FINAL: Missouri Beats Tennessee, Ends Vols' SEC Tournament
While Alabama against Mississippi State brought no suspense, the second SEC quarterfinal game did not disappoint. Missouri and Tennessee were two of the best teams in the conference, although both sides were trending differently entering play.
Missouri was one of the conference's hottest teams under first-year head coach Dennis Gates. The Tigers got unlikely contributions from several spots this season, leading them to one of their best recent finishes.
Meanwhile, Tennessee was faltering. The Vols won their first-round game against Ole Miss, but the final SEC regular season games didn't bring much. They lost star guard Zakai Zeigler to an ACL injury, leaving them without a primary ball handler.
Both sides came out physically and intentionally from the opening tipoff. They traded blows down the stretch, letting their guards initiate offense and driving to the basket to create. Missouri's Kobe Brown was impressive, logging 24 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
Tennessee got a strong game from Jahmai Mashack. Mashack has come on, getting more of an offensive output while remaining one of the squad's best defenders. Santiago Vescovi was the leading scorer, making several impressive moves. The three-pointers carried each team in the final few minutes.
Ultimately, Missouri pulled away and moved on to the SEC semifinals in their first season with Gates. A timely three from guard Nick Honor with two minutes remaining put them in the driver's seat, and they outlasted the Volunteers the rest of the way.
The Vols now turn their attention toward the NCAA Tournament. They seem like a lock for March Madness but must correct some on-court issues if they hope to make a deep run like some thought they would earlier this season.
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