After a dramatic comeback win over Georgia, Missouri forward Mitchell Smith talked about how the Tigers hoped to take the momentum from the emotional victory and use it to turn around what had been a forgettable season to that point.
It didn’t take South Carolina long to stifle that idea. The Tigers (10-11, 2-6 SEC) missed their first seven shots from the field as South Carolina (13-8, 5-3 SEC) never trailed on its way to a 76-54 win.
Missouri was plagued most by a lack of consistency on the offensive end, rarely able to string together multiple scoring possessions. Like so many losses before, the Tigers took a lot of 3-pointers and made few of them, shooting 4-19 from behind the arc.
Until the 6:41 mark in the first half, sophomore guard Xavier Pinson had Missouri’s only points from the floor with three 3-pointers. The rest of the team was 0-16.
With 10:54 left in the game, Missouri, despite all its struggles on the offensive end and trailing for the entire game, found itself within striking distance of the Gamecocks. Close-range baskets from Reed Nikko and Parker Braun followed by a Dru Smith free throw made the score 52-43, the first time Missouri had been within single digits all half. South Carolina promptly went on a 9-0 run that snuffed out any chance of a Tiger comeback.
Missouri’s next game is Tuesday, Feb. 4 against Texas A&M.
_Edited by Eli Hoff | ehoff@themaneater.com_