*As I wrote in my column, this team might not always be pretty, but tonight certainly looked like a team fans should be able to get behind. There will be a learning curve on both sides, fans getting to know the players and the players adjusting to this level of basketball. They'll take a few hits in the non-conference. But this was an enjoyable game to watch. I think the refs deserve some credit for that, but the players deserve more. They're more athletic, more modern and they play hard. That counts for something with me.
*I was more impressed with Ronnie DeGray than I expected to be. He's not flashy. He's not super athletic. He's probably almost never going to be the guy you walk away thinking was the star of the game. But if he can come anywhere close to 13 points, 12 boards and three blocks, he's going to be the reason they win a lot of games. He's like the player Cuonzo Martin would design.
*This is a total guess on my part but Boogie Coleman strikes me as a guy who just does what you need him to do. You need a guy to make four threes when nobody else can shoot? That's what he did tonight. He had five assists and I'd be willing to bet there will be a night he doubles that this year. He's big enough I bet he'll have ten rebounds at some point. He'll probably go for 25 in a game at some point. I think he'll emerge as the third leader on this team and probably be the guy on next year's team.
*Cuonzo called Amari Davis a scorer after the game. He's always around the ball on both ends and he can create his own shot better than most of what we've seen the last few years (that's been a major weakness on the last couple of teams). I don't think he's going to light it up from outside, but I think he's going to average double figures and be one of the top two or three scorers on the team.
*Javon Pickett was fantastic. 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in 39 minutes. Tonight was more about getting a look at the new guys for me and getting to talk to them, but Missouri doesn't win this game without Pickett. I said above Ronnie DeGray was the player Martin would design. He might just tell him to be like Pickett. This is the Cuonzo-est guy that's ever existed. I think Martin sees a lot of himself in Pickett. He's also a guy that's just always done the right thing and been a stand-up dude. It would be great to see him have a really good senior season.
*Kobe Brown couldn't get a shot to fall and couldn't hang on to the ball for a lot of the night, but he scored nine points in the final five minutes including 6-8 from the line and he showed up when Missouri had to have him show up. He also had nine rebounds. I wonder if he was just trying to do a little too much because everyone expects him to be this team's best player or leading scorer. He just needs to settle into his role and not force it.
*Don't forget this team was playing short-handed. Martin said after the game Dajuan Gordon is the best perimeter defender on the team. I souldn't be at all surprised to see him start next week and have Davis come off the bench as an instant offense sixth man. I think he'll make a difference.
*Yaya Keita struggled early, but he ended up with six points and 3 rebounds and was better in the second half. He hasn't played for a long time. It's going to take a little bit. But I think he's without question the best big man on this team. I just don't know how much you can play Jordan Wilmore. 2 points, 2 fouls, 0 rebounds in 13 minutes. I think he's a steal a few minutes with the right matchup guy as we get further into the season.
*I don't know how good this team will be. I think it will improve as the season goes on and I think you're ultimately looking to see enough good to build and think next year can be pretty good. Martin seems to enjoy coaching this team. He's starting over. He's shaped this team the way he wants it shaped. I know we'll have plenty of debates about whether it's going to work and whether he's the guy that should be around long enough to see it work, but I think he's got a group of guys he likes and we'll see what that means over the next four months.
*All in all, it's good to have basketball back and it's always good to start with a win. Mitchell has a full notebook on the way and hopefully we'll have post-game video relatively soon.
*I was more impressed with Ronnie DeGray than I expected to be. He's not flashy. He's not super athletic. He's probably almost never going to be the guy you walk away thinking was the star of the game. But if he can come anywhere close to 13 points, 12 boards and three blocks, he's going to be the reason they win a lot of games. He's like the player Cuonzo Martin would design.
*This is a total guess on my part but Boogie Coleman strikes me as a guy who just does what you need him to do. You need a guy to make four threes when nobody else can shoot? That's what he did tonight. He had five assists and I'd be willing to bet there will be a night he doubles that this year. He's big enough I bet he'll have ten rebounds at some point. He'll probably go for 25 in a game at some point. I think he'll emerge as the third leader on this team and probably be the guy on next year's team.
*Cuonzo called Amari Davis a scorer after the game. He's always around the ball on both ends and he can create his own shot better than most of what we've seen the last few years (that's been a major weakness on the last couple of teams). I don't think he's going to light it up from outside, but I think he's going to average double figures and be one of the top two or three scorers on the team.
*Javon Pickett was fantastic. 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in 39 minutes. Tonight was more about getting a look at the new guys for me and getting to talk to them, but Missouri doesn't win this game without Pickett. I said above Ronnie DeGray was the player Martin would design. He might just tell him to be like Pickett. This is the Cuonzo-est guy that's ever existed. I think Martin sees a lot of himself in Pickett. He's also a guy that's just always done the right thing and been a stand-up dude. It would be great to see him have a really good senior season.
*Kobe Brown couldn't get a shot to fall and couldn't hang on to the ball for a lot of the night, but he scored nine points in the final five minutes including 6-8 from the line and he showed up when Missouri had to have him show up. He also had nine rebounds. I wonder if he was just trying to do a little too much because everyone expects him to be this team's best player or leading scorer. He just needs to settle into his role and not force it.
*Don't forget this team was playing short-handed. Martin said after the game Dajuan Gordon is the best perimeter defender on the team. I souldn't be at all surprised to see him start next week and have Davis come off the bench as an instant offense sixth man. I think he'll make a difference.
*Yaya Keita struggled early, but he ended up with six points and 3 rebounds and was better in the second half. He hasn't played for a long time. It's going to take a little bit. But I think he's without question the best big man on this team. I just don't know how much you can play Jordan Wilmore. 2 points, 2 fouls, 0 rebounds in 13 minutes. I think he's a steal a few minutes with the right matchup guy as we get further into the season.
*I don't know how good this team will be. I think it will improve as the season goes on and I think you're ultimately looking to see enough good to build and think next year can be pretty good. Martin seems to enjoy coaching this team. He's starting over. He's shaped this team the way he wants it shaped. I know we'll have plenty of debates about whether it's going to work and whether he's the guy that should be around long enough to see it work, but I think he's got a group of guys he likes and we'll see what that means over the next four months.
*All in all, it's good to have basketball back and it's always good to start with a win. Mitchell has a full notebook on the way and hopefully we'll have post-game video relatively soon.
Last edited:
