When will it end? Mizzou basketball losing streak reaches 10 games after home blowout
Missouri basketball has officially clinched a losing record in SEC play, just 10 games into the 2023-24 conference campaign.
In a rematch with Texas A&M at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday night, the Tigers fell 79-60.
The Tigers (8-15, 0-10) led 23-22 with seven minutes to play in the first half, but a 16-0 run by Texas A&M, spurred by Missouri turnovers, forced an uphill climb that doomed the Tigers.
To make matters worse, the Tigers missed Sean East II, who suffered a knee contusion against Vanderbilt and did not play, the latest in a long list of players out with injury.
Missouri returns to the court on Saturday to face Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network. The Bulldogs defeated Georgia 75-62 in Starkville, Mississippi, on Wednesday.
Until then, here are three takeaways from Missouri’s defeat...
Poor assist-to-turnover ratio
A day prior to facing Texas A&M, coach Dennis Gates mentioned he wants his team to have a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. More specifically, he wanted Missouri to generate around 20 assists per game and stay under seven turnovers.
That did not come to fruition on Wednesday. Shortly after the clock went under two minutes in the first half, a steal by Texas A&M’s Jace Carter led to a Henry Coleman layup on the other end, extending the Aggies’ lead to 36-23.
It was the Tigers’ eighth turnover, and they finished the night with 12.
Without East, the team finished under 70 points for the seventh time in conference play. Missouri finished with just 11 assists.
Just one more free throw than turnovers
An inability to get to the free throw line struck again.
Missouri came into the contest with the second-best free-throw percentage in the conference, but ranking dead last in free throw attempts.
That was again exhibited Wednesday as Missouri shot 13 free throws against the Aggies while making just nine of them.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M, the SEC’s third-best free-throw shooting team in terms of attempts, went 15-for-19 at the line against the Tigers.
Nick Honor helps offset East’s absence
Missouri needed someone to step up and replace 15.6 points per game from East, who has tallied double-digits in 17 games for the Tigers.
Point guard Nick Honor rose to the occasion, providing a bright spot in a 19-point loss.
The graduate point guard scored 19 points on an efficient 8-for-16 from the field. He also knocked down a trio of 3-pointers that closed the gap to three at one point in the second half.
It’s the second straight game that Honor has reached double-digits in scoring after a stretch of no more than eight points in three straight games, which started in the first game against the Aggies.
He was one of three double-digit scorers on the night as Noah Carter finished with 11 points while Tamar Bates added a team-high 20.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the rest of the team outside of Bates, Carter and Honor combined for just 10 points.
The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.