What A Terrible Sad News: Vols WR Set On Target To….

Still looking for their first win in conference play, the Missouri Tigers stood opposite one of college basketball’s best squads as they played host to the No. 5-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, but despite a strong first half, it wasn’t enough to overpower their visitors.

Tuesday night’s SEC East showdown at Mizzou Arena featured two polar-opposite teams. One was seeking to remain atop the rankings in the NCAA, while the other was still without a conference win.

Spoiler alert: the Missouri Tigers weren’t the former.

Still, they took center stage against the second-best team in the Southeastern Conference — on paper, that is — with a chance to nab a win on a night that otherwise held no implications.

In other words, with little to play for, barring no holds was the name of the game for Missouri, and despite its valiant first-half effort — securing a lead and holding Tennessee to under 30 points — it wasn’t able to outlast its visitors for the second half.

A late run sparked by Dalton Knecht allowed the Volunteers to keep up with the Tigers and then surpass them, and by the eight-minute mark in the second half, the game was all but finalized.

Tennessee secured its 10th conference victory while Missouri fell to 0-13 in the same ranking with just five more chances to earn a victory.

Next up for the Tigers will be a matchup against the Arkansas Razorbacks on the road. Tipoff from Bud Walton Arena is set for 11 a.m. CST Saturday.

Last time out, Tigers: Mizzou was edged at Ole Miss, 79-76. Leading scorer Sean East II returned after missing two games due to an injury and finished with 25 points and six assists. He’s averaging 16.0 points and 4.2 assists per game.

Last time out, Volunteers: Tennessee crushed Vanderbilt 88-53. The last two wins have been by an average of 32 points. Dalton Knecht is the leading scorer with 20.1 points. Jonas Aidoo is averaging 11.7 points to go with a team-leading 7.5 rebounds, while Zakai Zeigler adds 11.0 points a team-best 5.6 assists.

The series: Tennessee is 1-3 over last four outings versus Missouri after winning each of the prior four contests. Since the Tigers joined the SEC the Vols have a 9-6 edge. Dennis Gates is the only SEC coach Rick Barnes has never beat, as Mizzou knocked the Vols out of the SEC Tournament last year, but UT hasn’t lost in Columbia, Mo., since Jan. 17, 2018.

14:29 – A foul on Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey marked the fourth of the evening for the Volunteers, but despite some early whistles, only a combined five points were scored to that point. Missouri has Jesus Carralero-Martin on the free throw line with a chance to add more points to the board, but trails by three. Tennessee 4, Missouri

11:54 – Timeout on the floor by Dennis Gates and company. Nothing on offense seems to be working for the Tigers, though their defensive is ensuring much of the same for the Volunteers. Not much change in score as the back 10 minutes of the first half loom. Tennessee 4, Missouri 2

9:08 – Tamar Bates knocked in the first non-free throw show of the game from beyond the arc while Nick Honor responded with a make of his own. Tennessee — after scoring on the other end in between the two possessions — was unable to further its lead and sits just two points ahead of the Tigers. Offenses are beginning to flow now. Tennessee 9, Missouri 7

7:10 – In front of Kobe Brown, who was honored at the eight-minute media timeout, Missouri gained possession on a diving jump ball, which led to Noah Carter securing the first lead of the night for his squad. Mizzou Arena is buzzing. Missouri 12, Tennessee 11

4:55 – After a stagnant beginning to the half for both squads, back and forth scoring is beginning to ensue. Still an extremely low-scoring game, but the Tigers are proving they won’t go down easily. Another shooting foul has Sean East II back on the free throw line with a chance to take back the lead. Tennessee 19, Missouri 18

3:40 – The biggest culprit of a low-scoring game? A low shooting percentage. Missouri is shooting better than Tennessee with an egregious 30-percent clip, while the Volunteers have yet to shoot a 3-pointer. The Tigers now hold a slim two-point lead with the final minutes of the first half winding down. Missouri 22, Tennessee 20

2:12 – Nick Honor air-balled a 3-pointer from the left wing after opting for a one-man fast break, but the rebound went to Noah Carter, who found Sean East on the opposite wing for a 3-pointer of his own — this time, drilling it. Mizzou Arena is as loud as its been all evening, with the Tigers up by five. Missouri 27, Tennessee 22

Halftime – Missouri 29, Tennessee 26

A defensive struggle has told the story of Tuesday evening’s action, as neither the Tigers nor Volunteers have crossed the 30-point mark on offense. Despite poor shooting and intense pressure up and down the court — which both teams struggled with — Missouri was able to gain a slight edge at home over the exalted visiting Tennessee squad.

What A Terrible Sad News: Vols WR Set On Target To….

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