Mizzou Can’t Outlast Ole Miss’ Dynamic Duo, Fall in Oxford | Mizzou Central Postgame

The Missouri Tigers dropped their first SEC game of the season Saturday, falling 76–69 to Ole Miss in Oxford in what quickly became a frustrating and self-inflicted loss. Missouri fell to 12–4 overall and 2–1 in conference play after an eight-point defeat that featured missed opportunities, sloppy execution, and late-game breakdowns Free throw shooting proved to be the biggest difference in the game, as Mizzou struggled mightily at the charity stripe, hitting just 50 percent of its attempts — a number that turned what could have been a controllable road win into a damaging conference loss. The Tigers left crucial points at the line, allowing Ole Miss to stay within striking distance throughout the second half and eventually pull away late Despite the loss, Missouri got efficient offensive performances from its core trio. Mark Mitchell, Jaden Stone, and Sean Phillips combined for 48 of the team’s 69 points, shooting at an extremely high percentage from the field. Mitchell flirted with a near triple-double, while Stone and Phillips consistently finished around the rim and from deep — but the offense failed to consistently run through them during key stretches of the game, especially late The turning point came in the second half when Sean Phillips delivered a massive dunk that could have swung momentum firmly in Missouri’s favor. Instead, a technical foul and a missed free throw turned a potential three-point swing into a lost opportunity, keeping the game tight and allowing Ole Miss to seize control down the stretch Missouri also hurt itself with turnovers, committing 13 compared to Ole Miss’ seven — another costly stat in a game that remained close until the final minutes. Late defensive rebounds and clean possessions were hard to come by, allowing Ole Miss extra chances that ultimately sealed the result The Tigers now return to Columbia for a massive matchup with Auburn on Wednesday, a game that could quickly define the direction of Missouri’s SEC season. With the talent clearly in place, the focus now turns to consistency, execution, and late-game decision-making as the Tigers look to bounce back and prove they belong in the conference race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices