It wasn’t easy but Vols put down Missouri

It was a big-time battle, comparable teams, determined defense, offensive streaks and a closing free-throw parade.

No. 4 Tennessee defeated No. 15 Missouri, 85-81, February 5, 2025, at Food City Center. The Vols have a treasured two-game win streak but it was up and down instead of easy. They once trailed by 11 and led by 14. They shot 50 percent, hit 10 of 15 threes but didn’t get a field goal in the final four and a half minutes. Offer thanks for free throws.

Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic, absent from the Florida romp, returned with zest. Milicic had his best performance as a Volunteer – 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocked shots, two steals and good enough on D.

Ziggy scored 21, had eight assists, went four-for-four from long range and seven-for seven on free throws. It was showtime, as in “what a night!”

“I thought Z was terrific. I did,” said Rick Barnes. “I thought he was really terrific after not really practicing but one day, and not even a full day at that.”

Barnes said he thought Milicic was good. I thought he was better than good. The coach thought Igor got tired. He played 32 minutes and, as I recall, he had been out with the flu. Barnes didn’t like Igor’s late foul that stopped the clock. I agreed with the coach on that.

Strangely enough, Missouri remains ahead of Tennessee in Southeastern Conference standings. The Tigers are 6-3. The Vols are 6-4.

Barnes expressed respect for Missouri and coach Dennis Gates’ resounding comeback. The Tigers were 0-19 against SEC foes last season. They now look like a tournament team.

“From the year they had, he’s changed the entire mindset. Dennis has done as good a job as anybody in the country.”

This game started awkwardly. Tennessee took a 5-0 lead. Missouri played five and half minutes and got only exercise. Once the Tigers found the range, they led throughout the half. It was 34-28 at intermission. Eight turnovers slowed the Vols.

Tennessee wasn’t exactly smoking when the second half started. Two more turnovers helped Missouri extend its advantage to 11. The Vols picked up the pace with Ziggy and Milicic leading the way, Tennessee had an 11-1 run in less than two minutes. The home team got even at 43.

Three Zeigler free throws made it 68-58 with 7:05 remaining. A Ziggy pass for a Felix Okpara slam plus a free throw extended the lead to 75-61.

Game over? Didn’t happen. Missouri chipped away. Tennessee forgot to box out and didn’t rebound when the Tigers missed free throws. Tennessee misfired on two open shots. The Tigers were very much in contention at 75-70 with 1:40 to go.

The Vols won with free throws, 21 of 26 in the second half as the Tigers missed 10. The Vols won in rebounding, 38-30. The Vols won with points in the paint, 34-18. The Vols won 8-0 on blocked shots.

Hitting two-thirds of their three-point attempts was decisive.

“We’ve had games where we look like a great basketball team scoring the ball,” said Barnes. “When the ball is going in, it all looks good. I mean, if I could coach making shots, I would do this till I’m 110.

“What I want to see us do is make some of those shots around the rim. Those are the ones we need to make. When you start doing that, they got to loosen up.”

Barnes said he was really proud the Vols executed better in the second half, got better shots. He credited the defense with keeping his team close enough “so that little spurt got us back in it.

“As well as I thought we played in the second half, give them credit for what happened in the first half, but we did not play well at all. I wasn’t real happy at halftime.”

Barnes said the Vols played harder in the second half, played with more energy and worked harder on offense to try to get shots.

Missouri had average stats. It hit 41.7 percent overall. It was 12 of 30 on threes. Tanner Bates led with 22 points. Tony Perkins had 16. Josh Gary had 10 rebounds. Missouri was charged with only three turnovers.

Starting Saturday, Tennessee plays four of the next five games on the road. First stop is Oklahoma. The Sooners are 16-6 overall, 3-6 in the SEC.