Missouri looks to build momentum heading into season’s final weeks

By Benjamin Herrold
Missouri got off to a hot start Saturday in Arkansas, but the Razorbacks gradually got back in the game and dealt the Tigers a 78-68 defeat.
However, it was a continuation of a run of better play for Missouri (13-14, 5-9 in SEC play). The Tigers won at home on Tuesday of last week against Ole Miss, 71-68. Overall, Missouri has won three of its last five games, all at home, and the two road losses have been competitive games against a team going to the NCAA Tournament and another that might make it there.
Missouri led 24-11 early on Saturday, but Arkansas (17-10, 5-9 in SEC) raced back to take a 35-33 lead at halftime. The Tigers shot a whopping 44 free throws in the first meeting between the teams, in Columbia, a big part of why Missouri won, but playing on the road Saturday the Tigers shot a more modest 20 free throws, making 16, which was the same as Arkansas.
Missouri used a big three-point advantage to upset Auburn the Saturday before, but in Fayetteville three-point shooting buried the Tigers. Missouri made a paltry 4 of 21 threes, while Arkansas unleashed a barrage from beyond the arc. The Razorbacks made 12 of 25 threes, winning a game they really needed as the battle on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri is now tied with Arkansas for 10th in the SEC standings, and the Tigers have four winnable games left to wrap up the regular season. Of course, they are also all losable games, so the season’s final weeks could break either way.
But this much is fair to say already: Missouri has been playing better basketball in recent weeks, and many of the younger players have started to show their potential.
The Tigers play at Vanderbilt Wednesday (8 p.m. on ESPNU) and then host Mississippi State on Saturday (2:30 p.m. on SEC Network), fittingly celebrating Leap Day with a basketball game.
Missouri has lost all seven of its SEC road games so far this season, but at Vanderbilt will be their best chance to get a conference road win. The Commodores (9-18, 1-13) are having another tough season, although their one SEC win was, bizarrely, against second-place LSU. This is a great chance for Missouri to win on the road, but road games are tough in college basketball, as the Tigers have been demonstrating in recent seasons.
Saturday should be a good game, another chance for Tiger fans to root on their team at Mizzou Arena. Mississippi State (17-10, 8-6 in SEC) begins the week right on the edge of making the NCAA Tournament. Ben Howland and the Bulldogs will be doing everything they can to get a road win in Columbia to bolster their tournament resume. But Missouri has been playing much better at home, and the Tigers have a good chance to rebuild some momentum Saturday.