On March 22nd, Missouri's Tigers basketball team fell short against the Miami Hurricanes in their tournament clash, ending their season with a tough loss after poor shooting and rebounding doomed them from the start. The Tigers struggled offensively, hitting just 31% from the floor in the first half, while earning only four free throws. Things picked up slightly to 39.3% after the break, thanks to six three-pointers, but they managed just 10 two-point field. Goals, one of their lowest totals all year.
Rebounding proved disastrous, with Miami grabbing 19 second-chance points off missed shots. While Missouri took care of the ball and held Miami under one point per possession for most of the game, the glass disparity handed the Hurricanes two, many extra looks. Jaden Stone led with 21 points, and Anthony Robinson II chipped in solidly. But key rotation players like Trent Pierce, T.O., Barrett, and Jacob Cruz combined for just seven points on 22 shots, over 61 minutes.
It was also Mark Mitchell's final game, after a strong year. This loss caps a block season, where Missouri still earned back-to-back tournament numbers for the first time since 2013, a small win, despite early struggles. Coach Dennis Gates remains firmly in place, now focused on roster upgrades to push deeper next time.