The Tigers stayed within striking distance for much of the first half before Alabama seized control with a decisive late surge. Phillips Jr. finished with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, but Missouri could not convert defensive stops into sustained offense. The Tigers shot 8-for-23 from the line, with senior forward Mark Mitchell missing his first six attempts and finishing 1-for-8. Barrett led Missouri with 13 points, while Mitchell added 11 and Phillips Jr. contributed 10 to round out its top scorers. The Tigers shot 39.4% from the field and committed 13 turnovers, which Alabama converted into 15 fast-break points.