SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Missouri utilized a 2nd-fifty percent scoring spurt from Kobe Brown to acquire its 1st NCAA Event game in 13 many years, beating Utah Point out 76-65 on Thursday.
Brown strike a few 3-ideas in a span of just in excess of a few minutes to gas a 13-2 run that turned a two-place deficit into a 62-53 lead.
“He’s our MVP. I can notify you that,” mentor Dennis Gates said. “Ultimately when he began producing some pictures in that next 50 %, he promptly built eye get hold of. He stated he’s listed here. I stated, ‘Yes, you are. We can see.’”
The seventh-seeded Tigers (25-9) held on from there, halting a six-match match skid with their 1st get due to the fact beating Clemson in the first spherical in 2010.
Missouri superior to engage in the winner of the Arizona-Princeton match in the 2nd round of the South Area.
The 10th-seeded Aggies (26-9) have dropped their final 10 tournament video games due to the fact beating Ohio State in the first spherical in 2001. The reduction was also the 11th straight for a Mountain West crew in the NCAAs.
“It’s actually, seriously, definitely, genuinely, actually tough to get in university basketball,” coach Ryan Odom mentioned. “These guys did it. They gained adequate to get an at-huge bid in this article. Even though we did not get what we required in conditions of advancing in the match, the guys did what they have done all calendar year and which is continue to combat no matter of the circumstances.”
The match was close until finally Brown and D’Moi Hodge took it about midway by the next half by scoring 20 straight details for the Tigers.
“We really do not blink,” Brown claimed. “We felt them receiving the momentum, but we could not exhibit that. If we would have confirmed that, issues would have went a great deal distinctive.”
Brown begun the stretch with a dunk, followed by a few straight 3s. Hodge took above from there by hitting twice from long variety all around a dunk of his individual.
Hodge scored 23 details for the Tigers. Brown experienced 19.
Taylor Funk scored 16 to guide Utah Condition and Steven Ashworth additional 12. The Aggies shot 4 for 24 from 3-level variety.
Story carries on
“There has to be some credit score given to Missouri, their model of protection, what they like to do to groups,” Ashworth said. “At occasions, even if you’re obtaining open up looks in these conditions, you can be a minimal rushed into those photographs. I consider the to start with 50 percent we experienced a very little little bit of that. At the exact same time it was we just weren’t hitting the pictures we generally make.”
The Aggies acquired off to a sloppy start out with six turnovers in the initial 6 minutes but still only trailed 35-31 at the fifty percent despite lacking all 11 attempts from 3-level variety.
They missed their initial two from long range in the second half right before Ashworth lastly produced a 3-pointer.
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Utah State: The irritation for the Aggies was obvious when they acquired referred to as for a bench specialized when a single of the reserves argued a no-contact halfway by way of the next 50 percent. Odom heatedly argued the contact before getting restrained by an assistant. Nick Honor missed equally absolutely free throws for Missouri.
Missouri: The Tigers performed with no team captain Tre Gomillion, who injured his groin throughout the SEC tournament. If he is in a position to return upcoming spherical, that would offer a big strengthen.
UP Up coming
The Tigers will be hunting to advance earlier the initially weekend of the event for the very first time considering that 2009 when they went to the Elite Eight.
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AP March Insanity coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top rated-25-university-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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