Missouri faces Mississippi to start final regular-season stretch
Just four games stand between Missouri and the Southeastern Conference Tournament, and after a self-inflicted loss at Louisiana State on Saturday ? Missouri made just seven of its 17 free throws ? the Tigers are tied for third place in the league standings along with Arkansas, Florida and Alabama.
These next four games will decide if Missouri finishes in the top four and enjoys a double-bye in the conference tournament, which will be held from March 7 through 11 in St. Louis. That journey begins when the Tigers face Mississippi at 8 p.m. Monday (ESPN2) in the Rebels? first game without longtime head coach Andy Kennedy.
Kennedy announced his intention to step down last week after 13 seasons at Mississippi, but the expectation was he?d at least finish out the season. That process was accelerated when he stepped down effective immediately on Sunday and left head-coaching duties to assistant Tony Madlock.
On a teleconference Monday, Madlock said he hopes his players show some pride against Missouri, which downed the last-place Rebels 75-69 two weeks ago in Oxford, Mississippi. Tigers guard and back-to-back SEC Player of the Week Kassius Robertson scored 27 points in the win, and freshman Jontay Porter scored 18 points off the bench.
Missouri?s (18-9, 8-6 SEC) keys to victory
1. Score early: In the first five minutes of the teams? last contest, the Rebels enjoyed an 11-0 run. Missouri battled back and finished the half with a 40-31 lead, but a quick start from the Tigers could put Mississippi in a deep rut.
2. See production from Porter: The Tigers are undefeated when Porter scores 10 or more points. The freshman from Columbia has come off the bench in all but six games this season and has been a vital addition to Cuonzo Martin?s defensive-minded Tigers. But Porter?s offense has been an X-factor. He scored 11 points in a win over No. 21 Texas A&M and 10 points in an overtime win against Mississippi State. That 10-point mark, though somewhat arbitrary, showed its impact Saturday: Porter scored nine points, going 1 for 4 at the free-throw line, in a one-point loss to LSU.
3. Avoid late-game drama: Missouri has struggled putting teams away, as shown in losses to West Virginia and Florida as well as wins over Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Martin said his team still hasn?t obtained the killer instinct needed to finish teams off in the second half ? a trait he?d like to see in his veteran players. In the Tigers? overtime win over Mississippi State, Porter and Jordan Barnett, among others, missed a number of open 3-pointers that could have stopped the Bulldogs? late run before it started. With conference tournament seeding on the line, Missouri needs to find ways to avoid drama by making open shots down the stretch.
Mississippi?s (11-16, 4-10) keys to victory
1. Force turnovers: Giveaways have been one of Missouri?s greatest struggles this season, but the Tigers have kept them in check as of late. Missouri committed 12 turnovers on Saturday at LSU, and if the Rebels can turn takeaways into points, Missouri may find itself trailing at home.
2. Keep Jeremiah Tilmon off the floor: How? Draw fouls, and draw them early. Tilmon was ill Saturday and played 22 minutes, shot 0 for 6 from the floor and made just one of his four free throws in the Tigers? loss in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fouls, however, were not the issue. Martin said Tilmon is feeling better and should be ready for Tuesday?s contest, meaning Mississippi will want to limit his impact.
3. Stay glued to Robertson: The Tigers are the second-best 3-point shooting team in the SEC, and nobody contributes to that figure as much as Robertson. The graduate transfer converts on 42.7 percent of his attempts from deep, and he?s made 82 this season ? just five behind Auburn?s Bryce Brown for the top spot in the conference.
Just four games stand between Missouri and the Southeastern Conference Tournament, and after a self-inflicted loss at Louisiana State on Saturday ? Missouri made just seven of its 17 free throws ? the Tigers are tied for third place in the league standings along with Arkansas, Florida and Alabama.
These next four games will decide if Missouri finishes in the top four and enjoys a double-bye in the conference tournament, which will be held from March 7 through 11 in St. Louis. That journey begins when the Tigers face Mississippi at 8 p.m. Monday (ESPN2) in the Rebels? first game without longtime head coach Andy Kennedy.
Kennedy announced his intention to step down last week after 13 seasons at Mississippi, but the expectation was he?d at least finish out the season. That process was accelerated when he stepped down effective immediately on Sunday and left head-coaching duties to assistant Tony Madlock.
On a teleconference Monday, Madlock said he hopes his players show some pride against Missouri, which downed the last-place Rebels 75-69 two weeks ago in Oxford, Mississippi. Tigers guard and back-to-back SEC Player of the Week Kassius Robertson scored 27 points in the win, and freshman Jontay Porter scored 18 points off the bench.
Missouri?s (18-9, 8-6 SEC) keys to victory
1. Score early: In the first five minutes of the teams? last contest, the Rebels enjoyed an 11-0 run. Missouri battled back and finished the half with a 40-31 lead, but a quick start from the Tigers could put Mississippi in a deep rut.
2. See production from Porter: The Tigers are undefeated when Porter scores 10 or more points. The freshman from Columbia has come off the bench in all but six games this season and has been a vital addition to Cuonzo Martin?s defensive-minded Tigers. But Porter?s offense has been an X-factor. He scored 11 points in a win over No. 21 Texas A&M and 10 points in an overtime win against Mississippi State. That 10-point mark, though somewhat arbitrary, showed its impact Saturday: Porter scored nine points, going 1 for 4 at the free-throw line, in a one-point loss to LSU.
3. Avoid late-game drama: Missouri has struggled putting teams away, as shown in losses to West Virginia and Florida as well as wins over Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Martin said his team still hasn?t obtained the killer instinct needed to finish teams off in the second half ? a trait he?d like to see in his veteran players. In the Tigers? overtime win over Mississippi State, Porter and Jordan Barnett, among others, missed a number of open 3-pointers that could have stopped the Bulldogs? late run before it started. With conference tournament seeding on the line, Missouri needs to find ways to avoid drama by making open shots down the stretch.
Mississippi?s (11-16, 4-10) keys to victory
1. Force turnovers: Giveaways have been one of Missouri?s greatest struggles this season, but the Tigers have kept them in check as of late. Missouri committed 12 turnovers on Saturday at LSU, and if the Rebels can turn takeaways into points, Missouri may find itself trailing at home.
2. Keep Jeremiah Tilmon off the floor: How? Draw fouls, and draw them early. Tilmon was ill Saturday and played 22 minutes, shot 0 for 6 from the floor and made just one of his four free throws in the Tigers? loss in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fouls, however, were not the issue. Martin said Tilmon is feeling better and should be ready for Tuesday?s contest, meaning Mississippi will want to limit his impact.
3. Stay glued to Robertson: The Tigers are the second-best 3-point shooting team in the SEC, and nobody contributes to that figure as much as Robertson. The graduate transfer converts on 42.7 percent of his attempts from deep, and he?s made 82 this season ? just five behind Auburn?s Bryce Brown for the top spot in the conference.
