COLUMBIA --- Oh, my.
Chills. Thrills.
But really, did you expect anything less?
Even some frills --- fireworks and fire-balls on top of the scoreboard as the Missouri Tigers were introduced Saturday night.
So what smoke hung in the air throughout the first half? You can just see the folks who thought this was a good idea --- and it was --- until they saw a smoke-filled arena.
Oh right, fireworks produce smoke. Oops.
It didn't matter, for this was a night for fireworks.
In what was their final clash in Columbia as members of the Big 12, the No. 4 Tigers finished off a frenzied affair with an 11-0 run in the final 127 seconds to knock off the rival No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks 74-71 before an overflow, passionate crowd at Mizzou Arena.
M-I-Z ... Bye-K-U.
"It was a tremendous win for us," Missouri coach Frank Haith said. "The way our guys fought, the effort was unbelievable.
"This crowd was incredible. We don't win the game without their energy and what they brought to the table tonight."
Missouri fans normally stand up for three reasons --- to get a snack, take a "break," or leave early. On this night, the vast majority were standing from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
No seats required.
This was, without question, a spine-tingling and hair-raising experience --- even if you don't have any.
Hair, that is, not vertebrae.
"It was absolutely amazing," Haith said. "They affected the game, and I think it motivated and encouraged our guys to make plays.
"It was a memorable game, a classic. The crowd ... it's as loud as I've ever been in and I've been in some loud places."
Said Kansas coach Bill Self: "So much has been made about the hatred --- and this is hard for me to say to Mizzou people --- but I thought it was about as good and classy as it gets. It was a great atmosphere."
Let's begin at the end, for that's where the war was won.
A Tyshawn Taylor dunk with 3:25 left gave the Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2 Big 12) a 71-63 lead. The Tigers (21-2, 8-2), now in first place in the Big 12, got within 71-66 on a three-point play by Marcus Denmon with 2:07 left.
Denmon --- who racked up 29 points and nine rebounds --- then hit a 3-pointer with 1:32 left and it was a two-point game.
"He made some big shots and he got into a rhythm," Haith said.
Following a Kansas turnover, Denmon canned a long-ball with 56 seconds left. It was originally ruled a two-pointer but, after further review, it was ruled a 3 and the Tigers had a 72-71 lead.
Denmon had been off the mark in recent games, but not on this night. Shooting slump, schmooting slump.
"I was taking the same shots, but tonight they went in," the senior said. "My teammates did a good job of finding me in spots where I could make shots."
The crowd was ear-splitting --- and then it got louder. It was louder than your average hard-rock band with big speakers in your garage.
Leading by one, Michael Dixon took a charge with 9.8 seconds left, then was fouled on the in-bounds play. He hit nothing but net on both free throws to make it a three-point game.
Kansas was out of timeouts. Missouri played solid defense on the arc and Elijah Johnson's 3-pointer at the buzzer hit nothing but glass.
Down eight late, winners by three.
Simply amazing. Go crazy, folks, go crazy.
"That's about as good as we can play, except for the last three minutes in the first half and the last three minutes of the game," Self said. "We controlled the game besides that.
"We made some really bad plays late to put them into a position to win the game, but they still had to make shots. And they made shots."
The first half featured 13 lead changes and five ties, before Missouri finished with an 11-2 flurry to take a 39-34 at the break.
There were also other issues.
"I threw up ... I vomited a lot (going to the locker room at half)," said Kim English, who scored 18 points for the Tigers. "I don't know who catered the pre-game meal, but I felt a lot better after that.
"I had to do it during the game, but that would have been embarrassing."
Then there was Dixon, who tallied 15 points, as he ran to the locker room in the first half. Same catering problem?
"I just had to use the bathroom," he said.
Oh.
Having said that, the first half simply served as the appetizer to a fantastic finish.
Thomas Robinson, a 6-10 junior and perhaps the best player in the nation, was unstoppable for the Jayhawks. He totaled 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Taylor scored 21 --- although he missed two potential difference-maker free throws with 41 seconds left.
"We just didn't finish and I'm disappointed by that, but I know we have a good basketball team," Self said. "Missouri has a terrific team and they can score at all spots, but tonight was our game to win.
"They just made all the plays, late, and we didn't."
There was no massive storming of the court after the game, just a few stragglers looking for who-knows-what. And there shouldn't have been a court-storming --- No. 4 beat No. 8, after all.
But Kansas is like the uncle who comes to town just once a year --- you don't really like him, but he sure is entertaining. With Missouri headed to the SEC this fall, is this the end of this fabulous 105-year rivalry?
To paraphrase Self: "Yep."
"I haven't made a decision, five years down the road or three years, what will happen," he said. "But it's not going to happen anytime soon.
"They chose to be somewhere else and that's fine, that's their prerogative. If it's better for them, so be it.
"But when you choose to be somewhere else, well ... right now, it's not going to happen. I don't feel bad because Missouri wanted this, so why should I? If you should feel bad for anybody, it's the players, because, they don't get a chance to play in this.
"But not the fans. The fans, to me, don't drive the bus at all."
Thanks for the memories.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKRCG