Wing man Jayden Stone fires up a three-pointer during the Tigers’ win over Florida, Saturday night at Mizzou Arena. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

NCAA Men’s Basketball12Final
#22 Florida (9-5, 0-1)393574
Missouri (11-3, 1-0)393776

COLUMBIA, MO — The University of Missouri men’s basketball team pulled out a nail-biting victory over defending national champ Florida, Saturday night.

Mizzou controlled the action for most of the second half, but missed several late free throws, which almost let the visiting and No. 22-ranked Gators come back.

Fortunately though, the Tigers held on for a 76-74 win that sent the raucous Mizzou Arena crowd of 19,131 home with a happy, but nervous smile.

“We had a chance to put it away and we didn’t,” Mizzou senior forward Mark Mitchell, who missed two critical free throws with 4.3 seconds left that left the door open for a possible Florida tie or win at the end. “But we did enough of the stuff we needed to and we made them take a tough shot at the end. I’m just glad it didn’t go in.”

Florida speedy sharpshooter Boogie Fland wound up with the ball on the final play and fired up a three that could’ve won the game for the Gators. But the shot clanged off the rim as time expired, giving Missouri the win.

“I didn’t even have time to be nervous. It happened so quick,” Mizzou point guard Anthony Robinson said. “It was a deep shot… He’s a good shooter, but he had to rush it. I was just pumped up when he missed it. I’m glad we won.”

Mizzou’s Mark Mitchell makes a move toward the basket against Florida’s Alex Condon during Saturday’s SEC opener for both teams at Mizzou Arena. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Robinson and Mitchell were Mizzou’s top scorers in the game. Robinson led the way with 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Mitchell added 14 points.

Teammates Jacob Crews and Trent Pierce chipped in 13 points and 10 points, respectively.

The biggest bucket of the game was probably the banked-in three-pointer Robinson hit with 22.4 seconds remaining that gave the Tigers a 74-69 lead.

Mizzou led for most of the second half, but Florida had been climbing back and was very near tying the game or taking the lead until Robinson lifted up from the right side of the center arc and sent a shot that missed the rim by about two feet.

Fortunately though, it hit the backboard in the perfect spot and banked in to put the Tigers up five. Florida got a three-point play from its leading scorer Thomas Haugh to pull back within two, which set the stage for the final scenario of Mitchell’s two missed free throws and Bland’s missed three at the end.

“He got a good look,” Florida head coach Todd Golden. “It just didn’t go in.”

Mizzou’s Jayden Stone slams home the first basket of the game during the Tigers’ SEC home opener against Florida, Saturday night at Mizzou Arena. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Missouri is now 11-3 on the season and 1-0 in the SEC, while Florida is now 9-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

The Tigers will be back in action on Wednesday, January 8, when they’ll travel to Lexington to take on Kentucky. That game tip off at 6 p.m., and be televised live on ESPN2.

2025-26 MISSOURI TIGERS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTVResults
November 3, 2025 (Monday)6 pmAwayHowardWashington, D.C.W, 88-67 (1-0)
November 7, 2025 (Friday)7 pmHomeSoutheast MissouriMizzou ArenaW, 89-84 (2-0)
November 9, 2025 (Sunday)1 pmHomeVMIMizzou ArenaW, 106-68, (3-0)
November 12, 2025 (Wednesday)7 pmHomeMinnesotaMizzou ArenaW, 83-60 (4-0)
November 17, 2025 (Monday)7 pmHomePrairie View A&MMizzou ArenaW, 91-73 (5-0)
November 20, 2025 (Thursday)7 pmHomeSouth DakotaMizzou ArenaW, 102-68 (6-0)
November 25, 2025 (Tuesday)7 pmHomeSouth Carolina StateMizzou ArenaW, 98-66 (7-0)
November 28, 2025 (Friday)1 pmHomeCleveland StateMizzou ArenaW, 86-59 (8-0)
December 2, 2025 (Tuesday)8 pmAwayNotre DameSouth Bend, Ind.L, 76-71 (8-1)
December 7, 2025 (Sunday)12 pmNeutral#21 KansasKansas City, Mo. / T-Mobile CenterL, 80-60 (8-2)
December 11, 2025 (Thursday)7 pmHomeAlabama StateMizzou ArenaW, 85-77 (9-2)
December 14, 2025 (Sunday)1 pmHomeBethune-CookmanMizzou ArenaW, 82-60 (10-2)
December 22, 2025 (Monday)7 pmNeutral#18 IllinoisSt. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise CenterL, 91-48 (10-3)
January 3, 2026 (Saturday)7:30 pmHome#22 FloridaMizzou ArenaW, 76-74 (11-3)
January 7, 2026 (Tuesday)6 pmAwayKentuckyLexington, Ky.
January 10, 2026 (Saturday)5 pmAwayOle MissOxford, Miss.
January 14, 2026 (Tuesday)6 pmHomeAuburnMizzou Arena
January 17, 2026 (Saturday)2:30 pmAwayLSUBaton Rouge, La.
January 20, 2026 (Tuesday)8 pmHomeGeorgiaMizzou Arena
January 24, 2026 (Saturday)1 pmHomeOklahomaMizzou Arena
January 27, 2026 (Tuesday)8 pmAwayAlabamaTuscaloosa, Ala.
January 31, 2026 (Saturday)2:30 pmHomeMississippi StateMizzou Arena
February 7, 2026 (Saturday)12 pmAwaySouth CarolinaColumbia, S.C.
February 10, 2026 (Tuesday)8 pmAwayTexas A&MCollege Station, Texas
February 14, 2026 (Saturday)7:30 pmHomeTexasMizzou Arena
February 17, 2026 (Tuesday)8 pmHomeVanderbiltMizzou Arena
February 21, 2026 (Saturday)3 pmAwayArkansasFayetteville, Ark.
February 24, 2026 (Tuesday)8 pmHomeTennesseeMizzou Arena
February 28, 2026 (Saturday)12 pmAwayMississippi StateStarkville, Miss.
March 3, 2026 (Tuesday)6 pmAwayOklahomaNorman, Okla.
March 7, 2026 (Saturday)11 amHomeArkansasMizzou Arena