The Missouri Tigers, ranked 61st in the NET rankings, pulled off a stunning 86-85 upset over the 42nd-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, handing them their 8th loss of the season. This thrilling victory marked a significant milestone for Missouri, as they improved their record to 17-7, while Texas A&M fell to 17-7. The 1-point margin of victory was a reflection of the intense competition between the two teams, with Missouri outscoring Texas A&M 45-39 in the second half.
Trent Pierce's 23 Points Mark His 10th 20-Point Performance of the Season
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Texas A&M taking a 46-41 lead into halftime. However, Missouri came out strong in the second half, outscoring the Aggies 45-39 to secure the win. The Tigers' Trent Pierce led the charge, scoring 23 points and grabbing 9 rebounds, while Texas A&M's Zach Clemence paced the Aggies with 20 points. The game saw multiple lead changes, with Missouri ultimately emerging victorious by a single point. At one point, Texas A&M led by as many as 5 points, but Missouri's resilience and determination paid off, as they scored 45 points in the second half to seal the deal.
The top performers for both teams were impressive, with Zach Clemence scoring 20 points for Texas A&M, and Trent Pierce leading Missouri with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Missouri's T.O. Barrett added 17 points, while Shawn Phillips Jr. chipped in with 12 points and 8 rebounds. For Texas A&M, Rylan Griffen scored 17 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Rashaun Agee contributed 13 points and 9 rebounds. These standout performances were crucial in determining the outcome of the game, with Pierce's 23 points proving to be the difference-maker.
CHD Scout Report Card
INCORRECTPredicted
Final
A closer look at the box score reveals some interesting statistics. Missouri outscored Texas A&M 45-39 in the second half, with Pierce scoring 12 of his 23 points in the final 20 minutes. The Tigers also outrebounded the Aggies 38-36, with Phillips Jr. and Pierce combining for 17 rebounds. Texas A&M, on the other hand, shot 46.2% from the field, but were unable to overcome Missouri's strong second-half performance. The Aggies' 85 points were their 12th-highest total of the season, but ultimately fell just short of securing the win.
The CHD Scout prediction model was way off here, predicting a 87-75 Texas A&M victory, with the Aggies winning by 11.8 points. However, the actual result was a 1-point Missouri win, a staggering 12.8-point difference from the predicted margin. This upset victory highlights the unpredictability of college basketball, and serves as a reminder that even the most advanced prediction models can't account for the twists and turns of a given game. The model's incorrect prediction was likely due to its underestimation of Missouri's resilience and determination, as well as its overestimation of Texas A&M's ability to close out the game.
This upset victory has real consequences for both teams' resumes. For Missouri, the win improves their Quad 1 record to 4-5, and boosts their NET ranking to 61. The Tigers' victory over a top-50 team will undoubtedly strengthen their case for an NCAA Tournament bid. On the other hand, the loss drops Texas A&M's Quad 2 record to 8-4, and may hurt their chances of securing a higher seed in the tournament. The Aggies' NET ranking remains at 42, but this loss may have a negative impact on their overall resume. With 7 games remaining on their schedule, Missouri want to build on this momentum and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri's next game is scheduled for February 15th, when they will host the Vanderbilt Commodores. Texas A&M, on the other hand, will travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks on February 18th. Both teams want to bounce back from this intense matchup, with Missouri seeking to build on their momentum and Texas A&M aiming to regroup and refocus.