Field Level Media
Feb 18, 2020
Xavier Pinson set a career high in scoring for the second straight game, helping Missouri to a 71-68 home win over Ole Miss on Tuesday night in Columbia, Mo.
Pinson's 32 points came on just 13 shots and occurred just three days after he scored 28 in an upset of then-No. 11 Auburn. The sophomore was 9 of 13 from the field, made all four of his 3-point attempts and went 10 of 11 from the foul line, including 6 of 6 in the final minute.
Pinson scored eight of Missouri's first 11 points but played only seven minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. He made up for it by recording 11 of the Tigers' first 13 points after halftime, extending a 31-27 lead at the break to 44-38 with 14:12 to go.
Mizzou (13-13, 5-8 SEC) led at the half despite missing 16 of its final 20 shots and not making a field goal the final 4:26 before the break. The Tigers shot 38.2 percent for the game but were 23 of 27 from the foul line, making all eight attempts in the last minute of play.
Ole Miss (13-13, 4-9) trailed by as many 10 in the second half as leading scorer Breein Tyree went MIA. Tyree, who had 15 points on 10 shots in the first half, didn't attempt a field goal until 10:47 left in the second half but then made his next three shots during a 10-0 run to tie the game at 55 with 8:53 to go.
The Rebels took a 57-56 lead on a basket by KJ Buffen with 8:17 left but made only two more field goals the rest of the way.
Tyree finished with 29 points on 8-of-17 shooting, with the rest of Ole Miss going 13 of 35. He also committed six of his team's 15 turnovers, including when he dribbled off his foot with 45.3 seconds to go and the Rebels down 65-63.
--Field Level Media