Marcus Millender converted a three-point play with 5.5 seconds left to lift No. 21 Georgia to a 74-72 victory over Missouri Columbia, Mo., on Tuesday night.
Millender led the Bulldogs (16-3, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) with 18 points. Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 14 points and Kanon Catchings added 12.
Mark Mitchell scored 18 points and Jayden Stone added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Tigers (13-6, 3-3), who suffered their first loss in 12 home games.
Georgia forced three early Missouri turnovers while taking a 7-2 lead. Jacob Crews and Trent Pierce settled the Tigers by hitting back-to-back 3-point jumpers.
The Bulldogs answered with a 13-0 run sparked by 3-point jumpers from Justin Bailey and Catchings.
The Tigers scored the next 10 points to tie the game 20-20. Mitchell capped that rally with a traditional 3-point play.
Georgia scored seven unanswered points and moved ahead 27-20 on Millender’s transition 3-point jumper.
The Bulldogs finished the first half with a 29-26 lead despite missing 11 of 15 shots from 3-point range and committing eight turnovers.
The Tigers shot just 3-for-14 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes themselves, and they turned the ball over nine times.
Traditional three-point plays by T.O. Barrett and Pierce propelled Missouri to a 46-39 lead with 15:16 left in the game.
Georgia responded with a 9-2 surge to tie the game 48-48 with Justin Abson converting two put-back shots.
After The Tigers pushed ahead 57-52, Blue Cain drove inside for two baskets to trigger a 10-1 run that put Georgia up 67-62 with 4:38 left.
Georgia held its lead until Crews hit a 3-point jumper with 18 seconds left to put Missouri up 72-71. After Millender’s three-point play gave Georgia its 74-72 margin, Crews’ 30-foot shot at the buzzer was short off the front rim.
–Field Level Media
