A slow start offensively and a slew of turnovers doomed No. 12 seed Missouri as the Tigers dropped the quarterfinal matchup against No. 5 LSU, 76-68, in the 2022 SEC Tournament.
The Tigers couldn't muster anything on the scoreboard for the first 15 and a half minutes of the game, scoring just nine points while turning the ball over 12 times in that span. Cuonzo Martin's team went into the locker room with 15 total turnovers, including three shot-clock violations and a 10-second backcourt violation.
"What makes them (LSU) effective defensively is that they can get steals," Martin said. "We weren't very assertive. We were passive against the press."
The Tigers didn't give up after trailing by as many as 25, cutting the lead to 16 at the half. Mizzou then came out hot in the second, starting it with a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 10 points on a Kobe Brown layup with 15:44 to go. However, the Bayou Bengals went on a run of 12-0 to put the game away. Missouri would get within eight in the final 20 seconds, but it was too little too late.
"We came back much better in the second half," Martin said. "We got over the top of the press and made plays. That part was fun to see, but we got off to a slow start."
DaJuan Gordon led the Tigers with 19 points. Trevon Brazile added a career-high 15 with eight rebounds, while Javon Pickett finished with 14. Missouri turned the ball over a season-high 24 times.
"I was happy to see the way we kept fighting," Pickett said. "Guys continued to battle the whole game."
The Tigers end the season 12-21. They are 78-77 in five seasons under Martin, who was asked if he thought Thursday was his final game on the Missouri bench.
"I’m at peace with whatever. I don’t get consumed with that," he said. "If that’s the best thing for both parties then that’s the best thing for both parties, but I won’t waste any time with that. Whatever happens, happens.
"I've got a tremendous peace of mind. I'm going back to the hotel to relax with my family and we'll go from there."
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