After closing out Wichita State 88-84 in an overtime thriller, Missouri men’s basketball kept its undefeated season alive.
Eight games into the season, the Tigers found themselves in their first away game. The first half stayed relatively close, ending with Missouri holding the lead 43-36 entering halftime. Senior guard D’Moi Hodge continued his high-scoring streak, scoring 12 points and four 3s in the first half.
However, a 16-2 run in the first several minutes of the second half by Wichita State quickly gave it a 52-45 lead. Missouri’s offense slowed to a screeching halt with good shot opportunities in the paint not falling, allowing Wichita State to hold control of the game for most of the second half.
In an attempt to help his team get back into the game, Missouri head coach Dennis Gates made an interesting move with five minutes left: taking out senior guard Kobe Brown, one of the team’s best players. While the change was risky, it opened up the floor for his teammates to step up, including senior guard Tre Gomillion and junior guard Sean East ll, who combined for 19 points.
Though Gomillion’s impact will not show up in the box score as he only scored two points and grabbed two rebounds, the former Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year was everywhere on the court. His hustle created many second-chance opportunities for the Tigers. East ll and junior forward Noah Carter handled the team offensively with several big shots and free throws down the stretch. Missouri eventually tied the game 75-75 and had the opportunity to win with under two seconds to play, but a 3-point shot by Gomillion came up short.
Overtime saw the Tigers gain full control of the game as they never let the Shockers hold the lead again. Carter and East ll led the team with 6 points each in the period, as the Tigers went on to make most of their free throws, shooting 71% on the night.
Senior guard Isiaiah Mosley did not receive any playing time during the game, as he was working through some personal issues, Gates said in a post-game press conference. Gates added that Mosley was in attendance and helped coach by giving his teammates advice from the bench.
The Tigers look to remain undefeated in their next game, returning home to play Southeast Missouri State Dec. 4 before facing off against No. 9 ranked Kansas in the highly-anticipated Border Showdown on Dec. 10.
Edited by Matt Guzman | mguzman@themaneater.com
