Tamar Bates helps Missouri topple No. 1 Kansas

Field Level Media|published: Sun 8th December, 15:47 2024

Dec 8, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) celebrates after a play against the Kansas Jayhawks during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Tamar Bates scored a season-high 29 points for Missouri to spark a 76-67 upset of visiting No. 1 Kansas on Sunday in Columbia, Mo.

Mark Mitchell added 17 points for the Tigers (8-1), while Anthony Robinson II scored 11 as Missouri beat its "Border War" rival for the first time since February 2012. Robinson and Bates both tallied five steals, as the Tigers forced 22 Kansas turnovers.

Josh Gray added seven points and 10 rebounds for Missouri, which saw its 24-point lead reduced to two before pulling away late. Missouri's eight wins matched its total from all of last season.

Hunter Dickinson's 19 points and 14 rebounds led Kansas (7-2), which will tumble in the AP Top 25 after losing its second in a row. David Coit scored 14 for the Jayhawks, followed by Dajuan Harris Jr.'s 13 and KJ Adams Jr.'s 11.

Leading by 14 at halftime, Missouri built its advantage to 51-30 on Bates' three-point play with 16:15 remaining. After Tony Perkins' mid-range jumper stamped a 6-0 Missouri run to give the Tigers a 57-33 lead, Adams had a three-point play followed by Dickinson's triple, jumpstarting a 15-0 Kansas run.

Missouri didn't score again until Perkins' layup at the 7:32 mark, pushing Missouri's lead to 59-48.

After Gray's deep 2-point jumper gave the Tigers an 11-point advantage with 4:53 left, Dickinson and Adams each converted three-point plays to cut Kansas' deficit to 62-57 with 3:20 remaining.

A minute later, Harris' three-point play trimmed Missouri's lead to 65-63 at the 2:20 mark. Mitchell drilled a triple to begin a 7-0 Tigers scoring run capped by Bates' layup, icing the upset for Missouri.

After Zeke Mayo's layup opened the game's scoring 13 seconds in, Missouri embarked on an 11-2 run.

The Tigers' advantage grew to 12 after a pair of Bates free throws and Robinson's steal and slam with 8:26 left.

Adams' three-point play cut Kansas' deficit to 26-17 with 8:11 remaining, the Jayhawks didn't score for another 5:16. Missouri's ensuing 8-0 run included six points from Bates.

Kansas finished the first half with a 6-2 spurt and entered halftime down 39-25.

--Field Level Media

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