Phillips Jr. Lifts Missouri to Thrilling Road Win Over Texas A&M
A last-second dunk and a game-saving block from senior Shawn Phillips Jr. propelled the Missouri Tigers to a dramatic 86-85 victory over Texas A&M in a back-and-forth SEC battle in College Station on Wednesday night. Phillips slammed home an alley-oop from Mark Mitchell with just 17.9 seconds remaining to give the Tigers the lead. He then sealed the crucial conference road win by blocking a layup attempt from Rashaun Agee as time expired.
The game was a tale of two halves. Texas A&M came out scorching, hitting 11 three-pointers in the first half to build a 46-41 lead at the break. But Missouri weathered the storm and clawed its way back in the second half, largely by dominating the paint, where they outscored the Aggies 56-28. Junior Trent Pierce was instrumental for the Tigers, pouring in a season-high 23 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The lead changed hands eight times in the final five minutes before Phillips' decisive play.
With the victory, Missouri improves to 17-7 overall and 7-4 in the SEC, securing its third consecutive conference win and a significant Quad 1 victory for its NCAA Tournament resume. The win sets the stage for a highly anticipated matchup against the Texas Longhorns in what has been announced as a sold-out game at Mizzou Arena on Saturday.
QUICK HITS
Gators Trample Bulldogs: No. 14 Florida secured its fifth straight road win, defeating Georgia 86-66 in Athens. Guard Xaivian Lee led five Gators in double figures with 18 points as Florida controlled the game from the opening tip. The win keeps Florida alone atop the SEC standings.
Volunteers Hold Off Mississippi State: Tennessee earned a 73-64 road victory over Mississippi State in Starkville. The Volunteers built a 23-point second-half lead before weathering an 18-0 run by the Bulldogs. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced Tennessee with 18 points as the Vols improved to 17-7 on the season.
Tide Rolls Past Rebels: Alabama overcame a slow start to defeat Ole Miss 93-74 in Oxford. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was on fire from deep, tying his career-high with seven 3-pointers for 21 points. The loss was the sixth straight for the Rebels.
Texas' Abbagnato Named SEC Freshman of the Week: Texas women's tennis player Anastasia Abbagnato earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors. The Italian native posted an impressive 5-1 combined record in singles and doubles, including four victories over ranked opponents, during the ITA National Indoor Championships.
PORTAL WATCH
The Texas A&M Aggies were active in the transfer portal, securing a commitment from Liam Padron.
RECRUITING BUZZ
There were no new commitments to report across the conference in the last 12 hours. However, recruiting remains active, with several high-profile prospects scheduling visits. The Texas Longhorns, in particular, are preparing to host players like Georgia linebacker Joakim Gouda and 2027 linebacker Jhadyn Nelson for official visits in the coming months.
GAMES TO WATCH
A slate of key SEC basketball matchups are on the horizon. Upcoming games include: