by Benjamin Herrold
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After three straight narrow wins in Mizzou Arena, Missouri suffered a devastating road loss last Saturday to Alabama, a team that had lost six of seven heading into the game. It was Missouri’s worst loss of the season by the Ratings Percentage Index rankings, and it was a strong, if not fatal, blow to the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament hopes.
Alabama (16-11, 5-9 in SEC play through Sunday) entered the game with its worst record through 26 games in 43 years, but the Crimson Tide had notched a few respectable wins at home, over LSU and Mississippi. Road games are tough, especially for Missouri (19-8, 7-7 in SEC play through Sunday), and the Tigers spent most of the game playing catchup.
Alabama made 10 of 21 three-pointers, and got a ridiculous 33 points off the bench by guard Levi Richardson, who seemingly couldn’t miss. Richardson hadn’t scored more than 14 points in any SEC game this year. There’s an element of bad luck when a sub drops 33 on you, but Missouri gave Richardson plenty of room to shine, including giving him a clear path to the basket on two thunderous dunks in the first half that helped get him going.
The loss was another reminder that Missouri has a problem with perimeter defense. It was another loss to an inferior team that was aided by making a barrage of threes, similar to the loss at Vanderbilt. Missouri allows teams to shoot a lot of threes, and when they are falling it is hard for the Tigers to overcome.
Jordan Clarkson, Jabari Brown and Earnest Ross have generally been outstanding on offense for Missouri, which may overshadow the defensive struggles, but the Alabama loss made it painfully obvious. The forwards have been more maligned, but a lot of Missouri’s defensive problems start on the perimeter.
Despite all the struggles, the Tigers can still make the NCAA Tournament. Looking at most projections, it looks like getting to 10-8 in SEC play could get the job done, although that could still make for a nervy Selection Sunday.
Missouri absolutely has to handle home games against lowly Mississippi State on Saturday (12:30 p.m. on SEC TV, check listings for local channel) and Texas A&M the following Wednesday (7 p.m., SEC TV).
The Tigers have definitely defended their home court in recent years. Missouri hasn’t lost more than two home games in a season since the 2007-08 campaign.
Mississippi State will almost certainly not be Missouri’s third home loss this year. The Bulldogs (13-14, 3-11 in SEC) started 3-2 in SEC play, but last Saturday’s home loss to Arkansas was the team’s 11th straight defeat.
Sophomore Craig Sword leads the Bulldogs in scoring, with 13.5 points per game to start the week. Sword isn’t an elite scorer, but he can get hot, pouring in 33 points in a Feb. 19 loss at LSU.
Missouri should be able to get this win at home and then make its final push for the Big Dance.