Takeaways as Mizzou basketball blows out Arkansas. Tigers’ Tilmon, Pinson dominate
There was no letdown for the Missouri Tigers as they dominated the Arkansas Razorbacks in a comfortable 81-68 win Saturday at Bud Walton Arena.
Mizzou led for nearly the entire game, though it wasn’t a spotless performance. Billed as a potential shootout, this one was more of a slog.
Neither the Tigers (7-1, 1-1 SEC) nor the Hogs (9-1, 1-1) could get much of an offensive rhythm going. Arkansas was fresh off a 97-point performance in its SEC opener vs. Auburn but were held to a season-low point total Saturday. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman was ejected from the game with a little under four minutes remaining.
MU forward Jeremiah Tilmon posted one of his best games ever, scoring a career-high 25 points with 11 rebounds. Mizzou guard Xavier Pinson enjoyed a stellar game, with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists after a tough performance against Tennessee.
“Off the top of my head,” MU coach Cuonzo Martin said, “I would say it’s (Tilmon’s) best game. I thought it was one of X’s best game. I hadn’t even looked at the turnovers yet. I thought it was a great game for both of those guys.”
The Tigers were looking for a bounce-back after a blowout loss to the Vols to open SEC play. They got just that despite some sloppiness elsewhere.
Mizzou is back on the road next, facing Mississippi State at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
“That’s us, that’s more like us,” Martin said. “I even gotta say, maybe the turnovers are like us, too. We make it hard on ourselves. You play to a level of grit, toughness and I thought they had some conviction on the defensive side of the ball. Take pride.”
Some good, some bad
The Tigers’ offense looked smoother than it did against the Vols, predicated on getting some movement. Tilmon was a consistent inside force and had a nice connection Saturday with Pinson.
Yet Mizzou was sloppy in multiple facets of the game. The Tigers had 21 turnovers, including several of the unforced variety. Their three-point shooting was once again worrisome as Mizzou finished 5 for 19.
Foul trouble was also an issue for the Tigers. Guard Dru Smith had to sit for an extended stretch after picking up his fourth foul with about 15 minutes left in the game. Five players finished Saturday with four fouls.
Back to the roots
Arkansas was billed as an offensive firepower willing to run up and down the court. The Hogs came into Saturday’s game averaging 90.8 points per game, eighth-most in the nation.
But the Mizzou defense neutralized the Hogs. They shot just 26.8%, including 7 for 28 on three-pointers. Part of that was on them for missing open looks, but the Tigers forced Arkansas into numerous haphazard shots.
“When you come down, quick shot, quick shot, that plays into their hands,” Martin said. “That’s the way they want to play. When you got a new team like this that’s talented, you have to make them do different things defensively because they hadn’t been together long enough to say, ‘OK, here’s the adjustment.’”
This story was originally published January 2, 2021 at 1:32 PM.