As sophomore guard Terrence Phillips exited the game in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament against Auburn for the final time, he embraced his coach and shared a long, emotional hug.
It was an embrace that displayed simultaneous sadness and gratitude.
Phillips fouled out with 5:40 remaining and thought it might be the last time he would exit the court with coach Kim Anderson as the Tigers’ leader. Before the SEC Tournament, Missouri announced that it had asked Anderson to step down after the season.
Phillips’ goodbye was premature, though.
Sophomore forward Kevin Puryear gave Anderson one more day as coach of the Tigers when he hit a 3-point shot as time expired in overtime in Nashville, Tennessee.