COLUMBIA -- The Missouri Tigers hit their free throws.
No. 20 Missouri hit 27-of-31 free throws and survived an upset attempt with an 85-82 Southeastern Conference win Saturday against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Mizzou Arena.
“That’s the only way you win close games,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. “To be able to get to the free-throw line and, obviously, execute in that spot. To be able to shoot the percentage that we shot … I think that gives us the confidence, but also it allowed us to control the last three minutes.”
Vanderbilt dominated the boards and the paint, out-rebounding Missouri 46-27, with 15 offensive boards, to help build a 17-7 lead in second-chance points. The Commodores added a 44-22 lead in scoring from the paint.
“I think they tried to force the whistle but I told our guys, ‘Don’t foul,’ and it sort of put them in a position where they didn’t foul, but they gave up the lane,” Gates said. “Our angles were off and I take responsibility for that because I did not want the free throw game to be equal at all. … We ended up giving up probably a season-high 44 points in the paint, but it’s relative.”
Gates added the Tigers made up for the rebounding difference in steals and turnovers. The Tigers were able to force eight steals and 14 total Vanderbilt turnovers.
Missouri got off to its slowest start of the season, missing its first six shots from the floor as the Commodores built a 10-2 lead.
But the Tiger offense got rolling quickly after, hitting nine of its next 12 shots and taking its first lead of the game at 22-21 after Tre Gomillion connected on both ends of a 1-and-1 with 7:32 left in the first half.
“They didn’t panic,” Gates said. “That was the biggest thing I came away with.”
Missouri was able to go up 34-30 after Sean East swung one of his co-game-high seven assists to DeAndre Gholston, who splashed one of his five 3s to help build his co-game-high 18 points.
“Sean East is a tempo starter,” Gates said. “When you’re out camping, … it’s important that you keep your fire kit ready. He’s our fire kit. His energy, his enthusiasm, his effort, his patience, his mentality. I don’t want him to ever look to the sideline, I want him to play because his instincts are better than a lot of people in this country. … I just want him to be a fire starter.”
The lead didn’t last long though, Vanderbilt was able to hit five of its final seven shots of the half to send the game into the first break tied at 34.
“It was a game of runs, I thought our guys did a great job,” Gates said. “I’m not happy with the end of the first half, but I am ecstatic about the end of the second.”
Missouri went on a 9-2 run early in the second half, consisting of Gholston sinking a tough layup through contact with the and-1 free throw, a Noah Carter 3, for three of his 16 points, and a Nick Honor 3 to go up 49-42 with 13:51 to play.
But Vanderbilt was able to connect on its next five attempts to help create an 8-0 run to get within 55-54.
The Commodores were able to force one of the seven lead changes in the game when Jordan Wright connected on an and-1 layup, three of his 14 points, to put Vanderbilt up 57-56.
The teams went back and forth, tying at 59, 61 and 63 before a Gholston block turned into a Kobe Brown transition dunk, two of his co-game-high 18 points, to put the Tigers up 65-63.
“We got beat a little bit down the floor, had to make a play on the ball,” Gholston said. “It was a big time in the game and it gave us some energy. … I was just trying to give energy to the team.”
Vanderbilt tied again at 65, 71 and 73, before two Brown free throws put the Tigers up for good at 75-73.
Missouri connected on 12-of-14 free throws in the final 3:08 to hold onto the lead down the stretch.
“This was an old-fashion SEC blowout, a one-possession game that could have easily gone to overtime,” Gates said. “… I am happy about how our guys responded in the final three minutes.”
To go with the free throw shooting, Missouri connected on 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) of its tries from the field and 10-of-26 (38.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
Brown totaled 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Tigers, while Gholston had 18 points, three boards, two assists and two blocks. D’Moi Hodge, who played with the flu, scored 17 points, brought down three boards and poked away three steals.
“For him to be able to come out and do what he did is excellent,” Gates said. “He put us on his back when we were down early. … When you give of yourself, great things will happen. I’m excited about what I saw tonight.”
Carter was the fourth Tiger in double figures with 16 points and five rebounds.
Vanderbilt (8-7, 1-1 SEC) made 33-of-68 (48.5 percent) of its total attempts, 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) from 3 and 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
Missouri (13-2, 2-1 SEC) returns to action Wednesday with a trip to Texas A&M. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.