Missouri Tigers vs Oklahoma Sooners – NCAA Basketball Preview – February 12, 2025
Missouri hosts Oklahoma in an SEC matchup at Mizzou Arena on February 12. Tip-off is set for 9:00 PM ET. Missouri looks to bounce back after dropping its first home game of the season, while Oklahoma tries to recover from two straight losses.
Missouri is 17-6 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The Tigers were previously undefeated at home before losing to Texas A&M. Oklahoma sits at 16-7 and has struggled in SEC play, holding a 3-7 record. These teams last met in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, where Oklahoma won 72-68.
Missouri Preview – Can the Tigers Rebound at Home?
Missouri is coming off back-to-back losses, including a close 67-64 defeat to Texas A&M at home. The Tigers had trouble from beyond the arc, making just 2 of 17 three-point attempts outside of Jacob Crews’ performance. Before that, Missouri also fell to Tennessee, showing struggles against top-ranked teams.
Despite the losses, Missouri has played well at home, winning 15 of 16 games. Caleb Grill leads the team in three-point shooting, hitting nearly 48% of his shots, but he was held scoreless from deep against Texas A&M. Tamar Bates is the team’s top scorer, averaging 14 points per game.
Missouri’s defense has been strong, allowing just over 69 points per game. The Tigers will need to contain Oklahoma’s top scorers and improve their three-point shooting to get back on track.
Oklahoma Preview – Can the Sooners Get Back on Track?
Oklahoma has struggled in SEC play, going just 3-7 in the conference. The Sooners are coming off two tough losses to Top 5 teams, falling 98-70 to Auburn and 70-52 to Tennessee. Their offense has been inconsistent, and they will need to find better scoring opportunities.
Jalen Moore leads Oklahoma with 17.7 points per game, while Jeremiah Fears adds 15.5 points and 4 assists per contest. Fears played against Tennessee despite a thigh injury but was limited to just eight points. Oklahoma needs better production from its top players to compete with Missouri on the road.
The Sooners are 1-4 in away games, making this matchup difficult. Their defense will be tested against Missouri’s balanced scoring attack. They need to slow down the Tigers and create scoring chances to have a shot at an upset.
Betting Prediction
Missouri is an 8.5-point favorite at home, with a total set at 151.5 points. The Tigers have been dominant at Mizzou Arena, going 15-1 this season. Oklahoma has struggled on the road, winning just one of five away games.
Missouri’s strong home-court advantage and Oklahoma’s recent struggles make the Tigers the better pick. If Missouri can bounce back from its poor shooting performance, they should cover the spread. The total is a close call, but given both teams’ recent games, the under could be a solid play.
Pick: Missouri Tigers-8.5
The Missouri Tigers should get this win on Wednesday. This could be a fun game to watch, but when push comes to shove, taking the Tigers over the Sooners is the play to make.
