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Caleb Grill went to the free-throw line with five seconds remaining. The prize for perfection was colossal.
Missouri basketball’s once-19-point lead was two. Grill had missed two straight free throws just 77 seconds of gametime earlier.
The Tigers as a team to that point had been 7-of-16 from the stripe in the second half as its big lead had frittered and faded.
Now, Grill — who had been the architect of many of the moments that allowed Mizzou to even compete for an upset Tuesday in Gainesville — was a staring at the basket 15 feet ahead of him for oh-so-much more than a just a plain-ol’ win.
Bang. Bang. Four-point lead. Ballgame.
Mizzou is coming back to Columbia with an 83-82, season-altering win over No. 5 Florida at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, Florida. It was Missouri’s first win on the road against a top-five team since 2012, when MU knocked off Baylor in Waco, Texas, and just its fifth win all-time on the road against a top-five team.
Now, the sky is seemingly the limit for these Tigers.
“Florida is a great team. I think they’re a No. 1 seed,” Mizzou coach Dennis Gates told Chris Gervino of Tiger Radio Network postgame. “But for us to be able to win on their home court, break a streak, it says something about our conference, it says something, more importantly, about us. I’m proud of our guys.”
More: Missouri basketball score: Mizzou offense explodes in first half as it stuns top-5 Florida
Missouri is 14-3 on the season and, even more importantly, off to a 3-1 start in SEC play. Yes, that’s the same Mizzou Tigers that failed to register a single win in 19 attempts in conference play last season.
But, it’s not the same Tigers.
Not at all.
LSU and Vanderbilt at home were must-wins to right some wrongs and prove that this was a team capable of being on the NCAA Tournament bubble come the time the selection committee meets in March to pick its 68-team field. Mizzou handled that.
Florida, as its former 15 wins suggested, was a different animal.
Jan 14, 2025;…
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Author : Columbia Daily Tribune
Publish date : 2025-01-15 09:07:00
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