It’s only December, but Missouri’s men’s basketball team is already playing like it’s March with its season on the line, taking down UCF on Saturday with a stunning buzzer beater. And it was a thrilling final nine seconds.
With less than a minute left, the Knights — who were down 51-37 at one point in the second half — hit a 3-point shot to take a 66-65 lead. UCF’s Jayhlon Young tried to extend that lead with about nine seconds on the clock, but he missed from behind the arc.
That’s when Missouri guard D’Moi Hodge snatched the rebound and charged up the court. Double-teamed near the sideline, Hodge lost his footing and went down, but not before he managed to get the ball into teammate DeAndre Gholston’s hands.
From the logo, Gholston launched his shot with about a second left on the clock for a perfect buzzer beater, lifting the Tigers to a 68-66 victory.
.@DreeGholston4 at the buzzer!!!! #SCTop10 #MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/8GS7qPYEWO
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) December 17, 2022
What a shot! Gholston finished with 16 points, including the game-winner.
Is it March yet? Because this play had basketball fans fired up.
Christmas arrived early in Columbia, wow. https://t.co/2z1jRjx12n
— Steven (@akulawolf) December 17, 2022
Oh. My. Wordhttps://t.co/j3jv4tCyMp
— Eye On College Basketball Podcast (@EyeOnCBBPodcast) December 17, 2022
Wow! #MIZ https://t.co/d97YtMe4Gl
— Joey Schneider (@joeyschneider95) December 17, 2022
Missouri athletics now 1 for 2,838 all-time in games that end in an absurd manner https://t.co/lRUy04uSby
— Dan Keegan (@keegsdotcom) December 17, 2022
What a thrilling finish! https://t.co/i7pq2iipw1
— Brent Kalwei (@bkalwei90) December 17, 2022
https://t.co/5dcNFKwaTh pic.twitter.com/wDh6zYE1LK
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) December 17, 2022
OmKsudjxndjausjs https://t.co/bts1lwYBAV
— Mizzou.Rush (@RushMizzou) December 17, 2022
As if things could make any less sense Missouri Basketball just won the Orange Bowl https://t.co/B2xtE6Gk7v
— Connor Ferguson (@cfchangs9) December 17, 2022
TIGERS WIN! @DreeGholston4 with the clutch shot at the buzzer to give @MizzouHoops the 68-66 win over UCF. WOW! @KRCG13 https://t.co/3fopTxZ1UM
— Bryan Hudnell | KRCG 13 (@BryanHudnell) December 17, 2022
Wow wow wow!!! https://t.co/Anbzm83Sgy
— Sammy Swiger (@SwigerSammy) December 17, 2022
Just like we drew it up https://t.co/hyzYDcuWCP
— Jim Jamis (@jim_jamis) December 17, 2022
What a shot! https://t.co/c4YHbcuuPu
— Creating Madness Nation (@ATRmadness) December 17, 2022
The bank was indeed open today #MIZ https://t.co/FUXsLctv84
— Ryan Herrera (@ryan_a_herrera) December 17, 2022
Some serious Corey Tate vibes there. https://t.co/oM5kgyq9Az
— Kurtis Seaboldt (@KSeaboldt) December 17, 2022
Mizzou has 10 wins before January. Merry Christmas to me. #MIZ https://t.co/tLEe4iFvOc
— Patrick McKelvey (@ThePatMcKelvey) December 17, 2022