guys are the reason we have raised all this money." Nope. Not at all. But credit to you, Brad Loos. You have fought this fight much more gracefully than most of us would.

STOCK DOWN: Not today, guys. This is a day to feel good. So let's go with the record books. Missouri will not be the first SEC basketball team to go winless in league play since Georgia Tech. That happened in 1953-54. The Tigers also avoided setting a school record for consecutive losses.

UP NEXT: Missouri (6-16, 1-9 SEC) plays at Texas A&M (11-10, 3-6) at 7:30 on Wednesday at Reed Arena in College Station. The Aggies play at LSU tonight at 8:00.

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