THE MISSOURI Tigers have claimed a seriously impressive upset over the Alabama Crimson Tide to close out the NCAAM season on Thursday afternoon.

The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide entered the clash as favourites over the No. 14 Tigers, and were looking to head towards March with some wind in their tails. With 21 wins from 25 games, Alabama was flying coming into the contest, but faced a danger game against a fellow seeded team.

It was a seriously high-scoring first half, with the Tigers stunning the Crimson Tide by dropping 59 points in the opening 20 minutes to lead by 13 at the break. Although Alabama attempted to make a run in the second half, it could not get close enough to truly make a game of it, as Missouri cruised home to a 12-point triumph.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over how the key players performed in the match, as some of the NCAAM’s best and brightest continue to display their craft on a nightly basis.

Alabama Crimson Tide (98) def. by Missouri Tigers (110)

Crimson Tide

#0 Labaron Philon

Philon was one of Alabama’s standout in the loss to the Tigers, looking to create with ball in hand and keeping his side in the contest with some timely makes. It was a slow start from the guard, who took 13 minutes before registering his first basket of the match. However, he finished the half in style, pouring in seven quick points from a pair of layups and a three-pointer, while also creating for his teammates. Five quick points midway through the second half showed just how fast he can get going, while a lay-up late in the piece brought the Crimson Tide within eight points, but it did not get any closer than that. He finished the contest with 14 points on 6/8 shooting from the field and 2/3 shooting from behind the arc.

#1 Mark Sears

The game’s leading scorer, Sears was the sole reason Alabama was still within striking distance for much of the contest. He poured in 14 points in the first half, initially looking to penetrate and score at the basket, before finding his mark from downtown with back to back triples to drag his side back into contention just before half time. He spent much of the second half at the charity stripe, drawing plenty of contact from the opposition and forcing the refs to blow the whistle. He finished the match with 35 of Alabama’s 98 points on 12/20 shooting from the field (including five made triples) alongside five assists as he used his gravity with ball in hand to dish off when the defence closed in.

Tigers

#25 Mark Mitchell

Mitchell was Missouri’s best in a signature win from the Tigers, helping set the team up for victory with an electric scoring performance in the first half. 18 of his 31 points came in the first 20 minutes of the match, with Mitchell having his way scoring the ball inside with several dunks as he poked holes in Alabama’s typically strong interior defence. His first half showing helped the Tigers get out to a 13-point buffer at the main change, and although he was slightly less productive in the second half, he still poured in 13 points in the final 20 minutes to cap off an extremely efficient scoring performance. Mitchell shot 11/15 from the field and 8/12 from the free throw line in one of the best offensive showings of his career.

#31 Caleb Grill

A true wildcard off the bench, Grill was crucial in Missouri’s win with his injection of offense proving vital in getting the Tigers to an upset. There were fewer players more aggressive than Grill, who was constantly looking to create and put the pressure back onto the defence. He got several Alabama players in foul trouble with his quick first step and ability to draw contact. Although not the most efficient scoring performance from the field, his 10 made free throws on 11 attempts was vital in keeping the Tigers in front of the Crimson Tide. He finished the contest with 25 points off the bench and added another dynamic to a firing Missouri offence.