There’s a reason Phil Pressey was named to the preseason watch lists for the annual Wooden Award and Cousy Award, which honor the nation’s top player and point guard respectively.
It’s the same reason Missouri coach Frank Haith has put the ball in the junior’s hands in late-game situations against Texas A&M, Arkansas and No. 5 Florida.
Pressey is both ninth in the country and leading the Southeastern Conference in assists per game (6.9). He averages 9.8 points per game and shoots at an 80.6 percent clip from the free throw line.
In the last 15:49 of the Tigers’ (19-7, 8-5 SEC) upset of the Gators, Pressey had five points, seven assists, two rebounds and a steal. Missouri roared down the stretch with a 12-0 run then a 10-3 streak behind a turnover-free Pressey to snatch a 58-57 lead and hang on for a dramatic 63-60 win.
“Phil was outstanding tonight,” Haith said after the win. “He’s one of the best point guards in the country and he played like it tonight. You know, his value is unbelievable. I thought he had a great grasp of his teammates, showed tremendous leadership in timeouts and was always talking.”
Pressey finished with a game high of 10 assists, none bigger than a wrap-around pass to a cutting Laurence Bowers for a dunk to slice the Gator lead to one point with eight minutes to play. The exchange induced a UF timeout, out of which the Gators built their lead back up to five.
The teams traded baskets until Kenny Boynton hit a jumper plus the foul with 3:44 remaining. This put Florida up four and cue the under-four-minute media timeout, during which Pressey took control of the huddle while Haith spoke with officials and assistants.
“I’m continually keeping our guys together whether we’re up or down and I know that helps out,” Pressey said. “Coach has been harping on me to do that. And it really helps our guys. It really makes us believe we can win. This game of basketball is a game of runs. You can get down by 12 and you can also get up by 12. You just gotta stay levelheaded.”
Out of the timeout, Boynton hit a free throw to complete the 3-point play, but Pressey found sophomore guard Jabari Brown for a deep three which started a 10-3 Tiger run to finish the game.
“That’s what we’ve really harped on Phil, in being that vocal leader, and I’m just so proud sitting here listening to him talk,” Haith said. “He’s come a long way and every really good team has a guy like that and we’re fortunate to have him.”
Pressey’s layup in transition the next possession gave MU its first lead of the night. Next, his pass to Bowers for a turnaround jumper restored the lead after Scottie Wilbekin’s three.
Strong defense led to two off-balance Boynton 3-pointers and Keion Bell hit two free throws, giving the Tigers their first true signature win, one that vastly improves their NCAA tournament resume and extends their home-win streak to 16 games tracing back to the end of the 2011-12 season.
“It’s a huge win especially coming off a loss,” Bowers said regarding the looming SEC and NCAA tournament. “This is very big for our team. We played a really good team in Florida, but as far as going forward, we’re gonna take it one game at time,”
The Tigers have been mainstays in the “big dance” for years, qualifying for the tourney four times in the past four seasons.
“I know how good we can be,” Pressey said. “The coaches know how good we can be. We just have to put it all together. We’ve had a couple guys play good here, a couple guys play good there, but we haven’t had a team win like this. This is a big win for us. I really feel like everybody contributed. Everybody played well.”
