In a thrilling second-round matchup at the SEC tournament, seventh-seeded Missouri defeated 10th-seeded Mississippi State 85-73, led by Tamar Bates’ 25 points. The Tigers avenged their previous loss to the Bulldogs earlier in the season with a strong performance, despite losing their leading scorer, Mark Mitchell, to a knee injury in the first half. Tony Perkins added 20 points for Missouri, who outrebounded Mississippi State 43-35 and outscored them in the paint and on the fast break. Caleb Grill’s dunk ignited a 12-2 run in the final minutes, sealing the victory for the Tigers. Although Josh Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 24 points, Mississippi State struggled from beyond the arc going 6 of 30 on 3-pointers and shooting just 36.4 percent overall. Missouri will now face second-seeded Florida in the quarterfinals, having previously beaten them on the road earlier in the season. The Tigers’ strong defensive effort in the second half, with just five turnovers and solid rebounding, proved crucial in securing the win. With high hopes heading into the next round, Missouri looks to continue their success in the tournament.
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