Mizzou keeps it close at Alabama, hits all 31 free throws but struggles from floor
The Missouri Tigers stuck around, but the Crimson Tide were too much down the stretch in a 88-74 loss.
The Tigers (9-8, 1-4 SEC) kept it close — cutting the deficit to three points multiple times — off the power of free throws. Mizzou made all 31 of its free-throw attempts, just three off an NCAA record for perfection.
But the Crimson Tide (10-7, 3-2) never allowed Mizzou to take the lead in the second half on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum.
As expected, the Crimson Tide pushed the pace and shot many three-pointers. Alabama finished 13 for 39 from three-point range. But the threes stopped falling in the second half, giving Mizzou an opening. The Crimson Tide shot 44% from beyond the arc in the first half, 14.3% in the second.
“We allowed them to get into a rhythm to shoot smooth three-point shots,” Martin said. “We settled in the second half with better defending one-on-one. So we made some adjustments. Really just paying attention to the scouting report.”
That wasn’t enough for the Tigers as they struggled to generate baskets late in the second half. Mizzou finished 3 for 19 on field goals with the game still in doubt.
The Tigers also went an extended stretch without a made shot, with MU missing 10 straight field goals over a period of 10 minutes, 47 seconds in the first half.
Mizzou drove to the basket often, drawing fouls and shooting free throws when the field goals weren’t falling. The Tigers’ making 31 straight free throws was a school record.
Dru Smith had a nice bounce-back game, scoring 18 points and collecting six rebounds after managing just two points in the Tigers’ blowout loss to Mississippi State. Mark Smith (15 points), Kobe Brown (11 points) and Xavier Pinson (11 points) all scored in double digits for the Tigers.
John Petty Jr. scored 20 points for Alabama. Alex Reese and Jaden Shackelford had 17 points.
Mizzou returns home after back-to-back road games to face Texas A&M at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Mizzou Arena.
“The effort was there,” Martin said. “Tremendous job of getting to the paint. Really put an emphasis for us all season long. We have to do a better job as a team of getting to the free throw line, we did that. (But) missed a lot of shots at the rim.”
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 4:45 PM.