KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men’s basketball erased a 17-point deficit in the second half but lost at the buzzer to Missouri inside Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, 86-85.
The No. 6 Vols had Jonas Aidoo make his first start as Josiah-Jordan James didn’t play after suffering an ankle sprain on Wednesday against the Commodores.
Both teams are making plenty of shots through the first two media timeouts. The Tigers were powered by the tree-pointers, with three of their four makes coming from D’Moi Hodge. Zakai Zeigler paced Tennessee with 9 points through the first two media timeouts as the Vols held a 20-17 lead.
Missouri took the lead on another three-pointer from De’Andre Gholston to make it 21-20. Olivier Nkamhoua made a three-pointer to take the lead at 23-21, but Missouri came right back down and Sean East II drilled another Tigers' three for the 24-24 lead.
East made one a little later and then another bucket to make it 31-23 as part of a 16-3 run. Vols freshman B.J. Edwards stopped the run with a jumper to cut the lead to 31-25.
Missouri’s offense started scorching hot and extended the lead to double-digits when Kobe Brown made a jump shot to make it 39-29. Missouri led 44-32 at halftime. It’s the most first-half points Tennessee has given up this season.
The Tigers shot 51.5% against Tennessee in the first half. The Vols boast the best three-point defense in the nation, but Missouri made 8 three-pointers in the first half.
Julian Phillips did not play in the second half.
The Vols fell down by as many as 17 points in the second half as Missouri continued their hot shooting.
Tennessee’s defense tightened and trimmed the lead to single digits after Tyreek Key knocked down two free throws, making the score 59-50. Key made a three-pointer on the next possessions to cut the lead to 59-53.
Key continued his hot shooting by drilling another three-pointer, making it 64-60. He made it a two-point game after making two more free throws.
The Vols tied the game after two Santiago Vescovi free throws at 64-74. Vescovi then made a three-pointer to give the Vols a 67-64 lead. Tobe Awaka scored on an offensive rebound and layup to l give the Vols a 69-64 lead.
Missouri got back within one point not long after, but Key made another three-pointer to make it 72-68 with 5:17 to go in the second half.
The Tigers kept fighting. They trimmed it to one after two free throws, drawing a fifth foul on Zeigler. Vescovi immediately responded with a three-pointer to make it 81-77 with 2:30 to go.
Gholston hit a three-pointer right back to get Missouri within one again with 2:02 to go.
On Tennessee’s next possession, Mashack was fouled and made both free throws to extend the lead back to 83-80. The Vols drew a fifth foul on Missouri’s Hodge and he had to exit the game.
Tennessee got a defensive stop on their next possession but didn’t score on their next offensive possession.
Missouri made it a one-point game with 7.1 seconds to go on a Brown layup.
Tennessee was fouled and went to the free-throw line. Vescovi, who missed the front end of a one-and-one against Vanderbilt up two points in the final seconds in a game that ended in a loss at the buzzer on a three-pointer, made both free throws to extend the lead back to three.
After Missouri made one of two free throws on their next possession, making the score 85-83, Vescovi was fouled again. He missed the first free throw and then Tobe Awaka committed a foul on the second free throw attempt, giving Missouri the ball with about four seconds to go.
Gholston drilled a game-winner for the Tigers from three-point range on a heave and they won 86-85.
Tennessee loses at the buzzer for the second game in a row following a dramatic loss to Vanderbilt on Wednesday, 86-85.
The Vols fall to 8-4in conference play. They have a big-time SEC matchup at home on Wednesday against No. 3 Alabama at 7 p.m.
