As if things weren’t intense enough, with SEC Championship qualification and regional seeding on the line, every routine and every score carries even more weight as we head into the final weekend of regular season action.
This SEC matchup between Missouri and Arkansas is one you won’t want to miss, as both teams are coming off season-high performances and are hungry to make a statement.
Missouri heads to Fayetteville riding the high of a historic 198.100 — the highest team score in program history. The Tigers capped off senior night in style, sealing the win over Auburn with a massive 49.700 floor rotation to close the meet. With momentum on their side, Missouri will be aiming to carry that energy straight into championship season.
Arkansas, too, is fresh off a crucial season high of 197.725 — a score the Razorbacks desperately needed to stay in the SEC Championship conversation. Last weekend, they reminded everyone why they belong among the SEC’s best, highlighted by a stellar 49.575 on beam. But their postseason fate still hangs in the balance, as they’ll need another strong showing — and some help from other results — to secure a spot at SECs.
Get ready for a high-stakes showdown — follow along at 8:00 p.m. ET!
Rotation 1: VT Arkansas, UB Missouri
Weaver (ARK): Yurchenko full, hop back and fights for the landing with an arm circle. 9.75
Burns (MIZ): Mounts to blind to straddle Jaeger right to shoot over and a stuck double layout dismount to start the Tigers off! 9.9!!
Lang (ARK): Yurchenko full and just a hop to close her feet, really nice! 9.825
Horton (MIZ): Maloney up to Pak, perfection legs glued. Dismounts double layout and just a step on the landing! 9.800
Essenpries (ARK): Yurchenko 1.5, just a step forward on that landing. 9.850
Moore (MIZ): Huge Tkachev right to shoot over wow, ends with a full in dismount and a stuck landing! 9.875
Klein (ARK): Yurchenko 1.5, another small step forward on the landing but really nice vault! 9.875
Kelly (MIZ): Starts huge Church to shoot over, great connection. Dismounts toe handstand, stalder to a stuck double tuck! 9.90!
Roberson (ARK): Yurchenko 1/2 on half off and just a tiny step back! One of her best of the year! 9.850
Celestine (MIZ): Maloney up, right to Pak, great. Back up Maloney half, dismounts with a Celestine! (Stalder to immediate front half) such a great, consistent routine. 9.800
Price (ARK): Yurchenko full, big vault but a big hop back on that landing. 9.800
Titarsolej (MIZ): Maloney to the high bar, perfection right to Pak. Dismounts blind full right on top of the bar to a stuck double tuck! Wow. 9.975!!!
*exhibition Ewald (ARK): Front handspring, front pike half! Great vault in this exhibition spot! 9.775
*exhibition Light (MIZ): Maloney up to Pak, a little form break but nothin crazy, dismounts double layout and a small hop back.
After 1: Arkansas 49.200, Missouri 49.450
A good start for both teams! Arkansas has to be locked in for the rest of this competition as their qualification to SECs is pretty much dependent on tonight’s performance. However, they can’t worry about the scores, and it seemed like they might’ve been weighing on them in this first rotation. With a good 49.200 to start the meet, they need to dial in on every tenth they can save moving forward in order to get them in an ideal position t the end of this weekend. Missouri had a great bar rotation, possibly even a little underscored on some of those routines, but nonetheless, capped the competitive lineup with a near perfect routine from Titarsolej. Moving forward, every landing, every handstand counts, especially for Arkansas, who needs its best next three.
Rotation 2: VT Missouri, UB Arkansas
Griffin (MIZ): Yurchenko full, flares it out and a small scoot back on that. 9.875.
Roberson (ARK): Maloney to the high bar, great, right to Pak, pirouette right on top, dismounts huge double layout and hangs onto that stick! 9.825
Kelly (MIZ): Yurchenko full, great height but a big step back on that landing with a front foot slide. 9.825
Swaney (ARK): Maloney up, nice, Pak, had to fight to keep it on the bar but makes it and dismounts with another stuck double layout, just a chest down on that. 9.800
Tisler (MIZ): Yurchenko full, just a hop back on that. 9.800.
Ewald (ARK): Starts off blind to straddle Jaeger, Pak down and a pirouette to immediate toe circle back up, dismounts with a perfectly stuck double layout! Really great routine!! 9.850
Horton (MIZ): STUCK Yurchenko 1.5 WOW. NO NOTES. 9.95!
Park (ARK): Ray, catches really close to the bar, clear hip, and is off on that skill. Repeats the clear hip to Pak, dismounts with a double layout and just a hop forward on that. 9.125
Moore (MIZ): BIG Yurchenko 1.5, step forward on that landing. 9.850
Jones (ARK): In a hard spot coming after this fall, but goes Blind to piked Jaeger to Pak and dismounts a stuck double layout!! 9.875
Celestine (MIZ): Yurchenko 1.5 and just a hop forward on the landing. 9.875
Waligora (ARK): Potential to out up a big score here and Arkansas needs it right now. Blind to straddle Jaeger right to shoot over, great. Dismounts double layout, just a hop in place but saves Arkansas from having to count that fall! 9.875
*exhibition Tanskanen (MIZ): she went so quick we missed it! But a 9.825
*exhibition Smith (ARK): Piked Jaeger to start, shoot over, really nice and dismounts double layout, hop back on the landing. 9.725
After 2: Arkansas 49.225 (98.425), Missouri 49.375 (98.825)
Arkansas is fighting for this! With a fall mid lineup, the Razorbacks rallied and were able to not have to count a fall in this rotation, giving them another 49.2+ event total. Jones and Waligora did a great job of picking the energy back up with a pair of 9.875s, but still, the scores need to pick up for them to get the necessary team total to clinch that SEC spot. Missouri was a little lower on vault than they would have liked, but still a great rotation for the Tigers, with a stuck vault from Horton going 9.950! Time for the back half!
Rotation 3: BB Arkansas, FX Missouri
Gamiao (ARK): Last beam 🙁 LOSO LOSO, perfection. Side sumi, really nice. Switch leap to split jump, nice. Love her energy on this event. Dismounts stuck 1.5! What a final routine in Bud Walton!! 9.9!
Tisler (MIZ): Front layout to front rudi to start, great landing. Switch full to straddle full, really nice extension and rotation. Back 1.5 to front layout to end! Great lead off routine for the Tigers! 9.875
Waligora (ARK): BHS LOSO solid and snaps her arms down. Lobe the confidence in her movement. Side aerial, nice. Split to tuck full, maybe a little under rotated and a stuck 1.5 to close!!! 9.875.
Horton (MIZ): HUGE full in to open! Nice leaps right to choreo and a really clean front through the double tuck to close, just a little slide on that landing.
Park (ARK): Candle mount to start. Nice full turn moving into her BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to switch leap, great. Dismounts side aerial 1.5 step forward on that landing but what a way to come back after bars! 9.850.
Light (MIZ): Opens up with.a back 1.5 to front layout and dances out of it. Switch half to wolf full (1.5), not too sure what that was supposed to be, might be a deduction. Double pike, great landing to close out this third routine for the Tigers! 9.825
Swaney (ARK): Sets up with a cat leap to front aerial, is almost off but pulls it back on. BHS BHS LOSO, perfection. Switch leap to split jump, good connection on that. Dismounts with a Gainer full, step back on that landing. 9.800
Celestine (MIZ): HUGE full in to open. Choreo is always too good. Torjete to straddle full, down to the floor with a piked full shushanova. Front thru to double tuck and no movement on that landing and finishes strong with that choreo! 9.925.
Klein (ARK): Side aerial to LOSO, little bobble on that. Switch leap, low back leg to straddle jump. Full turn, nice. Dismounts round off 1.5, just a step on that. 9.825.
Griffin (MIZ): Big double pike great landing on that. Love Mizzou’s floor energy always. Second pass front thru to double tuck, great las pass. Torjete full straddle full straddle full, right to her ending choreo!
Roberson (ARK): Beat jump to pike jump, great. Switch leap to back tuck, great connection on that. Full turn, perfect. Side aerial to LOSO, really nice. Dismounts front full, the smallest step back but that’s going to be a big score!! 9.925
Moore (MIZ): Nice double layout right into the dance, so good, so much energy. Switch half to straddle full, great rotation. Mizzou is into these cameras tonight I love. Front thru to solid double tuck to close out this rotation. 9.875
*exhibition Weaver (ARK): BHS LOSO, solid. Side aerial, great. Straddle jump to double stag, really nice. Round off 1.5 STUCK! Wow. 9.925!!!
*exhibition Jackson (MIZ): Great double pike to start. Back 1.5 to front layout, I love this vibe in this lineup. Switch ring to switch half, really nice. Third pass, double back, really nice. 9.80
After 3: Arkansas 49.375 (147.800), Missouri 49.400 (148.225)
This is exactly what Arkansas needed in this rotation to keep them on track. The highest team total of the night for the Razorbacks, led by Gamiao and Roberson book ending the rotation with 9.9+ scores. Going into floor, they need to do what they know how to at home to end strong on senior night. Missouri always shows out on floor, so this 49.400 is its new normal! Although only one 9.9+ score, this was still a great event for the Tigers, and ending on beam, they need to keep the momentum they have had this whole competition and end strong on this event.
Rotation 4: BB Missouri, FX Arkansas
Mueller (MIZ): BHS LOSO, a little off but holds onto it. Beat jump to split 3/4 is almost off, but makes that save again. Beat jump to front toss, another wobble, just looks a little off. Round off 1.5, just a hop in place, but still a made routine to start off the Mizzou lineup. 9.700
Gamiao (ARK): Solid double pike to start. Back 1.5 step out to double full, perfect. Switch half to straddle full, great rotation. Ends double tuck, what a way to go out. 9.9!
Wier (MIZ): Front aerial to BHS BHS, good connection. Split to split half, nicely down and down for choreo, so fun. Cartwheel, Gainer full off the side and stuck! Good way to pick it up after a little lower score on that leadoff. 9.850
Klein (ARK): Opens up front through to double tuck, a little short on that landing, chest down steps forward. Side side to straddle 1/2 to the floor. Ends front layout to front full, nice. 9.750
Jackson (MIZ): Front aerial to BHS, really nice connection. Switch leap to switch half, really nice. Good full turn to dance. Dismounts round off 1.5 small hop forward. 9.875.
Jones (ARK): Last one here! Starts front double full really nice. Switch ring to switch half, good. Second pass back 1.5 to front layout, really great. Front rudi to close it out. Instant tears for this senior, the sweetest. 9.825.
Lawrence (MIZ): Side aerial to BHS, really nice. Split jump, split 3/4, slight adjustment. Dismounts round off 1.5, and a stick!! 9.95!
Waligora (ARK): Another final routine! So much emotion on this event tonight, front layout to front double full to start, really nice. Love her energy on this event. Great leaps into her dance, closes her final routine out with a back 1,5 to front layout, just a little stutter step on that landing. 9.850.
Kelly (MIZ): Front aerial to BHS, keeps it moving well. Switch leap to split jump. She has such great extension on this event. Side aerial, nice. Double wolf turn, so good. Dismounts stuck 1.5!! 9.9!
Roberson (ARK): STUCK DOUBLE LAYOUT. What!?!! Switch side to straddle full, nice. Ends with a front layout step out to double tuck, perfect. WOW. 9.925!
Hu (MIZ): Gorgeous Y scale turn to start. Front aerial, front aerial, perfection. Split jump to split 3/4, amazing. Scale down to choreo, so good. Dismounts Gainer pike off the end and a stick!!! ITS A SECOND 10!!!!!!!!
Price (ARK): Double layout to start, gorgeous. Big switch side to straddle full straddle full. Front full, front layout, a little out of control on the ending, just so much power. What a way to go out at home! 9.925!
Tanskanen *exhibition (MIZ): BHS LOSO LOSO, a little off but holds onto it. Beat jump to straddle 1.4, nice. Round off 1.5, just a step on that landing.
Essenpries *exhibition (ARK): Front thru to double tuck, nice. Switch side to jumps, really good. Love this routine, so glad we are getting to see it! Second pass, back 1.5 to front layout, nice control on that.
FINAL: Arkansas 197.225, Missouri 197.800
While it’s impossible to say what Arkansas’ fate will look like going into post season, it’s going to depend on what the other teams vying for this last spot do. Arkansas definitely had its highs this competition, but had a slower start to the night that might have made the journey to the SECs a little more difficult. However, this doesn’t mean its season is over by any means. We will just have to wait and see what happens in the next few days. Missouri had a great competition tonight, giving them another high 197 score, highlighted by Hu’s second perfect 10 of the year!
With a lot more gymnastics to come this weekend, we will be on the look out for how each of these teams will be moving forward.
Vault Hannah Horton Missouri 9.925
Bars Mara Titarsolej Missouri 9.975
Beam Helen Hu Missouri 10.0
Floor Amari Celestine (Missouri) / Frankie Price (Arkansas) 9.925
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Live Blog by Julianna Roland
