The heavens opened up at College Station and down poured Aggie three-pointers. For the first twenty minutes.
Then, Trent Pierce turned on the gas and pushed the Mizzou Tigers to a stellar win on the road.
Normally when a team is shooting nearly 70 percent from beyond the perimeter in the first half, it’s a lost cause. In that half alone, Texas A&M knocked down 11 threes from nine different players. It seemed a spell was on the basketball and whatever the Aggies tossed into the air was going to land in the hoop.
For the first 25, the “Bucky Ball” offense was working seamlessly. An unselfish group dished the ball around, causing the Tigers to sink into the paint, which allowed for open shots beyond the arc.
Then, it went dry.
A seven-minute field goal drought tormented the once fiery Aggie offense, forcing a timeout in hopes of a last-ditch regroup.
While nothing was working for the Aggies, Pierce took full advantage. In a season-best 23 point performance, the guard got the Tigers moving.
They stuck to their game and it began to pay off. In the first half, Mizzou was able to follow along offensively thanks to a strong performance on the glass and in the paint. Following a recent trend, the Tigers collected 20-plus points in the paint in the first half.
Collecting 56 points in the paint over the course of the game, the team used its height to its advantage. Additionally, they grabbed the boards to propel to more second-chance points. A laid foundation in the first half proved key for the ultimate victory.
One change the team made after halftime was pushing its way to the charity stripe. Entering bonus just five minutes into the second half, the Tigers knocked down seven free throws to find an extra boost.
But Mizzou basketball likes to “Mizzou.”
In the final four minutes, 12 lead changes took place as the Aggies were able to claw their way back to hopes of a victory. Each trip down the court seemed to change the score and with 25 seconds remaining Dennis Gates drew up a victory-sealing play to put the Tigers in the win column.
A classic duo, Mark Mitchell and Shawn Phillips Jr, created magic. A lob from Mitchell was smashed into the basket from Phillips and the go-ahead lead was acquired.
Phillips also wasn’t done. On the other end, he blocked a last second shot to quiet the home crowd.
It was a true game of grit and and created a down to the wire, highlight reel, February game.
Walking away with its first victory against Texas A&M since 2022, the Tigers have shaken the SEC standings and created real trouble for March.
Next up, they’re back home in the friendly confines of Mizzou Arena, facing an 8-2 Texas Longhorns team in the season’s first sellout.
