Missouri Tigers fall on Senior Day to red-hot Kentucky Wildcats. These were the highlights
Mark Mitchell did everything in his power to ensure the Missouri Tigers would close regular-season SEC play with a win on Senior Day.
But a red-hot Kentucky shooting effort — mixed with MU’s offensive struggles up and down the lineup — left a capacity crowd at Mizzou Arena frustrated as the final seconds ticked off from Saturday’s game.
Final score: No. 19 Kentucky 91, No. 15 Missouri 83.
For much of the day, the most common sound carried over the ESPN broadcast was groans of frustration after a barrage of Kentucky 3s, as well as some cheers from the pockets of visiting fans mixed into the attendance of 15,061. (Chants of “Go Big Blue” could be heard late.)
A 10-0 Mizzou run breathed life back into the home fans. The Tigers closed the gap to as close as five after trailing by double digits for most of the second period.
But a few pivotal moments swung the outcome. Kentucky caught a break when a ball that deflected into the backcourt was flung forward through a sea of Tigers arms to Kentucky’s Andrew Carr, who tapped it back out to Otega Oweh for a wide-open 3-pointer. That put Kentucky up nine.
The Tigers missed at the rim twice in the late stages, including a layup attempt by Jacob Crews at 3:32 that turned into a Carr dunk at the other end for a four-point swing.
Missouri also missed the front end of a one-and-one at the 3:03 mark. The Wildcats scored their next three points at the line to regain control 78-67 with 2:23 to play.
Mitchell, the Kansas City native and Duke transfer, led Mizzou with 22 points (8-for-14 shooting). Marques Warrick (17 points) and Crews (12) were the only other Tigers in double-figures, though much of that scoring came in the final minutes.
MU shot 43.9% as a team, 36.4% outside of Mitchell and Warrick.
How Missouri-Kentucky unfolded
The first half was mostly an offensive slog, especially for the Tigers.
The Tigers jumped to an 11-4 lead, including a 9-1 run, before Kentucky punched back with an 11-0 spurt. The Wildcats led 15-11 at the 8:43 mark.
Josh Gray snapped that spell with a powerful dunk inside. Gray caught the ball on the baseline, dribbled, spun and eventually rose up in the restricted area to slam the ball in over Kentucky big man Carr.
Kentucky, though, was red hot from distance, immediately responding with a 3. The Wildcats hit five 3-pointers in the first 12:10 and maintained a 38-29 lead at half.
The Wildcats hit seven 3s (58.3%) in the first half and shot 11 for 20 (55%) from 3 for the game.
Mitchell kept the Tigers (21-10, 10-8 SEC) within striking distance in the middle stages. He made Mizzou’s last five field goals in the first half, including four from the 2:08 mark on. He scored 12 points with five rebounds, two assists in the first 20 minutes. Only Mitchell and Tony Perkins (seven points, 3-for-6 shooting) recorded multiple made field goals for Mizzou in the first half.
Another issue: Missouri only recorded two fast-break points in the period. The Tigers shot 35.5% from the field, 23.1% from 3 in that time.
Kentucky’s Koby Brea, who hit three 3s in the first half, finished with 17 points. Oweh tied for the game lead with 22 points, while Carr had 16 points, 12 rebounds. The Wildcats (21-10, 10-8) led by as many as 10 in the first half and opened up a 14-point lead early in the second period after a Carr 3-pointer.
Eventually falling behind by 16, Mizzou’s offense awoke. Crews hit a 3, Mitchell scored again and Perkins hit a mid-range jump shot on three straight possessions.
After a Mizzou turnover, Crews scored back-to-back buckets inside.
The problem? During the entirety of that stretch — five baskets on six possessions — the Tigers’ deficit went from 16 points to ... 14.
Kentucky, at the 9:50 mark of the second half, was shooting 10 for 18 (55.6%) from the field, 3 for 5 (60%) from 3 in the period.
As mentioned, Missouri’s 10-0 run, which ended at the 6:26 mark, brought life back to the crowd, which erupted following a Kentucky timeout. But the score would only stay that close for about 34 seconds the rest of the game.
The Tigers had only two possessions the entire second half with the chance to pull within one score.
Senior Day sendoff for Caleb Grill
Caleb Grill fouled out in the final minute, which allowed the senior a last ovation from the Missouri crowd. He shared an emotional hug with Dennis Gates on the sideline and wiped away tears while embraced by a teammate afterward.
Grill, a Wichita native who played for Iowa State (two separate stints) and UNLV before transferring to Missouri, has led the Tigers in scoring this season while being one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters.
He finished with eight points (2 for 6 from 3) on Saturday.
Grill’s memorable senior year also included a scary November incident in which he suffered a neck injury, was stretchered off the court and went to the hospital. He missed five games before returning to action.
Up next: Missouri heads to the SEC Tournament, which begins with first-round games on Wednesday. Missouri will receive a bye and begin play Thursday as the No. 7 seed. The Tigers will face the winner of Mississippi State vs. LSU.
This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM.
