Kudos to Missouri for the way they started. Most teams come in this building and they're already beat. Most Missouri teams come in this building and they're already beat. This one wasn't. They played well at the start and jumped out to a nine point lead.
The run came because the run always comes. The run here was 14-0 or 20-2 or 29-9, however you want to split it up. The end result was a 12 point Kansas lead that felt insurmountable. It grew to 18 and everyone thought it was eventually going to end up as 25 or 30.
But it didn't. How much does that count for? I don't know. But it doesn't count for nothing. This team has a lot of fight. You'd prefer they quit putting themselves in situations where they have to prove it again and again, but they have it.
This team is flawed. It's not ever going to look as pretty as it did last year. Outside of Sean East (I knew he'd be better, i didn't know he'd be this much better), they don't have anyone I know I can count on more often than not. Tamar Bates can get hot, but he can disappear. Nick Honor can score in bunches, but he can shoot you (or drive with no clear plan in place you) out of a game. Connor Vanover does some things well, but he's incredibly incomplete. Same with Aidan Shaw.
The freshmen learned what big time college basketball is today. Ant Robinson got some defensive lessons in the first half. And then he got humbled by KJ Adams (those who have the benefit of TV and not a seat six miles from the floor told me it should have been a foul and I believe you, but if Robinson just takes off and dunks the ball or even goes three quarter speed, Adams never catches him). Trent Pierce had back to back possessions missing a wide open three and turning it over when Mizzou had a chance to make it a two possession game. Jordan Butler made a cameo and then Dennis Gates decided he had seen enough for the day. That's okay, they're freshmen. But Missouri needed a little more than it got out of at least one of them today.
During the second half, some random Mizzou fan came and sat in the empty seat on press row next to me (cracker jack security here). He was quite frustrated. I understood that. I said "I think Kansas just has way more talent." He countered "I think they have a better system." Personally, I think I'm right. Dennis Gates is short a couple of guys (Caleb Grill would have helped today, especially if he could have made a shot or two). But he turned this game ugly. He neutralized Hunter Dickinson most of the day. He, in Bill Self's words "made the game the way they needed it." Gates said Missouri executed its game plan really well on defense. The Tigers just made a few too many mistakes. Every time they had a chance to really extend the lead in the first half or really cut into it and make Kansas sweat in the second half, they came up a play short. But I don't think you can question the plan. You can question the talent and the roster and I won't argue with you. But Gates mixed and matched and did everything he could in this one. The other guy just had better players (when you take Dickinson away, Adams can beat you; the biggest play of the game might have come from Elmarko Jackson on the four-point play).
Today can be a step forward. But Missouri has to beat Seton Hall. And it wouldn't hurt to bring an effort like this in St. Louis and beat Illinois too. I don't know if this is a tournament team. But I don't know it isn't. That will be determined over the next three months. I know they'll play hard enough. I know they won't quit. I just don't know if they have quite enough talent.
My column is here. Drew's got instant reaction here and is working on a notebook and another story for the morning.
The run came because the run always comes. The run here was 14-0 or 20-2 or 29-9, however you want to split it up. The end result was a 12 point Kansas lead that felt insurmountable. It grew to 18 and everyone thought it was eventually going to end up as 25 or 30.
But it didn't. How much does that count for? I don't know. But it doesn't count for nothing. This team has a lot of fight. You'd prefer they quit putting themselves in situations where they have to prove it again and again, but they have it.
This team is flawed. It's not ever going to look as pretty as it did last year. Outside of Sean East (I knew he'd be better, i didn't know he'd be this much better), they don't have anyone I know I can count on more often than not. Tamar Bates can get hot, but he can disappear. Nick Honor can score in bunches, but he can shoot you (or drive with no clear plan in place you) out of a game. Connor Vanover does some things well, but he's incredibly incomplete. Same with Aidan Shaw.
The freshmen learned what big time college basketball is today. Ant Robinson got some defensive lessons in the first half. And then he got humbled by KJ Adams (those who have the benefit of TV and not a seat six miles from the floor told me it should have been a foul and I believe you, but if Robinson just takes off and dunks the ball or even goes three quarter speed, Adams never catches him). Trent Pierce had back to back possessions missing a wide open three and turning it over when Mizzou had a chance to make it a two possession game. Jordan Butler made a cameo and then Dennis Gates decided he had seen enough for the day. That's okay, they're freshmen. But Missouri needed a little more than it got out of at least one of them today.
During the second half, some random Mizzou fan came and sat in the empty seat on press row next to me (cracker jack security here). He was quite frustrated. I understood that. I said "I think Kansas just has way more talent." He countered "I think they have a better system." Personally, I think I'm right. Dennis Gates is short a couple of guys (Caleb Grill would have helped today, especially if he could have made a shot or two). But he turned this game ugly. He neutralized Hunter Dickinson most of the day. He, in Bill Self's words "made the game the way they needed it." Gates said Missouri executed its game plan really well on defense. The Tigers just made a few too many mistakes. Every time they had a chance to really extend the lead in the first half or really cut into it and make Kansas sweat in the second half, they came up a play short. But I don't think you can question the plan. You can question the talent and the roster and I won't argue with you. But Gates mixed and matched and did everything he could in this one. The other guy just had better players (when you take Dickinson away, Adams can beat you; the biggest play of the game might have come from Elmarko Jackson on the four-point play).
Today can be a step forward. But Missouri has to beat Seton Hall. And it wouldn't hurt to bring an effort like this in St. Louis and beat Illinois too. I don't know if this is a tournament team. But I don't know it isn't. That will be determined over the next three months. I know they'll play hard enough. I know they won't quit. I just don't know if they have quite enough talent.
My column is here. Drew's got instant reaction here and is working on a notebook and another story for the morning.
