After thwarting Arkansas’ second-half comeback attempt — the kind that Missouri has too often succumbed to during SEC play — on the game’s final possession, the Tigers begin their toughest stretch of the season in Oxford on Saturday. This game against Ole Miss will be followed by a home game against No. 5 Kentucky and then a road trip with stops at Florida and Mississippi State. The tough upcoming slate begins just in time for the return of sharpshooting guard Mark Smith, who is expected to return to the lineup Saturday (he joined his teammates on the floor of The Pavilion for warmups).
Game thread: Missouri buckles down for toughest stretch of season
