In 1994, No. 12 Mizzou knocked off No. 4 Kansas on Feb. 20, launching the Tigers into the AP top 10. That season would go down as arguably the best in program history.
Almost exactly 31 years later, Mizzou once again toppled No. 4; this time around, it was Alabama who took the defeat. They fell 110-98 on “Throwback Night” at Mizzou Arena, which partied like it was 1994 all night long as their beloved men in black and gold cemented themselves amongst college basketball’s elite.
Wednesday’s clash proved to be a track meet, one which saw the Crimson Tide catch up after the Tigers had held a comfy lead for most of the way. Even as Mizzou kept scoring, Alabama kept responding. But MU was able to seal the deal late, staving off the comeback and sending the home crowd home happy.
Mark Mitchell led the Tigers in scoring with a career-high of 31 points, surpassing the previous mark of 23 he set just one week ago against Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide didn’t have much of an answer for him around the basket, especially as he was able to isolate defenders in the post. Whether it was the 6-foot-11 Grant Nelson or the 6-foot-7 Mo Dioubate, Mitchell got what he wanted for most of the game.
However, it wasn’t just the big fella producing on offense. Caleb Grill caught fire once again scoring 25 points. But in an intriguing twist, the hot hand wasn’t a product of elite 3-point shooting. Grill shot just 3-of-9 from beyond the arc; instead, most of his points came from two-pointers and free throws, as the marksman attacked the basket and was often rewarded.
Fresh off of an electric performance against Georgia, Anthony Robinson II carried momentum into Wednesday. The sophomore registered 14 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting. Per usual, he also contributed a lot defensively, as both he and Grill recorded three steals. Superb team defense was a big reason why the Tigers electrified on Wednesday, and it began right from the get-go.
The Tigers started white-hot on both ends, defying the bitter cold outside en route to a 12-0 start to the contest. Mizzou was penetrating the paint easily, and when it didn’t get an open look at the rim, another white jersey cashed in a three-pointer courtesy of a kickout. After Tony Perkins canned a short corner jumper with 15:53 left in the first half, each Tiger starter had scored.
Better yet for Mizzou, it was able to continue playing like an 18-wheeler going downhill. Despite the crowd-rocking run by the home team, Alabama was eventually able to find life on offense — the Crimson Tide scored 46 points in the first half while shooting just over 60% from the field. However, the Crimson Tide were mired in discombobulation. On defense, active hands and crisp rotations by MU helped forced 10 Alabama turnovers in the first half, six more than Mizzou had. Mizzou also had a higher volume of shots, attempting eight more field goals and seven more free throws than the Crimson Tide.
Essentially, Alabama was efficient, but Mizzou was better in efficiency and volume. The Tigers shot a blistering 61.1% from the field, and mirroring that success was Mitchell, who scored 18 points on eight-of-11 shooting.
Mizzou also flourished in transition, often able to turn rebounds and turnovers into quick baskets. While that’s not unusual for the Tigers, they outran the Crimson Tide, who are pretty effective at playing up-tempo themselves. Mizzou finished with 21 points off of turnovers and 13 fastbreak points; the Tigers weren’t just able to survive the fast pace — they thrived.
Just like all those years ago, the victory will catapult Mizzou in numerous fashions. Barring a loss to Arkansas on Saturday, the Tigers will likely end up in the top 10 of the AP poll. In a qualitative sense, Mizzou skyrocketed elsewhere: these Tigers are for real. For real.
Mizzou will hit the road this weekend for a Battle Line Rivalry matchup with Arkansas. Tip-off from Fayetteville is set for 7 p.m. CST on Saturday.
