Sports News

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Even in an emotional Senior Day postgame, Missouri forward Mark Mitchell couldn't help but praise the opposition -- specifically, Arkansas freshman guard Meleek Thomas. In the No. 20 Arkansas men's basketball team's 88-84 overtime win on Saturday at Mizzou Arena, Thomas put up a career high-tying 28 points to step up for the Razorbacks in place of star Darius Acuff and help spoil the Tigers' senior sendoff.

Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks maximize time to rest up tired, injured Hogs Well, the regular season is officially over and after the long grind of the season, the Arkansas Razorbacks have rewarded themselves with the absolute most time off possible. The Hogs defeated Missouri in an 11 a.m. game Saturday morning, and, as things unfolded across the league it immediately became clear the Hogs will be the last team to play its first game of the SEC Tournament. Arkansas will have until 8:30 p.m. Friday to rest up its roster.

The first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament came a little bit early. Long Island University claimed the Northeast Conference's berth by beating Wagner in the semifinals of that league tournament Saturday. The Sharks will play in the NEC men's title game Tuesday night, but their opponent (Mercyhurst) is ineligible for the NCAAs because it is still a reclassifying Division I institution. When Mercyhurst topped Stonehill to advance to the championship game, that meant the other semifinal between LIU and Wagner -- Brooklyn vs. Staten Island -- would determine who reached the NCAA field of 68.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- Alex Condon scored 24 points and No. 12 Florida tightened its grip atop the Southeastern Conference standings with a 94-75 win over Mississippi on Saturday. Florida (21-6, 12-2 SEC) entered as the conference leader with a two-game cushion in the loss column over Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee with four games remaining. The win was the seventh consecutive for the Gators and extended its SEC road game winning streak to six. Florida improved to 16-2 since mid-December and remained unbeaten in February.