(18) Texas A&M (19-4) at Missouri (13-10)
FACTS & STATS: Site: Mizzou Arena (15,061) -- Columbia, Missouri. Television: ESPN Regional. Home Record: Texas A&M 15-1, Missouri 11-2. Away Record: Texas A&M 2-3, Missouri 1-6. Neutral Record: Texas A&M 2-0, Missouri 1-2. Conference Record: Texas A&M 5-3, Missouri 3-5. Series Record: Missouri leads, 9-5.
GAME NOTES: The 18th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies invade Columbia this afternoon for a Big 12 Conference clash with the Missouri Tigers. Texas A&M has won its last four games to bounce back strong from a three-game losing skid. On Tuesday, the Aggies put forth a tremendous defensive effort in a 69-51 victory over Iowa State, and no opponent during the current four-game run has posted more than 63 points. Although A&M is an impressive 15-1 at home, the club enters today's tilt with a 2-3 mark in true road games. As for Missouri, it has lost two of its last three games to fall to 13-10 overall and 3-5 in Big 12 play. On Monday, the Tigers were clearly outclassed in a 90-71 setback to No. 4 Kansas, dropping their record to 1-6 in true road games. On the flip side, they do enter today's clash with an 11-2 mark at home. Missouri has a 9-5 edge in the all-time series with Texas A&M.
Texas A&M limited Iowa State to 35.6 percent shooting from the floor in the matchup earlier this week. The fact that the Cyclones only attempted six free throws in the clash suggests that the Aggies played with a tremendous amount of discipline at the defensive end of the floor. A&M finished with 17 assists against only eight turnovers, and Bryan Davis scored 16 points to lead the charge. Josh Carter contributed 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range, and Donald Sloan added 11 points. Carter is scoring 13.3 ppg this season, and Joseph Jones is contributing 11.4 ppg. The Bulldogs are limiting foes to 61.0 ppg on 37.6 percent shooting from the floor, and they are also outrebounding opponents by nine boards per contest.
Missouri is scoring 79.3 ppg this season while allowing the opposition 70.3 ppg. There are four double-digit scorers on the roster for the Tigers, but only three are active. Stefhon Hannah leads the way with 14.7 ppg, 5.3 apg and 38 steals, but he suffered a broken jaw a couple of weeks ago and may miss the rest of the season. DeMarre Carroll is contributing 13.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg, while Leo Lyons checks in with 11.8 ppg. Rounding out the foursome is Keon Lawrence, as he is posting 10.5 ppg. Lawrence scored 25 points to 10-of-13 shooting from the field against Kansas earlier this week, and he dished out six assists as well. Carroll, Lyons and J.T. Tiller scored 13 points apiece, but Mizzou missed all 10 of its three-point attempts in the clash and suffered a 48-25 rebounding disadvantage, including a 19-7 deficit on the offensive glass.
There is no question that Missouri has the talent to pull the upset today, but give a narrow edge to Texas A&M on the road based on its defensive ability.
FACTS & STATS: Site: Mizzou Arena (15,061) -- Columbia, Missouri. Television: ESPN Regional. Home Record: Texas A&M 15-1, Missouri 11-2. Away Record: Texas A&M 2-3, Missouri 1-6. Neutral Record: Texas A&M 2-0, Missouri 1-2. Conference Record: Texas A&M 5-3, Missouri 3-5. Series Record: Missouri leads, 9-5.
GAME NOTES: The 18th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies invade Columbia this afternoon for a Big 12 Conference clash with the Missouri Tigers. Texas A&M has won its last four games to bounce back strong from a three-game losing skid. On Tuesday, the Aggies put forth a tremendous defensive effort in a 69-51 victory over Iowa State, and no opponent during the current four-game run has posted more than 63 points. Although A&M is an impressive 15-1 at home, the club enters today's tilt with a 2-3 mark in true road games. As for Missouri, it has lost two of its last three games to fall to 13-10 overall and 3-5 in Big 12 play. On Monday, the Tigers were clearly outclassed in a 90-71 setback to No. 4 Kansas, dropping their record to 1-6 in true road games. On the flip side, they do enter today's clash with an 11-2 mark at home. Missouri has a 9-5 edge in the all-time series with Texas A&M.
Texas A&M limited Iowa State to 35.6 percent shooting from the floor in the matchup earlier this week. The fact that the Cyclones only attempted six free throws in the clash suggests that the Aggies played with a tremendous amount of discipline at the defensive end of the floor. A&M finished with 17 assists against only eight turnovers, and Bryan Davis scored 16 points to lead the charge. Josh Carter contributed 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range, and Donald Sloan added 11 points. Carter is scoring 13.3 ppg this season, and Joseph Jones is contributing 11.4 ppg. The Bulldogs are limiting foes to 61.0 ppg on 37.6 percent shooting from the floor, and they are also outrebounding opponents by nine boards per contest.
Missouri is scoring 79.3 ppg this season while allowing the opposition 70.3 ppg. There are four double-digit scorers on the roster for the Tigers, but only three are active. Stefhon Hannah leads the way with 14.7 ppg, 5.3 apg and 38 steals, but he suffered a broken jaw a couple of weeks ago and may miss the rest of the season. DeMarre Carroll is contributing 13.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg, while Leo Lyons checks in with 11.8 ppg. Rounding out the foursome is Keon Lawrence, as he is posting 10.5 ppg. Lawrence scored 25 points to 10-of-13 shooting from the field against Kansas earlier this week, and he dished out six assists as well. Carroll, Lyons and J.T. Tiller scored 13 points apiece, but Mizzou missed all 10 of its three-point attempts in the clash and suffered a 48-25 rebounding disadvantage, including a 19-7 deficit on the offensive glass.
There is no question that Missouri has the talent to pull the upset today, but give a narrow edge to Texas A&M on the road based on its defensive ability.
