Trevon Brazile’s big finish sends Arkansas past familiar foe

Former Missouri Tigers forward Trevon Brazile has become something of a nightmare for his old team, and his latest performance may have been the most painful one yet.

Now finishing his college career with Arkansas, Brazile delivered a huge performance in Arkansas’ 88–84 win over Missouri, stuffing the stat sheet with 19 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and one block. He was also efficient from deep, knocking down 2-of-4 from three-point range.

But one shot mattered far more than the rest.

Former Missouri Star Trevon Brazile Seals Victory for Razorbacks

With the game hanging in the balance and just 21.8 seconds remaining, Brazile rose up against his former team and buried a deep three-pointer that proved to be the dagger. The clutch shot ultimately sealed the hard-fought victory for Arkansas and gave Brazile the last laugh in a building that once cheered for him.

Head coach John Calipari said after the game that he fully expected Brazile to deliver in the moment.

“I told him you’re going to make a dagger. And I knew he’d make that shot when we set it,” Calipari said. “He’s been great. It’s been a great run for him. He’s become the player that we all think he can be.”

Brazile began his college career at Missouri before eventually transferring to Arkansas, where he has spent the remainder of his next four-year run. That history didn’t go unnoticed by the crowd. Throughout the game he dealt with some lighthearted hazing from Tigers fans who remembered his time in Columbia.

It was all in good fun, but in the end, Brazile was the one smiling.

Even more encouraging for the Razorbacks is when this performance is happening.

Brazile appears to be heating up at the perfect moment as Arkansas prepares for postseason basketball. With the SEC Tournament around the corner and the NCAA Tournament looming, a confident and aggressive Brazile could be a major factor in how far this team can go.

The Razorbacks will also soon welcome back star guard Darius Acuff Jr., adding even more firepower to a roster that already features multiple playmakers capable of taking over games.

Fortunately for Arkansas, the court is big enough for all of them.

If Brazile continues this surge while the rest of the Razorbacks’ stars find their rhythm, Arkansas could become one of the most dangerous teams in March. And if that happens, the moment Brazile buried that dagger against Missouri might be remembered as the spark that helped ignite a postseason run capable of shocking the college basketball world.