Can the Missouri Tigers Claw Victory at The Pavilion?
As the Missouri Tigers gear up to face the Ole Miss Rebels at The Pavilion, fans are cautiously optimistic about their team's chances. The upcoming game on February 18th is a pivotal moment for the Tigers, who have shown both flashes of brilliance and areas in need of improvement throughout the season.
In their last encounter with a ranked opponent, Illinois Fighting Illini on December 23rd, MIZZ fell short by a significant margin, scoring 73 points to Illinois' 97. Despite this loss, there were positive takeaways; notably, MIZZ's resilience in nearly doubling their first-half score in the second half. However, they'll need to address their defensive lapses that allowed Illinois to maintain a high two-point field goal percentage of 66 percent.
The game against Seton Hall Pirates on December 17th was another tough battle for MIZZ. They managed to put up an impressive fight offensively with an outstanding free throw percentage of 86 percent and showed promise from beyond the arc hitting half of their three-point attempts. Yet again though, turnovers and personal fouls proved costly as they narrowly lost with a final score of 87-93.
A glimmer of hope shone through during their game against Kansas Jayhawks on December 9th when MIZZ demonstrated tenacity despite being outmatched by the second-ranked team. They held onto a respectable field goal percentage of 41 percent but struggled from three-point range at only 33 percent accuracy.
Looking ahead to Ole Miss Rebels presents an opportunity for redemption. To secure victory away from home soil, it is imperative that MIZZ capitalizes on its strengths while shoring up its weaknesses—particularly in reducing personal fouls and improving ball security which has been problematic in past games.
The Rebels will not make it easy; they're known for robust defense and will exploit any lapse in concentration or execution by MIZZ. Therefore, maintaining focus throughout all four quarters is essential for success.
As anticipation builds towards tip-off time at The Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford on February 18th at around dusk (7:30 PM CST), fans can catch all the action live nationally via SEC Network channel number six hundred eleven (611). This contest promises to be more than just another game—it's about pride and proving that past performances do not define future outcomes.