Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The Missouri men’s basketball team kept its game close with first-place Alabama for 30-plus minutes before a late run by the hosts earned the Crimson Tide a 93-75 victory on Tuesday.

Junior Tamar Bates (Kansas City, Kan.) led the Tigers (8-9, 0-4 SEC) with 19 points with graduate Nick Honor (Orlando, Fla.) right behind with 18 points. Graduate Noah Carter (Dubuque, Iowa) and senior Jesus Carralero Martin (Malaga, Spain) also scored in double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Tigers made their first five field goals before a 2-for-12 stretch to follow gave the hosts the lead, 24-15. The Tide (12-5, 4-0 SEC) lead reached as many as 11 points, 33-22, but Mizzou would finish the opening stanza strong with a 12-3 run, including four points in the final 20 seconds, to pull within two at the break, 36-34.

Missouri hung with the undefeated SEC squad early in the second frame pulling as close as a point, 48-47. Alabama, however, would catch fire late. Leading 59-55, the Tide made six of its final seven triples to pull away en route to the 93-75 victory.

The Tigers shot 49.1 percent in the winning effort with an 8-of-21 performance from 3-point range. Alabama, meanwhile, made 52.6 percent of its shots, including 13-of-27 from beyond the arc and 20-of-21 from the free-throw line.

UP NEXT

Missouri is back in action on Saturday night, hosting Florida at Mizzou Arena. First tip is set for 7 p.m. on ESPNU.