It had been quite a while since Missouri lost at home.
While it took until Wednesday for the Tigers to get a road win in conference play, Mizzou Arena was their sanctuary. Missouri had won four straight on its home court, including wins over Arkansas and Auburn, and their largest home loss of the season was a 10-point difference against Tennessee on Jan. 7.
The Tigers were blown out from the jump the last time they faced Mississippi State, but that also came on the road. They were going to get the Bulldogs on their home court Saturday, the place they’ve thrived in all season, with a chance to boost their resume and a chance to sink their opponents’ on the line.