Here’s a chance to look at some extra stats and thoughts that didn’t make it into the initial thoughts or the game story after the Missouri matchup with Kentucky.
The offense still works, though it didn't operate quite as well
The Tigers reached 80 points once again, extending the program’s longest run of conference games hitting that mark to eight.
That’s an incredibly impressive feat.
I’m not going to use last year as an example of much, and I think that’s reasonable, but let’s look back at the 2022-23 SEC season.
The Tigers scored 80 points nine times against SEC opponents that season, including the final three games of the regular season. But three games was the longest streak, they also had a two-game streak mixed in a few weeks earlier.
Last season, the Tigers got to 80 points in conference games just twice (I know I just said I wasn’t going to do that, but oh well).
The Tigers did not score 90 points against a conference opponent in either of Dennis Gates’ first two years in Columbia.
This year, they’ve reached 80 in 14 conference games, including the final eight of the regular season, got to 90 three times, passed 100 twice and hit 110 once.
The matchup with Kentucky was about as poor as the offense has looked in weeks and the Tigers still put up 83 points. That was helped because Kentucky took off the defensive pressure at the end of the game to avoid fouls, but it’s still an impressive mark that leaves the Tigers averaging 90.6 points per game in their final eight of conference play.
Mark Mitchell and Marques Warrick
These two led the offense by far Saturday with Mitchell scoring 22 and Warrick adding 17 in just 14 minutes played.
Mitchell’s 22 points marked the ninth time this season he has led the Tigers in scoring, breaking a tie with Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates. The junior forward (I know his card under here says sophomore, for some reason we’re having a lot of trouble fixing that), is averaging 20 points per game in the past eight games, leading Missouri’s offensive success late in the season.
Warrick reached double figures for the ninth time this season and tied him for his second most scored in a game this year. He had 19 against Auburn in 17 minutes played and 17 against Lindenwood in 26 minutes.
The offense doesn’t always work around him very well when he’s in, but Warrick is one of the best pure scorers I’ve seen in college basketball, the way he’s able to create his own shot is incredible.
Ant Robinson, Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill
These three are the main reason the offense didn’t look very good Saturday.
I don’t like harping on specific players, but when two of your starters and your leading scorer combine to shoot 6-of-20 for 18 points and just 2-of-11 from 3, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Robinson played well early in the game and played fine outside of shooting (five rebounds, three assists) but Bates has somewhat disappeared the past handful of games and Grill had an off night.
Bates scored just eight points, following up the seven he had against Oklahoma. He put up 16 against Vanderbilt and 11 against South Carolina, but just nine in the matchup with Arkansas.
He hasn’t raised his season average since scoring 16 points against Texas A&M to get to 14.0 points per game this year.
If those three are struggling, the Tigers probably aren’t going to win. Even if those three just put up fine games, it doesn’t spell success for Missouri.
The Tigers will go where those three lead them the rest of the way.
Home record
The Tigers didn’t end up setting the program record for home wins in a season, but they did end at 18-2 which ties the school record from 2008-09.
Add in that football went 7-0 at home this year and that’s a 25-2 mark playing in Columbia in the two major sports.
Fans got an incredible show at Faurot Field and Mizzou Arena this school year. I think it’s important to remember that even though the end of the basketball regular season and the football season didn’t go quite as well as people would have liked, both were fantastic this year and brought a lot of joy to people who were able to attend games.
Now it’s time to bring extra joy to those watching from home during the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
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