Tamar Bates scored 25 points to lead No. 21 Missouri past Mississippi State 85-73 in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday night. With the victory, the seventh-seeded Tigers (22-10) advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face No. 4 Florida on Friday night.
Tony Perkins had a season-high 20 points for Missouri, providing a crucial boost as the Tigers overcame a determined Mississippi State squad. Caleb Grill’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half gave Missouri a 39-34 lead, but the game remained close throughout the second half before the Tigers pulled away late.
Mississippi State (21-12), the No. 10 seed in the tournament, was led by Josh Hubbard’s 24 points, while Keshawn Murphy added 18. The Bulldogs fought hard, keeping the game tight for most of the second half before Missouri’s strong finish sealed the win.
Missouri and Mississippi State engaged in a back-and-forth battle, with the game tied 17 times. The Tigers’ only regular-season meeting with the Bulldogs had resulted in a dominant 88-61 victory in Starkville, but Thursday’s game proved much more competitive.
The key moment came with just over four minutes remaining when Grill broke the game’s final tie with a dunk, putting Missouri ahead 71-69. The Tigers then closed the game on a strong run, making six of their final seven field-goal attempts while Mississippi State struggled, hitting just one of its last nine shots.
The Bulldogs’ loss won’t significantly hurt their NCAA Tournament hopes, as they are still projected to receive an at-large bid. However, missing out on a deep SEC Tournament run could impact their seeding.
The Tigers had to grind out a win in their first game of the tournament but showed resilience down the stretch. They’ll need another strong effort against Florida, which will be playing its first game of the tournament.
Missouri’s efficiency in the closing minutes was the difference. The Tigers shot 85.7% (6-of-7) from the field in the final stretch, while Mississippi State managed just 11.1% (1-of-9).
Missouri moves on to face No. 4 Florida in Friday’s quarterfinals, while Mississippi State will wait to learn its NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday.
