SB Nation - Matt Lawrence

KNOW THY ENEMY: Missouri Tigers

BracketCat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:00:17 -0000

More photos » by L.G. Patterson - AP

Like Justin Safford, Missouri's tournament hopes have taken a few shots. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

OK, it's time to get these started again. Admittedly, I faltered a bit due to work, but things are back under control for now. These will proceed largely as before, but with a few exceptions:

Instead of reformatting the player bios like I did before, which was majorly time-consuming and part of the reason these fell by the wayside for so long, I'm merely going to link to the appropriate page. I will add player stats to the tables, however.
Originally, these were season previews. Obviously, much of the non-conference season already has been played, so now they're more like conference season previews. Also, what I've seen of these teams has changed my predictions for the conference's outcome, so I reserve the right to alter my predicted orders of finish from what they previously were.
Instead of twice a week, these are running every day from now until New Year's Eve. Call it the Big 12 Days of Christmas Basketball, if you like.

So, hit the jump for the rundown on the defending conference tournament champion, Missouri. And for more, head over to the Unholy Alliance Auxiliary Headquarters (pending Big Ten absorption): Rock M Nation.

The Story So Far

The Tigers are 7-3, with dominating home victories over Tennessee-Martin, Texas-Pan American, Chattanooga, Oregon, Fairleigh Dickinson and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

They also collected a nice neutral-court win against Old Dominion, who just knocked off Georgetown.

But close losses to Richmond, at Vanderbilt and at Oral Roberts probably will come back to haunt the Tigers in much the same way as K-State's three-game, non-conference losing streak last December hindered the Wildcats.

Current Missouri RPI: 179

The Coach

Mike Anderson
Fourth Season
72-38 (25-23) at Missouri (as of today)
161-79 (67-43) overall

Bio

The Departures

Starters

DeMarre Carroll (28 minutes per game | 16.6 points per game | 7.2 rebounds per game)
Matt Lawrence (20.8 minutes per game | 9.2 points per game | 2.2 rebounds per game)
Leo Lyons (23.3 minutes per game | 14.6 points per game | 6.1 rebounds per game)

The Veterans

		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game

The Newcomers

		#10 Michael Dixon Jr. Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 18.1 minutes per game \| 8.2 points per game \| 1.6 rebounds per game

		#33 Tyler Stone Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 225 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 4.3 minutes per game \| 1.7 points per game \| 1.2 rebounds per game

		#35 John Underwood Freshman Forward 6-9 \| 208 Phoenix, Ariz. Bio 5.3 minutes per game \| 1.3 points per game \| 2.8 rebounds per game

My thanks to the Missouri sports information department for the photos.

The Analysis

Missouri is, of course, a tricky team to nail down because of the style they play. Mike Anderson likes to throw waves of guards at you off the bench in a constant, full-pressure style they call "The Fastest 40 Minutes," which is what they had to change the name to when it became apparent UAB owned the rights to "40 Minutes of Hell."

Thus, no Missouri player averages more than 30 minutes per game and so far, eight different players have started for the Tigers. So, rather than talk in terms of 1-5, I'll break down the guards and the forwards as two large groups.

The three most prominent and experienced players in the Missouri backcourt are returning starters J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Kim English. Not coincidentally, they're logging the most minutes.

Tiller has been bothered by injuries and missed three games, which I imagine has contributed to the Tigers' struggles this season. Taylor, who made the game-winning shot against KU last year, has seen his scoring average dip now that more guards are contributing. But English has continued his steady play from last season and even picked his game up a bit.

Miguel Paul and Marcus Denmon both played quite a bit last year as freshmen, so they're quick off the bench in the rotation and each has started several games. But the biggest surprise of the guard group is Michael Dixon Jr., who is having more of an impact than I anticipated.

Jarrett Sutton is a career backup and doesn't play very much.

If this group has a weakness, it's that there doesn't appear to be a true replacement from sharpshooter Matt Lawrence, meaning that I'm not sure they have a guy who can knock down a contested 3-pointer. when they most need it.

That said, Missouri's problems start and end in the frontcourt. The loss of DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons cannot be overstated. Together with Lawrence, the departed trio accounted for more than 50 percent of the Tigers' points and rebounds during Missouri's Elite Eight season. And to date, no one has stepped up to replace them.

Hopes were high for sophomore Laurence Bowers, but he only has started three games. He is averaging more than 10 points per game, but seems to disappear when they need him most. More disconcerting is that he only averages five rebounds per. In fact, Missouri as a whole has been out-rebounded by all but one opponent. The Tigers don't really try to dominate the boards, and I think it's really going to cost them in Big 12 play.

Keith Ramsey and Justin Safford draw the most starts in the paint, but each is collecting even fewer statistics than Bowers. Sophomore center Steve Moore, and freshmen forwards Tyler Stone and John Underwood, are giving the Tigers even less. This is a serious weakness area that will be exposed against teams such as Kansas and Texas.

Projected Big 12 Starting Lineup


J.T. Tiller	Zaire Taylor	Kim English	Keith Ramsey	Justin Safford
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Big 12 Reserves


Miguel Paul	Michael Dixon Jr.	Marcus Denmon	Laurence Bowers	Steve Moore
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

I've already stated Missouri's problems above, so I won't rehash them here.

Suffice it to say that the Tigers already have several ugly losses on their resume. At home, they've been nearly unbeatable for the past year and a half, but I think their deficiencies will catch up to them.

Sure, they're probably the third- or fourth-best team in the North, but when every South team looks to have a chance to make the tournament, that equates to a basement finish. Missouri reminds me of K-State last season: One more recruiting class and a few post players away from being an NCAA team. In the meantime, I smell NIT.

Big 12 preseason prediction: 7th

My predicted finish: T-9th (with Iowa State)

Best-case scenario: 7th

Against K-State?: Loss in Manhattan, toss-up in Columbia

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

Study Hall: Mizzou-NW Missouri State

Bill C. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:29 -0000

Guess it was good to get a bit more of a challenge before the season started. NW Missouri State's shooting kept them close for a while in the first half, and Mizzou's overall shooting kept them from winning by 40. Let's take a look. And yes, the "Start Bowers" movement will not stay quiet for very much longer.

Mizzou 83, NW Missouri State 60

Via The Trib's Nick King

	NW MO St.	Mizzou
Points Per Minute	1.50	2.08
Points Per Possession (PPP)	0.69	0.96
Points Per Shot (PPS)	1.18	1.17
2-PT FG%	43.2%	42.6%
3-PT FG%	42.9%	23.5%
FT%	58.8%	65.8%
True Shooting %	51.3%	47.3%

	NW MO St.	Mizzou
Assists	10	9
Steals	4	12
Turnovers	32	18
Ball Control Index (BCI) (Assists + Steals) / TO	0.44	1.17

	NW MO St.	Mizzou
Expected Offensive Rebounds	12	18
Offensive Rebounds	7	16
Difference	-5	-2

First, the good:

NW MO St. did make some early 3's, but there was little to complain about regarding the defense. Northwest did a solid job of breaking the press, but they would continuously make mistakes in the halfcourt. J.T. Tiller wasn't at his best, but that's fine--we know what he can do.
As we'll see below, Michael Dixon once again looked great, as did Laurence Bowers. Plus, as would be expected against lesser competition, Tiller and Zaire Taylor were able to penetrate at will, and they made some tough finishes.
With other teams being challenged considerably in exhibition games, it's nice to see that a stinker for Mizzou is "only" a 23-point win.

Now, the Red Flag Watch.

Shooting, shooting, shooting. At the end of last season, we mentioned that shooting would potentially be the biggest weakness for Mizzou in '09-'10. And not that we want to draw much from exhibition games, but let's just say that through 80 minutes of exhibition play, that has been initially reaffirmed. Mizzou went a combined 7-for-33 from 3-point range against Truman State and Northwest, and while a lot of those misses were from guys for whom much potential exists (Kimmeh went 3-for-10, Marcus Denmon went 1-for-5), it would have been nicely reassuring to see somebody getting hot there. Zaire Taylor went 1-for-1, and I really do like his stroke, but he's made it pretty clear that he's never going to be a steady, long-distance threat, and even if he could be a threat, he's a distributor first.

In all, Mizzou's got a roster full of guys who can penetrate and finish, but if they offer no consistent outside threat, defenses will bunch together inside and force them to shoot...and when Mizzou's cold, they could get really cold.
Rebounding. Northwest had the smallest team Mizzou will ever see, and taking expected rebounds into account, Mizzou only out-rebounded them by three. Ouch. Against a Truman State team that actually had some size, Mizzou was dominant on the boards, so really those two games cancel each other out, but still ... Mizzou allowed too many opportunities on the boards.
18 Turnovers? Really? Again, not a real concern here yet, but J.T. Tiller had four TO's against Northwest, and overall Mizzou had four players averaging at least 0.10 turnovers per minute, which is unacceptably high: Kim English (0.14), Justin Safford (0.12), J.T. Tiller (0.11), and Steve Moore (0.13). Last year, Leo Lyons led (I guess you'd say "led") the Tigers at 0.10 per minute. It's early in the season, and I'm sure they will shore that up, but ... they really need to shore that up.

Player stats after the jump.

Player Stats

Player	AdjGS*	GmSc/Min	Line
Laurence Bowers	19.0	0.70	27 Min, 13 Pts, 9 Reb, 3 Blk, 2 TO
Marcus Denmon	14.8	0.70	21 Min, 13 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 TO
J.T. Tiller	11.2	0.51	22 Min, 12 Pts, 5 Ast, 2 Reb, 4 TO
Michael Dixon	9.8	0.75	13 Min, 7 Pts, 3 Reb
Zaire Taylor	8.1	0.32	25 Min, 7 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 TO
Kim English	5.6	0.37	15 Min, 11 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 TO
Keith Ramsey	5.1	0.24	21 Min, 3 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Stl
Justin Safford	5.0	0.28	18 Min, 8 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Stl, 3 TO
Miguel Paul	2.8	0.14	20 Min, 5 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Stl
Steve Moore	1.4	0.13	11 Min, 4 Pts, 2 TO
Jarrett Sutton	-0.2	-0.16	1 Min
Tyler Stone	-1.9	-0.31	6 Min

* AdjGS = a take-off of the Game Score metric (definition here) accepted by a lot of basketball stat nerds. It does the same thing my previous measure of choice did (it takes points, assists, rebounds (offensive & defensive), steals, blocks, turnovers and fouls into account to determine an individual's "score" for a given game), only the formula is more used and accepted. The "adjustment" in Adjusted Game Score is simply matching the total game scores to the total points scored in the game, thereby redistributing the game's points scored to those who had the biggest impact on the game itself, instead of just how many balls a player put through a basket.

Must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...
Nice game by Denmon, getting to the line consistently when his outside shot wasn't falling, but again, he won't get away with that against better teams.
Justin Safford really didn't have a game to remember (2-for-6 shooting, 3 turnovers), but his defense still made him a contributor.
Miguel Paul has done nothing to alleviate concerns about his shooting.

Keys to the Game Revisited

From Friday's preview.

Show Up. Mizzou did show up...somewhat. They looked confident and in control, even if they let Northwest hang around a bit too long in the first half. There was never the worry that we were watching a gigantic egg being laid.
Don't Foul. I was reaching for keys in Friday's preview, and predictably this was not much of a concern. Granted, it's nice to see Big 12 refs in mid-season form, calling FIFTY-TWO FOULS in an exhibition game. But only 20 of those were on Mizzou, so I can't say there's much to worry about here. Seriously, though, fifty-two. In an exhibition game.
Tyler Stone. Right after I posted the preview, I read a quote from Mike Anderson saying that the starters were going to get extra playing time to get them ready for Tuesday. Boo to that. John Underwood missed the game due to a death in the family, and Tyler Stone played only six minutes, so ... I whiffed terribly on my "key" player in both exhibition games (Denmon did next to nothing against Truman State). What can I say, I needed the exhibition season too.

Combined Exhibition Stats

	Opp.	Mizzou
Points Per Minute	1.16	2.24
Points Per Possession (PPP)	0.59	1.13
Points Per Shot (PPS)	1.24	1.00
2-PT FG%	37.7%	50.5%
3-PT FG%	28.1%	21.2%
FT%	57.1%	68.7%
True Shooting %	42.9%	51.6%

	Opp.	Mizzou
Assists/Gm	7.5	11.5
Steals/Gm	5.0	16.0
Turnovers/Gm	30.5	15.0
Ball Control Index (BCI) (Assists + Steals) / TO	0.41	1.83

	Opp.	Mizzou
Expected Offensive Rebounds	24	32
Offensive Rebounds	15	40
Difference	-9	+8

Thanks to the Truman game, there was nothing that was going to make these stats look anything less than impressive.

Player	AdjGS*	GmSc/Min	Line
Laurence Bowers	16.9	0.75	22.5 MPG, 13.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 1.5 SPG
J.T. Tiller	10.1	0.53	19.0 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 TOPG
Zaire Taylor	9.3	0.41	22.5 MPG, 7.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG
Keith Ramsey	8.6	0.47	1.5 MPG, 6.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 1.5 APG
Michael Dixon	8.0	0.53	15.0 MPG, 8.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Kim English	8.0	0.46	17.5 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.5 TOPG
Justin Safford	5.9	0.35	17.0 MPG, 9.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 TOPG
John Underwood	5.8	0.48	12.0 MPG, 4.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Marcus Denmon	5.8	0.31	19.0 MPG, 7.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Tyler Stone	4.8	0.61	8.0 MPG, 3.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Miguel Paul	3.1	0.16	19.0 MPG, 4.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.5 SPG
Steve Moore	2.9	0.24	12.0 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 TOPG
Jarrett Sutton	1.7	0.43	4.0 MPG, 2.5 PPG

Must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...must tamp down the "Bowers Must Start" movement...

Summary

Thus far, my end-of-season proclamation that Mizzou would be more extreme in 2009-10 -- strengths getting stronger, weaknesses getting weaker -- seems potentially true. Mizzou has the potential to play some insanely good defense, even with the loss of Demarre Carroll. Meanwhile, as strange as it may sound, they may miss Matt Lawrence as much or more than Carroll or Leo Lyons when all is said and done, as shooting could be a major weakness this year.

Or, you know, not. We'll see what English, Denmon, etc., do when the lights are on for real. And we don't have to wait too much longer for those lights to come on.

Mizzou Basketball Preview (Part Two): The Beef and Great Expectations

Bill C. — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:31 -0000

Part Two of our basketball preview comes from The Beef.

So what role do I get to play in this week-long Mizzou hoops preview? Why that of Bob Bummer of course. Would you truly want it any other way?

Right after the Alamo Bowl, I wrote a piece where I "waxed poetic" about expectations and how they worked to degrade my enjoyment of a 10-win season of the football team. Now, I sit here with the basketball program coming off a 31-win, Big XII Tourney champ season and an Elite 8 appearance and returning perhaps the most likable crew in MU basketball history. I have been around the some of the fan sites and have seen much of the pushback of the Tigers being picked 7th and what-not. So to start, lets reflect back and see if we can apply it to this coming team.

In the end, I am not here to tell you how to be a fan....no one can do that. ... When you start to take success for granted, you have very little space in which to be able to enjoy a season like we all did in 2007, but a hell of a lot more space to be disappointed about it, even when it might not merit it.

Obviously taking out the dates and the fact it was written about football, I think some themes ring true here. Last year’s team was magical and something we all probably enjoyed about as much as any other Mizzou hoops team in our memory. We knew we had some pieces, but there was quite a bit still unproven and the way it came together at the end was just a site to behold. And while the UCONN loss was disappointing because it kept us from achieving something not ever done here, there was still not a truthfully disappointed fan for the outcome of the season.

But, as the Byrds once predicted, we turn turn turn the season to this year. Gone are three seniors each with their own niche in Mizzou basketball history. Few people were as loved as quickly as Demarre became (ask the common fan and they would probably tell you JYD was a 4-year guy…think about it…you know it is probably true). Leo earned a wonderful meme, and in the end, did away with some of the disappointment and underachieving strapped to him in his early days. And Matt Lawrence finished his career as the consummate role player, and who doesn’t love a role player? However, their departure also takes about 40 points, 15.5 boards per game and about 36% of the minutes played per game. That is just under half our scoring and well over a third of our rebounding redistributed to professional basketball all over the world.

Again, I cannot think of a team with more likable characters returning than this one. J.T. Tiller and Zaire Taylor are receiving some due accolades for the backcourt they will create. Keith Ramsey and Laurence Bowers have a tremendous knack for firing up the crowd with a huge dunk or block. Everyone really is high on Justin Safford and the great improvement he showed from a shaky freshman campaign. Marcus Denmon forever endeared himself to Mizzou fans for the buzzer beater against Memphis on the grandest stage. And Kim English…well…he truly is one in a million when it comes to a great many things.

The fact is, however, we are expecting some impressive improvement from this crew, and I fear we might be reaching just a bit. I will certainly say a nice thing about a system is that totals and averages are not as likely to move much from year to year (especially if the system and recruiting is solid). But, the Bob Bummer in me says the system has yet to have to replace the kind of scoring, rebounding and leadership we just lost. Leadership I am not worried about. However scoring and rebounding could be another. Don’t get me wrong, I think there are potential replacements, but we are also going to be asking a lot from these people…perhaps too much. And that all comes back to expectations. Which means I will end this piece the way I ended the piece about football. This is going to be a tremendously fun team to watch with personalities who will never be forgotten. The future is bright, and could be potentially brighter in the coming days and weeks depending on how things break. Remember to appreciate what we have rather than looking towards to what you THINK we should have. It is a tough thing to do (as the Illinois football game proves on a daily basis in Tiger-land), but I think the big picture is so bright we should not let something immediate perhaps sully it.

Mizzou Basketball Preview (Part One): You Never Know, Take Two

Bill C. — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:35 -0000

College football has always been and will always be my favorite sport. That's just the way it is. And even when Mizzou had heavy basketball expectations in the early part of the decade while, simultaneously, the football team was half-wretched, I couldn't really throw myself into basketball until football officially ended. This was never more so than a year ago. As Mizzou was trying to win their 30th football game in three seasons last November, Mizzou Basketball was pushing forward in anonymity. Maybe this team could be decent, maybe not. We didn't know for sure, and with football on the forefront, we didn't really care yet. And then last season happened.

You really do not ever know when something amazing will take place and suck you in, and while I'm sure we'd all love to be fans of a school that is perpetually in the national title hunt in both major sports (and minor ones too), it usually doesn't happen that way. What we witnessed last year was potentially the greatest set of personalities Mizzou Basketball has ever produced, winning more games than Mizzou has ever won. We saw DeMarre Carroll bawling on Senior Night, Leo Lyons maturing at the latest possible opportunity, J.T. Tiller scoring clutch points with an injured hand, Zaire Taylor becoming Mr. Coffee, Matt Lawrence becoming lovable GOOOOOOOOOSE, Marcus Denmon nailing a three-quarter court shot against Memphis (and creating great stories like this one), Laurence Bowers throwing down dunks from stupid angles, Justin Safford becoming a better Travon Bryant, Keith Ramsey swatting shots into the sixth row, MIguel Paul trying to get his brain to go as fast as his feet, Jared Sutton seemingly making 115% of his junk-time three-pointers ... and Kim English being Kim English.

The love even continued in the offseason, as English discovered Twitter and Tiller started showing up at every sporting event for every Mizzou squad.

Last season really was potentially the most emotionally rewarding Mizzou season I have witnessed in any sport, even when compared to the 2007 football season. When I realized that basketball season was starting soon, I just smiled. Not because I thought we would win another 31 games and go to another Elite Eight (though, knowing this group, it would be silly to completely count it out), but because I was simply happy to have these guys back in my life again. It's going to be fun.

With that said, I thought it appropriate to relive one of my favorite posts that I've ever written, my "You Never Know" post from the morning before the Sweet Sixteen game against Memphis. Let all the emotions come flooding back to you, and get as psyched for basketball season as I am.

I'm not going to lie. Four months ago, I was worried about this basketball program. And it really didn't even have that much to do with the team on the court. I was happy about the new blood, I thought a low seed in the NCAA Tournament was at least plausible enough to aim for it, and I still thought Mike Anderson really might be able to put together some winning records here.

That said, I was worried about the program as a whole, meaning fans, attendance, money generated, etc. There had been two entire four-year classes ('04-'07, '05-'08) that had come to the university and graduated without seeing their team go to the NCAA Tournament. That hadn't happened since well before I was born. The thought of having a great basketball program was something of a joke (I think we even made some of those jokes on RMN in a football podcast way back when). I mean, hell, look at how hard we were struggling to find great, encouraging things to say about the team not that long ago. Even if we snuck into the tourney as a 10-seed or something, would anybody notice? That's the basketball version of making the Independence Bowl. Would a connection still have been made?

Now look at us. Again, I'm not necessarily talking about the 30 wins, the Sweet Sixteen, and the Big 12 Tournament title, though that's been absolutely fantastic. I'm talking about more than that. In just four months (and really, it's been less than three), this university has grown to love its basketball team again.

Everything that happened to connect Mizzou Football to its fans in the last couple of years--the personalities (Daniel, 'Spoon, MotherRucker), the sick athletes (Maclin, Willy Mo), the wins (I don't know if you've heard this, but we won 30 games in three years), the forever-memorable moments (Sod Reesing, the Cotton Bowl, Maclin's kick returns, Coffman's nunchuk thrusts), the SI covers--has happened to Missouri basketball. Personality? This team has DeMarre's hair, and Leo's humor, and Goose's self-deprecation, and Zaire sticking out his tongue, and JT Tiller's lack of regard for human life. Wins? This team has more wins than any Mizzou squad has ever compiled. Moments? How about the win over Kansas? Kim English's free-throws against Marquette? Zaire's drive against Texas? Laurence Bowers' SportsCenter dunks? Goose's clutch 3's in the Big 12 tourney? JT Tiller's jump balls against Kansas? Is that enough for you? How about the win in Stillwater? The absolute destruction of team after team in Mizzou Arena? JYD's timely putbacks? Hell, they even had a (regional) SI cover as well.

How far have we come? Four months ago, Zaire Taylor was a decent defensive point guard who didn't shoot enough. Now he's Mr. Coffee. Always Be Closing. Four months ago, Laurence Bowers was a thin, anonymous freshman forward with some athletic ability. Now he's the Party Starter. Four months ago, Kim English was a lovable gymrat who talked a big game but had plenty to learn about how to play college basketball. Now he's put together possibly the most successful, most memorable postseason performance ever for a Mizzou freshman.

And it goes on. Four months ago, Matt Lawrence was a much-maligned three-point specialist who, for long stretches of time, couldn't even seem to specialize in three-pointers. He was given the nickname of Grey Goose, and not necessarily as a compliment. Now he's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!! Four months ago, DeMarre Carroll was a scrappy player, fun to watch, but limited in size and shooting ability. Now he's JYD, a rangy, rugged all-conference forward in a conference full of great forwards.

Four months ago, JT Tiller was an intense, rather out-of-control guard who had brilliant stretches of defensive play among brainfarts and foul trouble. Now, he's not only Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but (listen up, Marquette fans) also a ballsy, clutch shooter (see: two FTs against Marquette with 90 seconds left, go-ahead jumper against KU with 50 seconds left).

And then there's Leo. Four months ago, Leo Lyons was an enigmatic, moody, rather schizophrenic player who could be amazing one moment and pouting on the bench for most of a game the next. Now, he's Good Leo, an enigmatic, moody, rather schizophrenic player who has been amazing for most of his only NCAA Tournament, who never turned his brain off after getting pushed and hacked for a good portion of the second half against Marquette, and who persevered in the form of a clutch 3-point play and three big-time free throws in the last minute. Against heavy odds, Leo will end up being remembered for his play down the stretch of his senior season* instead of the suspensions and frustrating tendencies of his first 3.5 seasons.

* And for Leo Lyons' Planet.

And possibly most importantly, four months ago, Mike Anderson was a likable coach who brought an entertaining brand of basketball to Columbia, but who hadn't shown many game-coaching chops, had briefly let bad characters take over his program, and was already having his name come up in the "I'm not saying he has to win this season, but he might not get more than four seasons if Mizzou doesn't start to improve" type of speculation. No one knew if his style would work in the Big 12, if his program would be able to attract the caliber of athletes it would take to succeed with his style, if he would be able to guide Mizzou to the NCAA Tourney, or if the fans would ever come back en masse to Mizzou Arena.

Now, he's the subject of the "Other teams want our coach because he's so great" type of speculation. If there's a cloud in the Mizzou sky right now, it's because of the lingering (and small) possibility that he still may be coaching elsewhere next year. But that cloud is slowly dissipating, and besides...next year is next year, and memories don't go away. Missouri is back, and it is because of Mike Anderson.

I mentioned yesterday that when Missouri faces a game they're supposed to lose, I start getting defiantly confident as game time approaches. But despite my own confidence, I realize that when Missouri and Memphis tip off at 8:37(ish) tonight, it very well might be the last time we see Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, and Matt Lawrence in a Missouri uniform. Hell, I doubt it, but this could be the last time we see Mike Anderson roaming the Missouri sideline. A lot could change after tonight, but what won't is the simple fact that Missouri loves its basketball again, and watching and feeling this unexpected connection this team's players and coaches--every single one of them--has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a fan.

Once again, I'm not going to lie. I look at these pictures, and as they say, it gets a little dusty in my house. It's hard to believe that something so simple (sports team wins games, fans rejoice) could end up being so emotionally, and unexpectedly, satisfying as this 2008-09 basketball season has been. Win or lose tonight, the impact has been made. You truly never know when seasons like this will come about (if they ever will, or if they ever will again), and while you live your life as a sports fan full of hope and faith (and lots of frustration), you have to hold closely the great moments that do happen, and there's just no question that I'll remember every moment of this season for a long, long time. To DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons, Matt Lawrence, Zaire Taylor, J.T. Tiller, Kim English, Laurence Bowers, Justin Safford, Keith Ramsey, Marcus Denmon, Miguel Paul, Steve Moore, Jarrett Sutton, and Michael Anderson Jr., I salute you.

(Or as Norman Dale would say, "I love you guys.")

But all that said, why don't we keep this train rolling for another few games?

Recap of "Five Questions For..."

Evan Pfaff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:15:21 -0000

For the past 12 days we have asked “Five Questions For…” each Big 12 school. In case you missed one, after the jump you can read the questions we have for all the hoops programs in the conference.

Have more questions, or comments on the questions? Leave a comment.

Missouri

1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?

2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?

3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?

4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?

5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?

Kansas

1) Can the Jayhawks meet preseason expectations of being ranked #1 nationally in a lot of publications?

2) Can Kansas put their offseason troubles behind them?

3) Exactly how good is freshman Xavier Henry?

4) Will Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins both perform at All Big 12 levels?

5) Can anyone tell the Morris twins apart?

Colorado

1) Now that Jeff Bzdelik is in his third year, can he bring a winning season to Boulder?

2) If not, how much longer will the CU AD go on with the Bzdelik experiment?

3) Can Cory Higgins perform up to his 08-09 level, when he placed fifth in the conference in scoring?

4) Who else steps up for the Buffaloes?

5) Will the Buffaloes improve upon last season's 1-15 conference record?

Iowa State

1) Can Craig Brackins get any help, or will it again be a one man show?

2) Can the Cyclones crack the top half of the Big 12 North division?

3) Is there still "Hilton Magic" in Ames?

4) One publication listed Greg McDermott as being on the "hot seat." What does he need to do to get off it?

5) After 4 straight conference seasons with a losing record, can the Cyclones better the .500 mark this year?

Kansas State

1) Frank Martin brings the 20^th ranked recruiting class to Manhattan. How can the 5 freshmen gel with the veterans?

2) Is Denis Clemente the most fun player to watch in the conference?

3) Can 6-10 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly shore up the frontline for the Wildcats?

4) Is K-State a legitimate program again after nearly a decade of meritocracy (sans the Bill Walker, Michael Beasley year)?

5) What can we expect from freshman Wally Judge?

Nebraska

1) Last year NU was the smallest team in college basketball. This year they brought in some size, will that help?

2) Will Doc Sadler's JUCO coaching experience help the three incoming JUCO transfers adjust to division 1 basketball?

3) Nebraska hasn't had a winning record this decade. Will they go 10 for 10 in losing seasons?

4) How will the team cope with two transfers leaving Lincoln?

5) Who wins more conference games, NU football or NU basketball?

Oklahoma

1) How does Oklahoma replace Blake Griffin?

2) Can Willie Warren be "the man"?

3) Can 6-8, 300 lb freshman Tiny Gallon play big in his first year in the Big 12?

4) Does Oklahoma mind being second fiddle in the Big 12 South?

5) Will inexperience in the frontcourt hurt Oklahoma's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament?

Texas

1) Who will play the majority of the year, the Dexter Pittman who dominated the end of last season or the Dexter Pittman who was essentially non-existent for the first half?

2) Is freshman Avery Bradley as good as advertised?

3) Can the team get back to its first Final Four since 2003?

4) Did Damion James make the right move in returning for his senior season?

5) Between Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas and J'Covan Brown, who will win the battle for starting PG spot?

Oklahoma State

1) Will Travis Ford's first full recruiting class bring a Big 12 championship to Stillwater?

2) With the loss of Byron Eaton, yet 4 of the top 6 scorers returning, can the Cowboys continue to put lots of points on the board?

3) How much better can James Anderson get?

4) Obi Muonelo played out of position last year. Will the right placement on the floor help the senior better his 12.7 ppg average from last year?

5) OK State will be bigger this year... but also slower. Will that hinder their ability to run with some of the Big 12 teams?

Texas Tech

1) Junior guard Mike Singletary lit up Texas A&M for a near conference tournament record 43 points last season. Will he continue to put the ball in the basket this season?

2) Will Pat Knight's second full season be an improvement over his first?

3) Is Pat Knight on the hot seat?

4) Do the Red Raiders have the personnel to match Knight's emphasis on defense this year?

5) Will all the new JUCO players pan out for the Red Raiders?

Texas A&M

1) How can the Aggies replace Josh Carter?

2) Some publications think the Aggies will finish in the top 4 in the conference. Can this team meet those expectations?

3) Mark Turgeon is in his third year in College Station. Now that he has a roster made up of mostly his guys, can the Aggies crack the upper 1/3 of the conference?

4) Will the four freshman have the impact Turgeon is hoping for?

5) The Aggies have made a school record 4 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Will the streak continue this year?

Baylor

1) Can the Bears rebound from the loss of 50% of their scoring and 2/3 of their assists due to graduation?

2) Coach Scott Drew can recruit, but can he coach those guys to a third straight post season tournament?

3) Can Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh be the defensive force Bears fans are expecting from the 6-10 center?

4) Did highly ranked recruit Nolan Dennis make the right decision in rescinding his verbal from Memphis and commit to Baylor?

5) Who will be the go-to guy this year, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter or one of the freshman?

Ex-Mizzou Tigers Spread Around the Globe

Evan Pfaff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:39:28 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

You can see former Mizzou players Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll and Matt Lawrence playing professional basketball... but you will have to do a little globe trotting (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Browse more photos »

Steve Walentik of the Columbia Daily Tribune yesterday took a look at where some former Mizzou Tigers are playing these days. As we know, there are three Tigers in the NBA, but Where in the World is Albert White? (Answer: Argentina)

Marshall Brown, Palmeiras (Brazil)
Jason Conley, WBC Raiffeisen Wels (Austria)
Kalen Grimes, Laussane (Switzerland)
Linas Kleiza, Olympiakos (Greece)
Matt Lawrence, Tromso Storm (Norway)
Leo Lyons, Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem (Israel)
Jimmy McKinney, Deutsche Bank Skyliners in Frankfurt (Germany)
Rickey Paulding, EWE Baskets in Oldenburg (Germany)
Vaidotas Volkus, BC Siauliai (Lithuania)
Albert White, Asociacion Quimsa Santiago Del Estero (Argentina)
Kevin Young, Ciclista Olimpico de la Banda (Argentina)

Read the entire article

Mizzou Links, 10-27-09

Bill C. — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:27:51 -0000

Colorado/Media Day Links!

MUtigers.com: OFFICIAL RELEASE
Obviously, Mizzou has had a rough go of it the past three weeks, but the fact remains that the future is bright in Columbia, as the Tigers are a very young team. Picked to finish third this season in the Big 12 North Division, the Tigers began the season hoping to successfully defend its 2007 and 2008 North Division titles. ...

While Head Coach Gary Pinkel would never offer up youth as an excuse for anything, the fact remains that this team is very young, with only 15 seniors on the roster. Of those, only six are projected to start on offense/defense Saturday against Colorado, with only eight total who are on the two-deep entering the game. That’s a stark contrast to 2008, when the Tigers began the season with 12 senior starters (5 on offense and 7 on defense).
MUtigers.com: Missouri Football Team Hosts Media Day
The Trib: Tigers Meet the Press
KC Star: MU's Gabbert sports new cast, still plans to play
Post-Dispatch: Pinkel seeks way to reach his team
Post-Dispatch: Blaine Gabbert remains focused on Buffs
While X-rays taken over the weekend continue to show no structural damage, MU offensive coordinator Dave Yost said Monday, Gabbert's status still hinges on practice today and Wednesday. "Our deal is if you don't practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, you don't play," Yost said.

Based on information from MU's training staff, Yost and coach Gary Pinkel expect Gabbert will practice. Still, Yost said they'd have to see "how it is when they take it out of the cast, and go from there."
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Tigers meet the media
PowerMizzou: Audio: Pinkel and Hawkins Talk
Denver Post: Dan Hawkins: Tyler Hansen 'still the guy'

Five Questions For... Missouri basketball

Evan Pfaff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Can Missouri coach Mike Anderson match last year's success?. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Browse more photos »

In a new series, leading up to the start of the basketball season we will be posting a segment called "Five Questions For."

In the series we will ask the most five pressing questions for each Big 12 school going into the season.

1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?

2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?

3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?

4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?

5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?

Check back tomorrow when we will ask Five Question For... Kansas basketball.

Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops

Poll

What is the most pressing question for Mizzou this year?

Mizzou Links, 9-4-09

Bill C. — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:30:23 -0000

It won't stay this way, so I have to pound my chest while I can, but if you were to have bet on the five FBS vs FBS games from last night, using my BTBS Week 1 Picks as a guide, you'd be 5-0 right now. Just sayin'. And we had our first fantastic gambling moment of the night last night when Utah stripped Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel in the endzone (actually, they mauled him...pretty sure he fumbled because he was worried he was going to get decapitated), and Utah State recovered for a safety, giving Utah an 18-point lead. If the Utes had recovered, that's a 23-point lead and a cover on the 20.5-point spread.

Oh, and LeGarrette Blount. Yeah. Don't know what to say. Talked that dude up all preseason, then he lost his freaking mind after the first game. About that "Oregon to the Rose Bowl" projection...yeah...

Mizzou-Illinois Links!

Mizzourah: Week 1 - Illannoy Preview
Contrary to what others are saying without actually knowing what they are talking about, Blaine Gabbert is ready for prime time. This is why Pinkel didn't redshirt him last year. The kid has prepped for huge games; Illannoy last year, Oklahoma in the B12 Championship Game, Alamo Bowl, Texas, Okie State, the destruction of the Huskers in Lincoln. He was there. He has a deep receiving corp, led by Jared Perry and DaNario Alexander. Throw in two of his fellow soph's in Andrew Jones, who looked great in place of Chase Coffman, and the player that is ready to breakout, Wes Kemp.
PowerMizzou: Illinois Insider: Five Questions for Saturday
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Whose Turn Now?
Dave Matter: Writer's Block: Bob Asmussen
BTS: What's the fan base's general thoughts on Zook? Patience growing thin? Did the 2007 Rose Bowl season buy him enough goodwill to survive another losing/average season?
Asmussen: I think the fans are generally happy with Zook. The school has only been to the Rose Bowl twice in the past 45 years, so he's bought himself a lot of goodwill with that achievement. Will the fans grumble if the team has another sub-.500 season? Absolutely. But the consensus is that that won't happen.

I wouldn't say consensus, Bob...
Post-Dispatch: Jason Ford expects more work with Illinois this season

Plus, here's a fun note via Dave Matter on Twitter: "Most assume Illinois is the more experienced team ... but #Mizzou has 10 starters with 10+ career starts; Illinois has only seven."

Mizzou Links, 6-26-09

Bill C. — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:42:39 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

Congrats to you, JYD.

Browse more photos »

Hooray, JYD! NBA Draft Links!

Mutigers.com: Marre to Memphis - Carroll Taken in First Round
The Trib: Memphis selects Carroll with 27th pick
The Missourian: Missouri's Carroll selected by Grizzlies in NBA Draft
KC Star: MU's DeMarre Carroll overcame much on his way to first-round NBA pick
Ultimately, Carroll said, overcoming obstacles fed his competitive fire. Especially the NBA evaluation that he was not ready for the prime time of pro ball last year.

"I like when people doubt you," Carroll said.

"I’m kind of how our Missouri team was.

"We came out of nowhere. A lot of people talk about what I can’t do, what position will I play in the NBA. "I like that. I like to fly under the radar, to come out of nowhere."
Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies select Hasheem Thabeet with No. 2 pick in NBA draft (DeMarre blurb too)

No word on Leo Lyons yet, who went undrafted. We'll see where he ends up; good luck to him.

And because I feel like it, now seemed like a pretty good time to post this Senior Night video again...such a great night and moment...

And if that's not enough closure for you with this senior class, here's a nice Q&A between Steve Walentik and the Grey Goose.

CV: You've had teammates over your time at Missouri who've played overseas. Have you talked to any of them about those experiences? What sorts of things have you heard?

ML: It's been kind of 50-50. I think the guys who want to be in the NBA so bad and that's their lifelong dream, kind of go overseas just thinking about the NBA the whole time and not really having the greatest experience because they want to be somewhere else, but myself, I know that the NBA's probably not going to happen for me. I've come to terms with that, but I would just love to keep playing. Wherever I go, I'm sure I'm going to have fun doing it, as long as I'm playing basketball. I've heard good things from guys like Rickey Paulding and Jimmy McKinney, Kevin Young. There's some places people don't like to play, and there's some places they do like to play. As long as I'm playing, I'm sure I'll be fine.

Wonder why Kim English's Twitter account disappeared? Dave Matter's got the answer...and on Twitter, of course:

@sparksjay Kim told @mutigersdotcom: im on a mission to let my game do all my talking. the more im on twitter .. the less time im in the gym

Awesome.

Your one non-basketball link: the Big 12 has set their football Media Days lineup. Mizzou's up first on Day #2, July 28.

Finally, pretty sure Awful Announcing lives for things like the NBA Draft. Be sure to read last night's live-blog (after you read Simmons's, of course). Pretty much says everything I was thinking, only much, much funnier.

Oh yeah, and...

		#3 Miguel Paul Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 172 Winter Haven, Fla. Bio 14 minutes per game \| 4.2 points per game \| 0.9 rebound per game

		#4 J.T. Tiller Senior Guard 6-3 \| 200 Marietta, Ga. Bio 23.3 minutes per game \| 9.6 points per game \| 2.3 rebounds per game

		#11 Zaire Taylor Senior Guard 6-4 \| 189 Staten Island, N.Y. Bio 27.8 minutes per game \| 9 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#12 Marcus Denmon Sophomore Guard 6-3 \| 185 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 20.1 minutes per game \| 10.5 points per game \| 3.9 rebounds per game

		#15 Keith Ramsey Senior Forward 6-9 \| 217 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bio 25.4 minutes per game \| 5.9 points per game \| 5.9 rebounds per game

		#21 Laurence Bowers Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 205 Memphis, Tenn. Bio 19.8 minutes per game \| 10.2 points per game \| 5.6 rebounds per game

		#23 Justin Safford Junior Forward 6-8 \| 230 Bloomington, Ill. Bio 18.4 minutes per game \| 7.6 points per game \| 3.8 rebounds per game

		#24 Kim English Sophomore Guard 6-6 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Bio 22.1 minutes per game \| 16.1 points per game \| 3.1 rebounds per game

		#25 Jarrett Sutton Junior Guard 6-3 \| 190 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 4 minutes per game \| 1.8 points per game \| 0.2 rebound per game

		#32 Steve Moore Sophomore Center 6-9 \| 264 Kansas City, Mo. Bio 11 minutes per game \| 1.6 points per game \| 1.4 rebounds per game

SB Nation - Matt Lawrence

KNOW THY ENEMY: Missouri Tigers

The Story So Far

The Coach

The Departures

The Veterans

The Newcomers

The Analysis

Projected Big 12 Starting Lineup

Projected Top Big 12 Reserves

The Final Verdict

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

Study Hall: Mizzou-NW Missouri State

Mizzou 83, NW Missouri State 60

Player Stats

Keys to the Game Revisited

Combined Exhibition Stats

Summary

Mizzou Basketball Preview (Part Two): The Beef and Great Expectations

Mizzou Basketball Preview

Mizzou Basketball Preview Series

Mizzou Basketball Preview (Part One): You Never Know, Take Two

Mizzou Basketball Preview

Mizzou Basketball Preview Series

Recap of "Five Questions For..."

Ex-Mizzou Tigers Spread Around the Globe

Mizzou Links, 10-27-09

Five Questions For... Missouri basketball

What is the most pressing question for Mizzou this year?

Mizzou Links, 9-4-09

Mizzou Links, 6-26-09