MU beats Arkansas, likely grabbing first NCAA tourney berth since ’13
BRANSON MO NEWS: Jeremiah Tilmon has trouble sleeping before basketball games, so he said the biggest preparation he took for Saturday’s regular-season finale against Arkansas was just that.“Before the game, that’s all I’m doing,” Tilmon said, “chasing sleep.”He must have rested easy Friday night because Saturday evening, before a nearly full Mizzou Arena, the freshman scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Tigers’ 77-67 win over Arkansas.
Combined with production from fellow freshman big Jontay Porter, who scored 19 points and had eight rebounds, Missouri (20-11, 10-8 SEC) avenged a prior loss in Fayetteville, snagged the No. 5 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament and likely earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2013.“I knew we had to win,” Porter said. “I knew we were on the (NCAA Tournament) bubble, because that’s the nature of things. But every game since that three-game skid was a must-win for us in our heads.”That three-game skid ended Tuesday at Vanderbilt, and the Tigers followed up with a win over Arkansas (21-10, 10-8) marked by efficient forward play and a plethora of free-throw opportunities. Missouri made 27 of its 33 free throws, a stat line Arkansas coach Mike Anderson noted as the difference-maker in another close SEC contest.The fouling factor went both ways, though, as Tilmon, who often finds himself in foul trouble early in games, was able to clock productive minutes without drawing fouls. Just over 20 seconds into the game, he was flagged for an offensive foul, but the 6-foot-10 freshman managed to stay clean for the remainder of the half.Tilmon credited that to his growth on both sides of the ball. He said he tries not to wrestle in the paint. He keeps his arms up on defense, avoids swinging his elbows down …
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