1. The lack of a point guard has plagued Missouri all season, so it seems somewhat fitting that it was the fatal flaw in the team’s final loss — as the team’s former point guard had 11 points and five assists for the other team. Mizzou looked completely helpless against LSU’s pressure. It turned the ball over 15 times during the first half and 24 in the game. Exactly one-third (33.3 percent) of the team’s possessions ended with a turnover. Different sites seem to list different turnover rates for the same games, but according to basketball reference, that’s the highest turnover rate by a Missouri team in a single game since at least the start of the 2010-11 season, which is as far back as their database goes. I hate to single one guy out, because it was truly a team effort to hit that number, but Boogie Coleman was impossibly bad. He finished the game with one point, no assists, two turnovers and three fouls. He was minus-24 in 15 minutes. The staff clearly got several things wrong in putting this roster together, but thinking he could run the point looks like the most egregious misevaluation. Mizzou’s season-long turnover rate of 21.6 percent is its worst since the 2005-06 season.
2. In addition to a point guard, Missouri has missed a true big and reliable shooters all season. Those issues were also spotlighted in this game. Mizzou shot 7-19 from three-point range, but that was boosted by the team hitting its last three attempts from behind the arc, all of which came once the game was decided. This team finished the season shooting 28.1 percent from behind the arc. That is the lowest mark in program history by far. No Tiger team had ever been below 30 percent. Also, in the second half, LSU figured out that it could just give the ball to 6-foot-11 Efton Reid and he could score whenever he wanted. That’s what happens when you only have one player taller than 6-7 on your roster (who actually plays).
3. Credit to Mizzou for not quitting, I guess. The Tigers did manage to cut the LSU lead to 10 points in the second half after being down 25 points early. But then LSU just remembered to try and went on a 12-0 run and the game was back to being a blowout. LSU proceeded to go back to sleep and Mizzou made it deceptively close but never actually threatened to win. That’s indicative of a talent disparity to me. You all don’t need me to tell you that Mizzou is lacking in that department. That’s been apparent in the fact that this team has lost nearly as many games by 17 or more points (11) this season as it has won (12). Grit and fight and all the Cuonzo Martin buzzwords can only take you so far.
4. The one positive was the play of Trevon Brazile. He scored a career-high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks. He’s really taken a step forward over the past couple weeks. It’s hard to watch him and not think he can be a really special player. The question, of course (and I want to be clear this has nothing to do with Brazile as an individual, it’s just indicative of the transfer portal era) will be whether that happens in a Missouri uniform.
5. So, the season is over. The question now is the only one that has mattered for a long time: Will Cuonzo Martin coach this team next season? He was asked after the game if that might have been his final game at Mizzou. His answer was very similar to Saturday. Here is is:
“I’m good to go. I’m at peace with whatever. I don’t get consumed with that, man. I don’t worry about that. If that’s the best thing for both parties, then that’s the best thing for both parties. But I won’t waste any time with that. Whatever happens, happens. And again, like I said with life, if that’s the best thing, then that’s the best thing. As long as you don’t take the main things from my life, I don’t worry about that. I don’t. … I’ve got tremendous peace of mind.”
As Gabe said the other day, I wouldn’t read too much into that as far as it meaning he knows he’s gone. That’s the same type of thing we’ve heard from Cuonzo for the past five years. If anything, I think that means we can put away the talk of Cuonzo suing Mizzou or “fighting them tooth and nail” for money. If that’s the route the AD decides to go, he’ll get his $6 million that his contract guarantees and maybe a bit more, but this isn’t someone who is going to hold the university hostage.
As for whether we get to the point of a separation between Missouri and Martin, I don’t think you all will have to wait much longer to get an answer. It could come as soon as tomorrow, almost certainly by Monday. Maybe Tuesday at the latest. Once we figure out who is going to be coaching this team, then I think we will start to get answers to the more minor questions like which players are going to be back (Javon Pickett, who Martin said played through an injury today, said he still hasn't thought about whether he will return for his COVID year). Stay tuned.
2. In addition to a point guard, Missouri has missed a true big and reliable shooters all season. Those issues were also spotlighted in this game. Mizzou shot 7-19 from three-point range, but that was boosted by the team hitting its last three attempts from behind the arc, all of which came once the game was decided. This team finished the season shooting 28.1 percent from behind the arc. That is the lowest mark in program history by far. No Tiger team had ever been below 30 percent. Also, in the second half, LSU figured out that it could just give the ball to 6-foot-11 Efton Reid and he could score whenever he wanted. That’s what happens when you only have one player taller than 6-7 on your roster (who actually plays).
3. Credit to Mizzou for not quitting, I guess. The Tigers did manage to cut the LSU lead to 10 points in the second half after being down 25 points early. But then LSU just remembered to try and went on a 12-0 run and the game was back to being a blowout. LSU proceeded to go back to sleep and Mizzou made it deceptively close but never actually threatened to win. That’s indicative of a talent disparity to me. You all don’t need me to tell you that Mizzou is lacking in that department. That’s been apparent in the fact that this team has lost nearly as many games by 17 or more points (11) this season as it has won (12). Grit and fight and all the Cuonzo Martin buzzwords can only take you so far.
4. The one positive was the play of Trevon Brazile. He scored a career-high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks. He’s really taken a step forward over the past couple weeks. It’s hard to watch him and not think he can be a really special player. The question, of course (and I want to be clear this has nothing to do with Brazile as an individual, it’s just indicative of the transfer portal era) will be whether that happens in a Missouri uniform.
5. So, the season is over. The question now is the only one that has mattered for a long time: Will Cuonzo Martin coach this team next season? He was asked after the game if that might have been his final game at Mizzou. His answer was very similar to Saturday. Here is is:
“I’m good to go. I’m at peace with whatever. I don’t get consumed with that, man. I don’t worry about that. If that’s the best thing for both parties, then that’s the best thing for both parties. But I won’t waste any time with that. Whatever happens, happens. And again, like I said with life, if that’s the best thing, then that’s the best thing. As long as you don’t take the main things from my life, I don’t worry about that. I don’t. … I’ve got tremendous peace of mind.”
As Gabe said the other day, I wouldn’t read too much into that as far as it meaning he knows he’s gone. That’s the same type of thing we’ve heard from Cuonzo for the past five years. If anything, I think that means we can put away the talk of Cuonzo suing Mizzou or “fighting them tooth and nail” for money. If that’s the route the AD decides to go, he’ll get his $6 million that his contract guarantees and maybe a bit more, but this isn’t someone who is going to hold the university hostage.
As for whether we get to the point of a separation between Missouri and Martin, I don’t think you all will have to wait much longer to get an answer. It could come as soon as tomorrow, almost certainly by Monday. Maybe Tuesday at the latest. Once we figure out who is going to be coaching this team, then I think we will start to get answers to the more minor questions like which players are going to be back (Javon Pickett, who Martin said played through an injury today, said he still hasn't thought about whether he will return for his COVID year). Stay tuned.
