Instead, for the second straight Saturday, the Tigers couldn’t preserve a double-digit lead and this time fell apart late, losing to the Crimson Tide 86-76 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The Tigers, 18-point underdogs at tipoff, controlled the first half and led throughout the second half until the final five minutes. The Crimson Tide (13-6, 4-3 SEC) finished the game on an 18-3 run as the Tigers (8-10, 2-4) went cold at the wrong time, missing eight of their final nine shots from the field.
Mizzou couldn’t overcome Alabama’s monstrous advantage from the foul line: MU was whistled for 23 fouls to the Tide’s 13 and attempted only five free throws while Alabama took 29.