I expected this loss. Maybe not by 21, but by double digits. I didn't think Missouri was going to have much of a shot to win this one in the final ten minutes and they didn't. I said coming in it was about Kentucky. If they played well, Missouri wasn't going to win. They played well.
Kassius Robertson is pretty consistent. Jordan Barnett is semi-consistent. On any given night, Cuonzo Martin has absolutely no idea what to expect out of every other player in his (very limited) rotation. Reed Nikko was Missouri's best big man on Saturday night and it wasn't really close. Let that sink in.
Honestly, I think it's pretty miraculous he has this team where it is. And where it is is two wins from an NCAA Tournament spot with three chances to get them. If I had said at the start of the season, "Michael Porter Jr. is going to play two minutes and three guards are going to leave the team and Mizzou will need to win its last two games to make the dance, would you have taken it?" Because I would have. And I bet Cuonzo Martin would have.
As far as Porter, you guys know where I stand. I don't think he plays at Vanderbilt. I think, barring a setback this week, he plays against Arkansas (probably about 15 minutes). Then I think he plays a little more in the SEC Tournament and plays whatever he can handle in the NCAA Tournament if they are in it (and I think they will be). And I'm not particularly interested in debating whether he should or should not play sooner or whatever because people are lashing out emotionally about it and I'm gonna let you do it. Cuonzo has said what needs to happen, I've told you what I'm hearing and if you don't want to believe it, that's fine, but I don't want to argue about it because it's exhausting. I don't think it's impossible he plays on Tuesday, but I wouldn't expect it.
Headed home tomorrow so I won't be on the board a lot during the commute. On Tuesday, we'll turn around and go to Nashville for a game that could very well determine Missouri's tournament fate. Tonight was terrible, but being able to type that last sentence was still a plus.
Kassius Robertson is pretty consistent. Jordan Barnett is semi-consistent. On any given night, Cuonzo Martin has absolutely no idea what to expect out of every other player in his (very limited) rotation. Reed Nikko was Missouri's best big man on Saturday night and it wasn't really close. Let that sink in.
Honestly, I think it's pretty miraculous he has this team where it is. And where it is is two wins from an NCAA Tournament spot with three chances to get them. If I had said at the start of the season, "Michael Porter Jr. is going to play two minutes and three guards are going to leave the team and Mizzou will need to win its last two games to make the dance, would you have taken it?" Because I would have. And I bet Cuonzo Martin would have.
As far as Porter, you guys know where I stand. I don't think he plays at Vanderbilt. I think, barring a setback this week, he plays against Arkansas (probably about 15 minutes). Then I think he plays a little more in the SEC Tournament and plays whatever he can handle in the NCAA Tournament if they are in it (and I think they will be). And I'm not particularly interested in debating whether he should or should not play sooner or whatever because people are lashing out emotionally about it and I'm gonna let you do it. Cuonzo has said what needs to happen, I've told you what I'm hearing and if you don't want to believe it, that's fine, but I don't want to argue about it because it's exhausting. I don't think it's impossible he plays on Tuesday, but I wouldn't expect it.
Headed home tomorrow so I won't be on the board a lot during the commute. On Tuesday, we'll turn around and go to Nashville for a game that could very well determine Missouri's tournament fate. Tonight was terrible, but being able to type that last sentence was still a plus.
