MU notes: Montaque Gill-Caesar plays through ankle injury

Missouri’s Montaque Gill-Caesar was questionable Saturday because of a sprained left ankle. Tigers coach Kim Anderson said that on Friday he thought Gill-Caesar wouldn’t be able to play and remained unsure about 40 minutes before tip-off Saturday.

“It’s fine,” Gill-Caesar said. And he said no more about it.

Gill-Caesar played 23 minutes and scored 16 points.

Tigers streaking

Missouri’s five-game losing streak is the longest since the 2005-06 season. That six-game streak started after the Tigers had defeated Kansas when Christian Moody missed two free throws with .4 seconds remaining that ensured overtime.

Battle Line trophy

Missouri used the occasion of Arkansas’ visit to trot out the Battle Line Rivalry Trophy, which goes to the winner of the Missouri-Arkansas football game. Tigers coach Gary Pinkel accepted the trophy at halftime.

First half

▪ Key play: A three-point play finished by Gill-Caesar gave Missouri its first lead at 31-28.

▪ Key stat: The Tigers whipped Arkansas on the boards 23-13

Second half

▪ Key play: It came down to two free throws by Wes Clark with 3.3 seconds remaining. He missed both of them.

▪ Key stat: Arkansas shot poorly against Missouri’s defense (36.5 percent), but the Razorbacks committed only three turnovers in the game — and all came in the second half.

This story was originally published January 24, 2015 at 5:04 PM with the headline "MU notes: Montaque Gill-Caesar plays through ankle injury."