Mizzou Basketball wins an overtime thriller over Oklahoma off the backs of a superstar T.O. Barrett performance and buzzer-beaters from Mark Mitchell and Trent Pierce.
Columbia, Mo. — Missouri basketball entered a pivotal rivalry matchup with Oklahoma with a season-defining game ahead of it.
The Tigers held 3-3 record in Southeastern Conference play, with the future of their season hanging in the balance. A win would give Missouri a winning conference record before a road trip, while a loss to the bottom-feeder Oklahoma team would put the Tigers' below .500 in conference play for the first time in 2026.
Missouri hit two season-defining shots.
The Tigers found themselves trailing 81-78 with 5.6 seconds left on the clock and a full 94 feet to travel. Junior forward Trent Pierce inbounded the ball to sophomore guard T.O. Barrett who raced down the sideline and dumped the ball back to the trailing shooter who had no choice but to fire from deep.
If this sounds familiar, it's because the Tigers' found themselves in the same situation during their loss to Georgia on Tuesday, which ended in a Jacob Crews missed 3-pointer and a loss. Despite the loss, head coach Dennis Gates stood his ground and defended the play call.
"It was a tough shot," Gates said. "But it was something that we had ran before, and we had an option to get the layup with the drive and to just opted for the shot. And I understand it."
Gates was right in the long run: The same play that initially failed against Georgia worked on its second go around — with one minor difference.
"I've been in these situations before," Gates said. "That's why I didn't draw something for Jacob Crews or Jayden Stone. Because if I'm Oklahoma, I'm not letting those two —after the last game — take a shot."
Pierce drained the shot, sending the game to overtime, where the Tigers would eventually pull away for the victory.
Missouri beat deja vu once, but it would need to beat it twice to take down Oklahoma.
The Tigers found themselves trailing 87-85 with 4.8 seconds remaining, once again having to travel 94 feet.
Graduate guard Jayden Stone inbounded the ball to senior forward Mark Mitchell, who battled Oklahoma's Derrion Reid down the court and walked into a triple-team at the 3-point line. He hoisted up a 3-pointer as the arena fell silent.
"I saw three hands once Mark took off from the ground," Gates said. "Before we knew it, one guy hit the ground because gravity defeated him, then another guy hit the ground — gravity defeating them. Mark still is floating.
"I said 'This is going in' to myself."
Mitchell knocked down the biggest shot of the season, topping the second-biggest shot of the season Pierce had made minutes before. The final buzzer sounded simultaneously with the cheers echoing around Mizzou Arena, and Mitchell raced around the court celebrating with his teammates.
The Tigers won the overtime thriller 88-87.
The victory is in large thanks to Mitchell and Pierce's big-time shots, but the story of Missouri's stolen win can't be told without the biggest change of the day.
Gates made the call to change the starting lineup, moving team captain Anthony Robinson II to the bench in favor of sophomore guard T.O. Barrett. That decision paid quick dividends, as Barrett posted a career-high 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
"He willed his team to a victory," Gates said. "T.O. Barrett didn't blink."
Barrett also logged career-highs of 39 minutes and three steals, along with grabbing six rebounds and dishing out two assists — willing Missouri to victory against his hometown team.
Barrett, Mitchell and Jayden Stone combined for 66 of Missouri's 88 points. The other two starters — Crews and Shawn Phillips Jr. — tacked on a combined 11.
The Tigers' bench scored just 11 points on 3-for-14 shooting, including Robinson's two-point, 17-minute performance — his worst statistical outing of the season. Despite being benched in favor of his backup and struggling on the hardwood, Robinson still played an effective role as captain.
"Ant Robinson was the best cheerleader on the sideline," Gates said. "There was no sulking. There was no issues with him."
The new-look Missouri team overcame a poor shooting night to steal a victory from Oklahoma and save its season — a promising sign for games to come.
Missouri, now 4-3 in conference play, will next take on Alabama for the first time this season in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday at 8 p.m.