Missouri came close on multiple occasions to taking the game from Texas A&M, but unfortunately for the Tigers, close only counts in horseshoes, not men’s basketball.
Texas A&M held on to defeat Missouri 76-73 at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas on Wednesday. The Tigers fall to 6-17 after their sole Southeastern Conference victory on Saturday.
Here’s what you need to know from the game:
**Barnett the bench boss**
Jordan Barnett did not start on Wednesday, but that might change going forward.
Barnett scored a game-high 23 points coming off the bench against Texas A&M, a career-high for the junior transfer.
Barnett played the biggest role in keeping the Tigers in the game despite the Aggies’ efforts to pull away. Barnett hit the three-pointer that tied the game at 65 with 5:30 to go in regulation.
He also added seven rebounds and registered two steals.
**Missouri re-energized from Arkansas victory**
The Missouri men’s basketball team that took the court against Texas A&M looked quite different from the team that lost by 39 points to Florida.
They changed their trajectory with a victory Saturday against Arkansas, [their first conference win of the season](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2017/2/5/missouri-basketball-picks-first-sec-win-season-ove/&sa=D&ust=1486626527664000&usg=AFQjCNGdOYNDRt4MekySOBZp5RhexOxyEQ).
Missouri showed that same fight throughout most of the game against Texas A&M. The Tigers never let the Aggies pull away despite frequent surges from Texas A&M. The Aggies started the game with a 10-0 run, but Missouri made it a two-point game shortly after.
The Tigers were unable to tie the score until Barnett’s late three-pointer. They failed to narrow the gap in the final minutes, falling 76-73.
Missouri’s 46.8 shooting percentage from the floor largely contributed to its ability to hang with the Aggies. The Tigers also shot 36.4 percent from the arc.
Admon Gilder led Texas A&M with 22 points.
**Up next**
The Tigers (6-17, 1-10) return to Mizzou Arena to face Vanderbilt on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game can be watched on SEC Network or the WatchESPN app.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_