Recapping the Dominant Effort of Mizzou Hoops’ Mid-Week Clash With South Carolina
After a huge win at home against No. 4 Alabama last Wednesday, Mizzou closed the week with an upsetting loss at Arkansas. Going 1-1 on the week isn’t terrible, but it definitely left a bitter taste in the mouth for MU.
The Tigers moved up just one spot in the AP Top-25 rankings this week, reaching No. 14 overall, but clearly, this team isn’t satisfied. They responded in a big way with another blowout win against the Gamecocks.
South Carolina entered the game with just one conference win, which came in their previous contest against the Texas Longhorns. The Tigers did a great job of not underestimating their opponent, getting the job done with a complete 40-minute performance.
They’ve struggled in past matchups, particularly in the Arkansas game last weekend, where they played one dominant half before the wheels fell off in the second and ended up losing. However, that style of play seems to be in the rearview mirror, as they kept their foot on the gas for the entire contest against South Carolina.
Highlighting the defensive effort is essential, as it was one of the strongest overall performances of the season. Aside from their two prominent playmakers, Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamarii Thomas, no other player on the roster scored more than five points.
As a team, the Gamecocks made just two three-pointers in the first half, shooting 17% from beyond the arc. That number dropped significantly in the second half, as they went 0-for-11. The perimeter defense from the Tigers was stellar all night long.
The Gamecocks shot a respectable 48% from the field in the first half, but their overall percentage dropped to 38% in the second half. Despite the wide deficit, Mizzou never stopped fighting and didn’t give South Carolina a chance to mount a comeback.
Despite the Gamecocks striking first and starting the game with a lead, head coach Dennis Gates and the Tigers’ offense had a clear plan to secure the victory, and they undoubtedly succeeded in executing it.
A total of 10 players scored out of the 10 who played more than two minutes, with six reaching double figures. Seven different players recorded at least one steal, with Caleb Grill leading the way with a season-high 4 steals.
Grill once again had the best game, finishing with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals in just 20 minutes of play. He was extremely efficient, shooting 9-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
The entire team was efficient, something they had focused on for this contest. They shot 61% from the field in the first half and followed that up with an improved 67% in the second half.
They didn’t find themselves at the line too often, but once again, they were efficient. Out of just 12 attempts, they connected on 10. Normally, they don’t struggle getting to the line, but Tuesday night, they did.
They allowed South Carolina to get to the charity stripe 25 times, and the Gamecocks hit 21 of their attempts. This is an area the Tigers can still improve on, even with a win like this.
The passing game also looked better than usual. Sophomore Anthony Robinson II seems to be finally blossoming into the passer that Coach Gates hoped for during his recruitment.
He tied a career-high with 8 assists, adding 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals on 5-of-7 shooting. He also turned the ball over just once, which is impressive considering he was the primary ball handler for the 25 minutes he played in the game.
Despite the lack of free throws and low three-point attempts, the Tigers once again broke 100 points, finishing the game with a final score of 101-71.
It marks the first time they’ve scored 100 points in back-to-back home games against SEC teams, and the fourth time this season— the most in a year since the 2008-09 season.
That year, they went 31-7, won their first Big 12 Conference championship, and made a run all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. This is undoubtedly the best offense fans have seen since that season, nearly two decades ago.
The game was never really in doubt. Once Mizzou hit their stride, they found a rhythm, and nothing South Carolina did seemed to matter in terms of getting back into the game. The Tigers won by 30, but led by as much as 32 late in the contest.
Though Grill and Robinson arguably had the best nights overall, there wasn’t a single Tiger who played poorly. Everyone contributed on both sides of the ball and played efficiently, which is something Coach Gates consistently praises.
It’s a confidence-boosting win, and as long as they don’t get ahead of themselves, they’ll be prepared for a two-game road trip before finishing the regular season at home.
They start with a matchup at Vanderbilt, who is 13-2 at home, on Saturday evening, as Mizzou looks to reach their 22nd win, something they’ve done only once in the last decade.
