Missouri men’s basketball improved back to .500 in SEC play by defeating No. 25 Arkansas 79-76 in the teams’ second meeting of the season. The Tigers built some confidence ahead of their game Saturday, which they’ll need, as No. 4 Alabama comes to Columbia.
Kobe Brown again leads the way
Wednesday marked the first time since Jan. 1, 2021, that Missouri and Kobe Brown beat Arkansas. The Tigers and the preseason first-team all-conference selection were 0-5 in the interim.
Against Arkansas, Brown not only ended his five-game skid, but, like many times before, he led the Tigers in doing so. Brown finished with 17 points, six rebounds — both team highs — and two assists. It was Brown’s seventh straight game scoring 10-plus points, and he’s the Tigers’ leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds, respectively.
On Thursday, Brown was named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List along with 49 other players. The award is given out annually, with the most recent winner being Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe. Only three SEC players have won it since the 1958-59 season.
MU’s depth shines
Only four Tigers didn’t touch the floor against Arkansas. Walk-ons Ben Sternberg and Jackson Francois didn’t play, and Noah Carter and Mabor Majak were out because of health and safety precautions. Dennis Gates utilized most of his bench against the Razorbacks.
Mohamed Diarra played a season-high 10 minutes, Aidan Shaw added 11 minutes while Isiaih Mosley played 19 after not featuring for almost a month. DeAndre Gholston and Sean East II also combined for 28 points off the bench.
Having a veteran roster like Missouri does allows Gates to be able to trust nonstarters. While Shaw is a freshman, Diarra gained plenty of experience playing two seasons at Garden City Community College, and Mosley shined in three seasons at Missouri State. The Tigers are going to need all hands on deck with a team like Alabama coming to town.
Scrappiness
While the Tigers’ offense ranks among the nation’s best, defense and an aggressive style of play helped propel them to the victory.
Despite collecting 23 fouls, Missouri also forced 23 turnovers. That included 13 steals.
Brown, Diarra, East, Mosley and D’Moi Hodge each collected a pair of takeaways. Shaw, Gholston and Nick Honor also racked up one apiece.
Missouri currently leads the nation in steals per game with 11.7. This is ahead of Morgan State’s 10.9 and James Madison’s 10.8. The next-closest SEC team is Mississippi State with 10.4 (eighth in the nation).
