Takeaways from No. 15 Mizzou's Tough Loss to No. 10 Texas A&M

The No.15-ranked Missouri Tigers fell on a 3-point make with less than three seconds remaining from the No. 10-ranked Texas A&M Aggies Saturday. Its the first time this season Missouri has dropped back to back games.

Just as the Tigers' loss to Tennessee did, the closely contested, 67-64 battle against Texas A&M proved Missouri can hang with the best of the Southeastern Conference, and therefore, the country.

But Missouri does still have some areas to circle that separate the Tigers in these close games with ends up being a thin margin that decides the final result.

Here's three takeaways from a loss that will be a tough one for the Tigers to swallow:

A Swaying Rebounding Battle

The Aggies won the overall rebound battle 34 to 32, but wasn't nearly as dominant on the boards in the second half as they were in the first. Missouri won the battle 20 to 15 in the second, after losing it 19 to 12 in the first.

On 18 opportunities for a rebound off a Texas A&M shot in the second half, Missouri grabbed 14 while Texas A&M grabbed four.

Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams believes the second half was the worst of the season for the Aggies as far as rebounding percentage, saying Missouri "whipped us" in the second half rebounding battle.

Texas A&M entered Saturday's matchup tied with Florida for the best rebounding differential in the SEC at +9.8, while Missouri entered it down at 11 at +1.7.

However, the Tigers have brought the physicality needed against both of those teams. First when they grabbed 36 rebounds to Florida's 37 in a Jan. 14 upset. Now against Texas A&M.

Feb. 9, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers center Josh Gray (33) gets caught in a scrum for a loose ball with Texas A&M's Solomon Washington (9) during a game at Mizzou Arena. | Amber Winkler/Missouri on SI

The fluctuation of the rebounding battle is what determined both parts of the game. Texas A&M's quick start on the boards and pressuring defense early on provided enough for the Aggies to get out to a 12-0 lead, putting Missouri in catch up mode for the rest of the first half.

The battle of the Missouri offense against the Texas A&M defense is the one that decided the game. When Missouri fell to a 12-0 deficit in the opening six minutes of the game, it was mostly because of the pressure the Aggie defense put on the Tigers, leading to a disointed offensive operation.

"We want to limit you," Aggies point guard Wade Taylor IV said of Texas A&M's early defensive approach. "We want to limit you to second shots. We want to get extra shots. We want to try to get to the corners first. And we were doing those things."

On the flip side, Missouri's ability to establish themselves in the interior in the second half led to a 19-5 run for the Tigers that put them in position to make this game the nail-biter that it was.

However, Missouri didn't make as much out of their offensive rebounds as Gates would've liked. Texas A&M scored 18 second chance points to Missouri's nine despite both having 11 offensive rebounds.

"Conversion of the second chance points is one that stands out to me," Gates said. "That's where Texas A&M is one of the best in the country, not just receiving the rebounds, but also second chance points, and we weren't able to execute how we how we wanted to."

Rebounding battles are almost always more complex than they seem on a box score. Saturday's game was no exception. Nonetheless, Missouri held their own on the boards in moments against one of the best rebounding teams in the country.

Marcus Allen's Impact

Gates and the coaching staff's trust for freshman Marcus Allen, who stayed in for tense minutes from the 13:34 to 1:43 mark of the second half.

The former four-star prospect was a part of a lineup that Gates specifically held confidence in to close out the game.

"That was the group that I had to stay with because they deserved it," Gates said of the lineup he stuck with. "They took that lead and was able to hold on to it for a couple possessions."

Allen has averaged 7.3 minutes since the beginning of SEC play, playing 13 total against Texas A&M. Despite the fact that eight Missouri players saw more playing time than him, Allen led the team with six rebounds. His 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame gives him an advantage in the paint.

Nov 27, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Marcus Allen (4) reacts during the second half against the Lindenwood Lions at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

"Defensively, he was in the right places," Gates said. He has a bigger body."

Missouri has included multiple freshmen through the rotation, with guard T.O. Barrett and Peyton Marshall also making routine appearances. That duo, along with Allen, seems to be finding their footing with continuously growing roles as important depth pieces.

For Allen, he's been a constant, reliable force for Gates.

"He did everything I asked and everything I knew he would do, especially when it came down to giving his team a spark."

Tigers Still Past the Eye Test

Sure, the Tigers will eventually have to win close, tightly contested games against the top tier of the SEC, which they seem to constantly be teetering on the entrance to. Being 'close enough' with great performances only gets you so far.

They've done it against No. 6 Florida on the road. A 27-win over then-No. 14 Mississippi State just a week ago was a statement on just how Missouri dominant can be.

And the two recent losses for the Tigers didn't take anything away from those two other ranked victories for Missouri. The Tigers entered this stretch needing to continue prove they could compete with the very best. That they belonged in the top 15.

Though they don't come out with any wins to show for it, the Tigers proved exactly that in both games.

Feb. 9, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) slams down a dunk against the Texas A&M Aggies at Mizzou Arena. | Amber Winkler/Missouri On SI

Make no mistake though, this two-game losing streak is a pivotal moment in the season for Missouri. There are adjustments to be made. For example, both Tennessee and Texas A&M found ways to limit Caleb Grill, who scored a combined 15 points against the two. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts Saturday. Point guard Anthony Robinson II has been in a bit of rut, scoring six points over the last three games.

And as was the case against Illinois, the last two losses have been due to failing to seal games in the final minutes.

Missouri has already built a solid resume and still stands in great condition for a NCAA Tournament bid. How it responds to these two losses will determine what the Tigers can turn this season into.

A Swaying Rebounding Battle

Marcus Allen's Impact

Tigers Still Past the Eye Test

Read more Missouri Tigers news: