We have a snow day today so I’ve had some thoughts while watching games and this morning I looked a little deeper into it.

I know different stats track turnovers and points off turnovers, but I think there’s a bit deeper meaning behind some of it.

A live ball turnover hurts much worse than a travel, double dribble, carry, etc because you can set your defense after those.

So I went back and looked at last night.
What I used was a live ball turnover where the opposition got a shot off within 10 seconds of a live ball turnover. Very interesting.

Ole miss turnovers
1st half
17:29 Ruffin TO, Mosley steal, Mosley made layup
17:23 Burns TO, Mosley steal, Mosley missed layup
9:57 White TO, East Steal, East made 3 FT’s
9:05 Caldwell TO, East Steal, East made layup
6:28 McKinnis TO, Honor Steal, Honor TO
2nd half
16:31 Burns TO, Kobe Steal, Mosley made Layup
16:24 Caldwell TO, Hodge Steal, Hodge missed layup
9:30 Fagan TO, Kaleb steal, Hodge made 3

8 steals that lead to quick transition action
12 points
2 missed layups
1 turnover


Ole Miss on the hand off Mizzou’s turnovers
1st half 7:39 Gholston TO, Ruffin steal, Fagan layup
2nd half 16:59 Kobe TO, Burns steal, Caldwell missed 3
2 steals that lead to quick transition action
2 points
1 missed 3

I think this is what makes Mizzou’s defense different. Yes, I want to pull my hair out and yell that we’re out of position on close outs, and leaving people open, etc

But we absolutely DOMINATE the transition game. Yes there were more live ball turnovers that I didn’t include, but that is because a shot went up 15 seconds or later after the turnover which means we or they got back and got set and made the ball move and it was more a half court set than transition.

So in live hall turnovers last night we were plus 10. I think it’s incredible we only had 2 turnovers that lead to them getting a transition look, yet we had 8 such chances.

To some this may mean a lot of nothing.. but I think this is where Mizzou separates itself and why the bad defensive rotations and close outs happen sometimes too.. there’s a give and take. It’s arguable that this plus 10 isn’t worth the trade off of giving up open 3’s and being out of position to defensive rebound however.

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Last week it was JJ Picollo of the Royals. This week, Mizzou baseball coach Steve Bieser stoked the baseball fires with his visit to the Tiger Club of KC. (Mentions Sam Horn a little in the clip below.)

First pitch for the baseball Tigers will be Feb. 17 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX against Oklahoma State. The spring slate includes a March 22 game at Kauffman Stadium against kansas.

Our Club meets each Tuesday of the school year at Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill. Our January 31 guest will be Jeff Passan, ESPN MLB columnist.

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KenPom has us projected to go 2-9 over our next 11:
kU
UCF (in FL)
Illinois
UK
@Arkansas
Vanderbilt
@A&M
@Florida
Arkansas
Alabama
@Ole Miss

It certainly is going to be a gauntlet. Would love to know where people’s expectations are.

2 section 1

It probably is a 50/50 game just with MU on the road

Kidding. But Mosley and Diarra have changed the dynamic of this team and it is (even more) fun to watch. If we hit our (season average for) 3s, we can beat anyone.

SOLD…

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-Some more good minutes from Mo Diarra. There was a stretch where he got a steal, made a 3-pointer on the next possession, then grabbed an offensive rebound and laid the ball in on the next trip down. He's a difference maker, for sure. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the starting lineup soon.

-Some y'all asked what the rotation was going to look like once everybody was all the way back. We got a close look at it tonight. Obviously Tre was out tonight and I do think he'll still play double-digit minutes (he might even keep his starting spot) because of how much they value him, especially defensively. But Ronnie DeGray didn't play at all. I don't know that we'll see him start another game.

-The defense was pretty rough. Mizzou should've won by a lot more than it did considering how many 3s they were knocking down. They just seemed a lot less physical than they normally are. Like I said at halftime, it reminded me a lot of the Vanderbilt game. A big difference this time, though, was that it didn't have that much of an impact at the free throw line. Maybe Tre could've set a better tone if he was healthy.

-On the other hand, the shots are falling again. They really went from 2-28 from deep on Saturday to 16-30 tonight. It's night and day.

-Kaleb Brown got in the game for the first time since Nov. 26. I don't think he would've played if Tre was healthy or if Mosley hadn't picked up his 4th foul or if Gholston hadn't played poorly. He did pick up a steal and an assist, though.

-Gates has said all along, winning on the road is hard. Mizzou got the job done tonight. They've got a really tough opponent up next, but it'll be at home, at least. Halfway through the SEC schedule, I think Mizzou is close to where it's supposed to be.

I know this is gonna come back to bite me, but Gholston is single handedly bringing Ole Miss back. 0 points, 3 TOs, 2 Fouls, and multiple times where his guy shot 3s and he didn’t even close out.

Said he gained 20 lbs since coming to Mizzou. The kid is a hustler, can hit free throws, rebound, go to the basket with the ball, hit a 3 if needed. I am liking this guy, what's not to like?

conclusion: we may not be elite but tune in bc some wild shits gonna happen at some point

The long-anticipated return of the Isiaih Mosley has come! With him back Mosley and Brown could potentially be one of the best in-and-out duos in the country. I think for this team to go far in March both of these players are going to need to be big contributors, as they are the two more consistent and efficient players on the team. Both of them will need to play 30+ minutes and both get at least 15 shots a game. Let me know your thoughts.

Someone needs to put a football in his hands and see if he can run a route. His size and frame would fit real nice as a TE.

Not playing. Many knew of his potential and knew he would add an element that maybe this team was missing. Great to see him playing well!

Looking for upper level first 15 rows, best way to reach is 816-786-4883 via text.

So many comparisons. Our coach probably told DRF he needed to think about it. Told her he has a guy on the other line interested in white walls and will call back. Our players when they announced most of us probably said who are these freakin guys. Our Willie Mays Hays who can run like mays and hit like hays, Hodge, finally coming around. Our announcer sobering up and saying we are in it. This team actually has a shot at doing something we have not seen in awhile. Make the tourney and win a couple games. Ahh yes we might have that one fan say, we will blow it in the playoffs. Going to be fun ride!!!!!

For the record, I do not know yet if Kobe is available. For the "Projected Starters" I just went with who they used last game.

Tre Gomillion is out, Kobe Brown is a game-time decision but was warming up on the floor. I'll let y'all know when starters get posted.
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missed this prior to tipoff

Josh Heupel gets a raise to $9 mil a year.

Just like that, at 6 million, Drinkwitz is tied with Sam Pittman for the 12th highest paid coach in the league of the 13 whose salaries are known. We don't know what Clark Lea makes at Vandy (But I'd be willing to bet it's less than 6 mil). Zach Arnett (Leach's replacement at Mississippi State) is lower.

-I want to see that Aidan Shaw alley-oop play to start every game from now on.

-D'Moi Hodge is back to being a human flamethrower. It's like he's been saving all his makes for this particular game. I've written about how important it is for Kobe to play up to his potential each night for everything to go right for Mizzou. But D'Moi has to do his job, too. He's doing it extremely well tonight.

-I've said it before but I'll say it again: Isiaih Mosley and Mo Diarra look exactly like what this team needed. There hasn't been any stagnation in the offense -- it's especially promising that Mosley seems to have shaken off the rust from the 3-point line. The Tigers are keeping pace on the boards. When you let those two players help a team that was already good without them, you have a team that can be very good.

-This shouldn't come as too much as a surprise, but Ole Miss, a team missing its starting point guard in Matthew Murrell, is on pace to cough up double-digit turnovers. Mizzou's in their face all night long and its helped in building up the lead. But defensively, it seems like the Tigers are taking the same approach they did against Vanderbilt: don't foul, even if it means letting them score in the paint. Mizzou's making too many 3s for OM to keep up anyway.

-Nick Honor is doing the Lord's work out there. I don't think he had a single shot attempt until the last few minutes of the half but was still making a big impact by setting guys up and spearheading the press. I believe Dennis Gates when he says this is an unselfish team.

-Mizzou's playing well but is letting Ole Miss hang around. They probably need to go on a run to start the second half.