Missouri Beats No. 22 Florida 76-74 in SEC Opener

In Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday night, the Missouri Tigers rallied to defeat No. 22 Florida 76-74 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams, handing the Gators their first conference loss of the season.

Anthony Robinson II led Missouri with 19 points and eight rebounds, including a crucial banked-in three-pointer that extended the Tigers' lead to five points with 21 seconds remaining. Mark Mitchell contributed 14 points for the victors, while Jacob Crews added 13 and Trent Pierce scored 10 off the bench in his season debut after recovering from injury. Jayden Stone, returning from a seven-game absence due to a hand injury, tallied nine points, including the team's first eight. For Florida, Thomas Haugh paced the Gators with 24 points and seven rebounds, and Alex Condon recorded 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. The loss dropped Florida to 9-5 overall and 0-1 in the SEC, while Missouri improved to 11-3 and 1-0.

The first half unfolded as a tightly contested affair, ending in a 39-39 tie. Florida jumped out to an early 13-8 lead, fueled by sharp shooting from guard Xaivian Lee, who hit his first two three-pointers. The Gators built an eight-point advantage...