Missouri men’s basketball gets a spark from an unlikely source and rides it to a statement win Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.
Trailing by three in the closing seconds of the first half, Trent Burns drills a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the game at 39, igniting the crowd and shifting momentum. Burns, who entered the game averaging fewer than six minutes per contest and had yet to make a collegiate three, delivers his first from long range when it mattered most.
The Tigers carry that energy into the second half and hold on for a 76-74 victory over defending national champion Florida.
Head coach Dennis Gates credits the play design for the open look, saying Burns’ defender was forced to help elsewhere, leaving him unguarded. Gates adds the shot reflects what the staff sees regularly in practice.
The win marks Missouri’s first top-25 and Quad 1 victory of the season, improving the Tigers to 11-3 overall and 1-0 in SEC play.
Missouri now heads to Lexington for its first conference road test Wednesday at Kentucky. Tipoff is set for 6 on ESPN2.
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