Mizzou Holds Down Comeback Effort from Vanderbilt, Earns Second SEC Win

Despite a pesky second half from the Vanderbilt Commodores, the Missouri Tigers bent, but didn't break, earning a 75-66 win on Tuesday night. It's the second straight win in Southeastern Conference play for Missouri.

Vanderbilt brought the game within one possession five separate times in the second half, but was never able to break through.

For all besides a turnover on the opening possession, Missouri was in complete control of the first four minutes, taking a 14-5 lead by the 16:27 mark. Missouri made seven of their first nine attempts from the field, including four makes from three-point land. After the opening two minutes, Missouri held a lead of at least five points for each of the next 25 minutes.

"I mean, they [Missouri] made some incredible shots early," Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington said to the media. " The rhythm of the game went right to them."

Missouri was able to get open looks early, taking advantadge of Vanderbilt's undersized lineup relying on gap anticipation defensively, according to Missouri head coach Dennis Gates.

"That's what allowed us to pass and make quick decisions for those early threes," Gates said of Vanderbilt's gap-based defense.

That five-point bubble was popped after nine unanswered points from Vanderbilt made it 46-49 with 12:44 remaining.

The Commodores started to work themselves back into the game with seven unanswered points to end the first half. Meanwhile, Missouri made just one of their final nine attempts from the field in the first half.

Though the Commodores were able to cut back in and keep the game within 10 points for each of the final 15 minutes, the Tigers was able to create more game-changing plays when their lead was most threatened.

When Vanderbilt cut the Missouri lead to three points with 9:21 remaining, Missouri responded with two consecutive three-point makes, first from Tamar Bates, then from Caleb Grill.

After eight unanswered points from the Commodores brought the game within one point with 5:32 remaining, Bates slammed down a dunk to put the energy back in Missouri's hands.

Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) follows through on a shot during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

The difference in the second half for Missouri came down to a surplus in turnovers and less trips to the free-throw line. After only giving up four turnovers in the first half, the Tigers gave up 10 in the second half.

Entering the game, Vanderbilt entered the game as the SEC leader in forced turnovers per game. The passing lanes Missouri was able to find early were disrupted in the second half.

Additionally, Missouri made eight of their 10 attempts at the free-throw line in the first half, but only nine of their 15 in the second half. Although Vanderbilt only had five attempts from the charity stripe in the first half (making three), the Commodores made 13 of their 17 attempts in the second.

Mark Mitchell led Missouri with 19 points, also grabbing seven rebounds. The forward's physicality paid off, earning nine attempts from the free-throw line, which he was successful on seven of.

Mitchell's physicality was met by center Josh Gray. The South Carolina transfer was dropped out of the starting lineup for the second straight game, again being replaced by sophomore forward Trent Pierce. The agile Pierce allowed Missouri to grab the lead early, but Gray's impact was immediately felt once substituted in at the 15:46 mark of the first half. He grabbed seven rebounds in just the first half and 11 total on the day.

"When he [Gray] has in his mind that he's going to change a game with his rim protection, pursuit of the basketball, and obviously the IQ that he has, it's going to be in the positive," Gates said. "That's what he did tonight."

Creating fast starts has not been the problem for Missouri this season, but Vanderbilt is not the first team to give the Tigers a scare in the second half.

Missouri paid for it in its season opener against Memphis, leading by 11 in the first half, but falling 83-75.

After leading by as much as 18 points in the first half against Kansas, Missouri's lead was cut to just two points in the final three minutes.

Second-half falloffs were the Tigers' Achilles' Heel last season. The dips haven't been quite as dramatic this season, but they've still been present. Putting together a 40-minute product will be a key for Missouri moving forward.

Next up: Missouri will travel to take on No. 6 Florida on the road on Tuesday night.