* It’s always a coin flip which Missouri team is going to show up. Today, it was the decidedly good version. For the second time this season, Mizzou came out and did everything right against Alabama, while the Crimson Tide did almost everything wrong. It’s pretty wild how many times this year there’s been one team, either Missouri or its opponent, leading by like eight or more points at the first media timeout. It was 14-3 Mizzou less than four minutes in today.
* Missouri is once again getting a very balanced effort. Seven of the eight players who have entered the game have scored, but none are in double figures. I think that’s a product of Cuonzo Martin tightening up his rotation a bit and an inexperienced team getting more comfortable in their roles. Kobe Brown has actually been pretty assertive, shooting nine times, but he’s only made two shots so far. Every other player is shooting 50 percent or better from the field. To me, the fact that Brown only has four points in a 40-point half is very encouraging.
* On the other end of the floor, Alabama getting back into the game mostly had to do with the Crimson Tide making their threes and getting to the free throw line. Bama started the game 1-10 from deep, then made three of five (including a four-point play), then finished the half by missing three straight. They really haven’t shot the ball well from deep this season, even though they do it a lot, but you still need to hope they don’t get hot, because that could turn the tide in a hurry. On the other hand, if the free throw margin gets closer to even, Mizzou is in good shape. Alabama got to the line 14 times and made nine free throws. Mizzou shot just two and made both.
* Maybe more impressive than the fast start to me was the fact that Missouri mustered an answer when Alabama put together an 11-0 run to tie the game. That felt like it had potential to run away from the Tigers, but they answered with five straight points and never surrendered the lead. This looks like a much more confident team than we saw earlier this season. I expect this game to be close until the end.
* Missouri is once again getting a very balanced effort. Seven of the eight players who have entered the game have scored, but none are in double figures. I think that’s a product of Cuonzo Martin tightening up his rotation a bit and an inexperienced team getting more comfortable in their roles. Kobe Brown has actually been pretty assertive, shooting nine times, but he’s only made two shots so far. Every other player is shooting 50 percent or better from the field. To me, the fact that Brown only has four points in a 40-point half is very encouraging.
* On the other end of the floor, Alabama getting back into the game mostly had to do with the Crimson Tide making their threes and getting to the free throw line. Bama started the game 1-10 from deep, then made three of five (including a four-point play), then finished the half by missing three straight. They really haven’t shot the ball well from deep this season, even though they do it a lot, but you still need to hope they don’t get hot, because that could turn the tide in a hurry. On the other hand, if the free throw margin gets closer to even, Mizzou is in good shape. Alabama got to the line 14 times and made nine free throws. Mizzou shot just two and made both.
* Maybe more impressive than the fast start to me was the fact that Missouri mustered an answer when Alabama put together an 11-0 run to tie the game. That felt like it had potential to run away from the Tigers, but they answered with five straight points and never surrendered the lead. This looks like a much more confident team than we saw earlier this season. I expect this game to be close until the end.
