Mizzou basketball struggled from 3 at Alabama. The free-throw shooting was worse
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- Mizzou lost at Alabama 90-64, marking a third straight SEC road defeat.
- Missouri converted 4 of 21 from 3-point range, just 19% on deep shots.
- Tigers struggled at the line, making 8 of 23 free throws (34.8%), vs Alabama's 88.5%.
The Missouri Tigers dropped their third straight SEC road game Tuesday night, falling 90-64 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Mizzou basketball’s March outlook gained some new life after Saturday’s double-buzzer-beating win over Oklahoma, but the No. 23 Alabama Crimson Tide’s speed was hard to overcome Tuesday.
The Tigers have now lost three of four and are 4-4 in SEC play.
“I thought our guys played well,” head coach Dennis Gates said in his postgame radio interview. “The percentages, that’s where we did not win those margins.”
Tuesday was all about the long ball — and one other number.
The Crimson Tide took 39 3-point attempts, making 15. Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC) leads the conference in 3-point makes per game (12.3). It also leads the SEC in 3-point attempts at 35.5 per game — almost five more than second-place Vanderbilt (30.7).
That strategy worked against the Tigers.
Mizzou was unable to match Alabama’s offensive burst. The Tigers shot 39.4% from the field, and when they looked for the deep ball, it wasn’t better. Missouri went 4-for-21 from 3 for 19%.
Overall, Mizzou shot 26-for-66 from the field, to Alabama’s 26-for-62 (41.9%).
T.O. Barrett, receiving his second career start after posting 21 points against the Sooners, accounted for two of Mizzou’s 3s. Jayden Stone had the other half. Barrett finished with 13 points, Stone eight.
Mark Mitchell added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Shawn Phillips Jr. scored 10 points with eight rebounds.
One other stat stuck out on the box score, as much as the game’s 26-point final margin. The Tigers went 8-for-23 from the free-throw line, a rate of just 34.8%. Alabama went 23-for-26, 88.5%.
“You can’t go 8-for-23 from the free-throw line, 4-for-21 from the 3,” Gates said.
For as lopsided as the final score looked, the Tigers did hang around for much of the first half. Mizzou led by three early, and the game was tied at 21-all with just under eight minutes left in the first half.
Alabama, however, closed the half on a 21-8 run, making five 3s in that span. Missouri also missed five free throws in that time and committed five turnovers. The Crimson Tide led by 13 at half. Missouri had 13 turnovers at the break.
“Being able to keep the lead — that would have taken a little more accuracy from the free-throw line,” Gates said. “But also taking care of the basketball. I thought we had some costly turnovers that they capitalized on.”
Up next: The Tigers (14-7) face Mississippi State back at Mizzou Arena on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 2:30 p.m. Central.
This story was originally published January 27, 2026 at 9:32 PM.
