Missouri basketball's season ends after late collapse vs. Georgia in SEC Tournament
Mercy.
No. 14-seeded Missouri basketball’s nightmare 2023-24 season ended Wednesday following a 64-59 loss to 11th-seeded Georgia in the first round of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The 18-game SEC regular-season losing streak bridged into the postseason, and Mizzou (8-24) will now have to wait until November for a shot at winning a game in the calendar year 2024.
The hint at an earlier-than-later exit was apparent for weeks, if not months, and the Tigers didn’t stray too far from the script that put their record at an all-time low.
Here are three takeaways as Dennis Gates’ Tigers fell to an all-too-expected fate:
Missouri basketball collapses in waning minutes
Call it déjá Zou.
Missouri got some individual inspiration, this time out of center Connor Vanover, who had his best day as a Tiger with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the first Missouri double-double since Caleb Grill on Dec. 3. Mizzou, after a long scoring drought in the first half, clawed tooth and nail to get back in the game. In the second half, the Tigers led for most of the way.
And then, as the game clock waned, it all came tumbling down.
The Tigers held on to a seven-point lead with 3:30 to go.
Before the one-minute mark, Georgia’s Justin Hill made a jumper, Russel Tchewa made a free throw, Melendez made a layup and Hill made a three.
Missouri didn’t score. Georgia (17-15) had the lead.
The Tigers scrambled to find a game-winner. A Nick Honor midrange jumper didn’t drop. Noah Carter hauled it in, but couldn’t convert the putback. Vanover tipped the rebound backward, but straight into the arms of Hill, who was fouled and converted his free throws.
Carter got a chance in the waning seconds for a game-tying 3, but the ball clanked out.
Ball game, and season, over.
Slow shooting start
With the season on the line, the Tigers did not come out shooting.
It took Missouri nearly four minutes to get on the scoreboard, when Tamar Bates hit a wing 3-pointer. It took five more game minutes to score for a second time, also through Bates.
It took 10 minutes, 28 seconds of game time for anyone not named Tamar Bates in a Missouri uniform to score, which happened when Honor went to the line. Missouri was 2-of-14 from the field at that time, and Georgia was up 11 points.
It took 12 minutes, 45 seconds of game time for anyone not named Tamar Bates in a Missouri uniform to register a make from the field, as Aidan Shaw made an open layup to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 10.
Sean East II, Missouri’s leading scorer — and often nigh-on its only scorer — this season, started 0-of-6 from the field. His first points came from a converted and-one.
The Tigers, like they so often have this season, made it a competitive game with a 7-0 run to close the first half and cut the UGA lead to one point.
What’s next?
The good news for Missouri fans is that they’ve had plenty of time to process.
Rock bottom is going to require some major offseason work.
Sean East II, Noah Carter, Nick Honor, Connor Vanover all have now exhausted their eligibility.
The college basketball transfer portal opens Sunday. It’s unclear who will stay and who will go for Missouri. Assuming all players with remaining eligibility return, Missouri has four scholarship spots open. That is subject, and in all likelihood expected, to change.
The Tigers have two 7-footers signed in their Class of 2024, but an experienced big will be top of Gates’ shopping list. Missouri ranks dead last in rebounding in the league by about three boards per game.
With East and Honor off, an experienced point guard will likely make their way to Columbia, too. Missouri also sorely missed a D’Moi Hodge type this year, so expect the staff to chase a high-volume 3-point shooter.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri basketball's season ends after late collapse vs. Georgia in SEC Tournament
