On Mizzou’s day to honor its basketball seniors, a LSU freshman spoiled the celebration
.JPG "LSU’s Cameron Thomas (top) shoots over Missouri’s Mark Smith (left) and Jeremiah Tilmon (right) during the game Saturday, March 6, 2021, in Columbia, Mo.")
Missouri decided to honor its five-member senior class after Saturday’s game, presenting a feel-good opportunity.
Instead, Dru Smith, Jeremiah Tilmon, Drew Buggs, Mark Smith and Mitchell Smith forced smiles while taking bows next to their portraits on the floor. They had just absorbed an 86-80 loss to LSU in a game Mizzou led for much of the second half.
Ultimately, Missouri couldn’t contain shooting guard Cameron Thomas throughout the afternoon and Trendon Wadford in the second half. The LSU teammates combined for 30 second-half points.
Still, Mizzou, which led by six as late as 9 minutes, 30 seconds remaining, rallied to get the game tied at 80-80 with 1:27 remaining with four points on one sequence.
Trailing by four, Xavier Pinson drove and LSU’s Mwani Wilkinson was whistled for a foul. After consulting the replay monitor, officials determined Wilkinson had committed a flagrant-one foul. Pinson hit two free throws and Mitchell Smith got a stickback to make it 80-80 with 1:20 remaining.
But after LSU went ahead with a bucket, Missouri didn’t get a good look. Pinson hesitated on a free-throw-line jumper. Missouri didn’t scored the rest of the game.
“X would take that shot back if he could,” Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said.
The free-throw jumper was an option, also was a dump down to Tilmon. The hesitation cost Mizzou a potential good look in that moment, but LSU excelled all afternoon defending Tilmon, who got off only three field-goal attempts.
“They were sending three guys at (Tilmon), and it was almost hard for him to make passes out of that,” Dru Smith said.
The LSU defense forced Missouri to win it from beyond the arc. Mizzou hoisted 30 three-point attempts, making nine. The biggest one came when Dru Smith splashed home a triple from the top to give Missouri its last lead at 73-72.
But this game was mostly about Thomas and his ability to score against good defense. Several Tigers wound up guarding the 6-4 freshman who entered the game leading the SEC in scoring at 22.3 points per game. None had much success.
Drives to the bucket, step-back jumpers, and an ability to get fouled while shooting all haunted Missouri throughout the afternoon.
“He’s a guy that does a great job getting fouled and getting to the free-throw line,” Martin said. “He does a good job bumping, getting his sho. ... I think it’s safe to say we won’t see him on campus anymore.”
Still, if Missouri made a couple more three-pointers — Mark Smith was 0-6 from deep — it’s probably a different outcome, and Mizzou would be heading into the SEC Tournament this week with a full head of steam.
The dramatic victory at Florida on Tuesday had put a bounce in the TIgers’ step, and Saturday provided an opportunity to carry momentum to Nashville next week.
As it stands, Mizzou will open postseason play as the No. 7 seed and face 10th-seeded Georgia. Missouri would have been fifth with a triumph over LSU. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., and No. 2 seed Arkansas awaits the winner.
“We would have loved to have won on Senior Day, but we have to forget about it,” Dru Smith said. “We have a whole new season coming up. We have to lock in, and understand when we come back to practice on Monday we’re working toward something again.”