No slow start tonight. The first three minutes could not have gone much better for Mizzou, as they made their first five shots from the field and led 10-0 before South Carolina figured out the game had started. From there, the two teams were pretty much even, which is not unusual in a conference game. Most games are really decided by a couple different runs. That’s why it’s important to play a full 40 minutes, which has been a bit of an issue for Missouri of late.
We have a Mark Smith sighting! Smith looks like he’s broken out of his recent shooting slump. He’s 3-5 from three-point range and leads all scorers with 15 points so far. I thought he looked engaged and active on the offensive end before he knocked down his first three rather than letting his shot dictate everything else. If he can continue to have this kind of impact on a game, it would be massive for Mizzou. He has gone from totally disappearing at times to a floor-spreader you can’t ignore, which Missouri needed. He hit three of the team’s four threes in that first half.
Jeremiah Tilmon and Kobe Brown were also really impressive. Brown, fresh off what Cuonzo Martin called his best game in a Mizzou uniform, has eight points, three rebounds, and a nice assist when he ran the break after a steal. Tilmon has eight points and six rebounds and just one foul (which was questionable at best) in 16 minutes. It’s crazy how much attention South Carolina is paying him. He usually has two or three guys in the vicinity when he catches the ball on the low block, which is why having someone like Smith who can make shots on the floor as well is so important. Add it all together and Mizzou has 45 points in 20 minutes with just three free throws. That will do.
The one thing about South Carolina is you can’t get complacent and have a three- or four-minute stretch where you don’t score, because the Gamecocks can make you pay for mistakes and score in a hurry. Mizzou already had nine turnovers in that first half (although so did South Carolina). The Tigers actually matched, at a minimum, the pace, which really impressed me. I maintain that has been the biggest difference between this year and the past two: Cuonzo’s willingness to let his team get out and run and his players’ ability to execute. South Carolina’s whole game is scoring in transition; well, Mizzou is out-scoring the Gamecocks 15-5 in fast break points. The Tigers need to keep their foot on the gas for the full final 20 minutes.
We have a Mark Smith sighting! Smith looks like he’s broken out of his recent shooting slump. He’s 3-5 from three-point range and leads all scorers with 15 points so far. I thought he looked engaged and active on the offensive end before he knocked down his first three rather than letting his shot dictate everything else. If he can continue to have this kind of impact on a game, it would be massive for Mizzou. He has gone from totally disappearing at times to a floor-spreader you can’t ignore, which Missouri needed. He hit three of the team’s four threes in that first half.
Jeremiah Tilmon and Kobe Brown were also really impressive. Brown, fresh off what Cuonzo Martin called his best game in a Mizzou uniform, has eight points, three rebounds, and a nice assist when he ran the break after a steal. Tilmon has eight points and six rebounds and just one foul (which was questionable at best) in 16 minutes. It’s crazy how much attention South Carolina is paying him. He usually has two or three guys in the vicinity when he catches the ball on the low block, which is why having someone like Smith who can make shots on the floor as well is so important. Add it all together and Mizzou has 45 points in 20 minutes with just three free throws. That will do.
The one thing about South Carolina is you can’t get complacent and have a three- or four-minute stretch where you don’t score, because the Gamecocks can make you pay for mistakes and score in a hurry. Mizzou already had nine turnovers in that first half (although so did South Carolina). The Tigers actually matched, at a minimum, the pace, which really impressed me. I maintain that has been the biggest difference between this year and the past two: Cuonzo’s willingness to let his team get out and run and his players’ ability to execute. South Carolina’s whole game is scoring in transition; well, Mizzou is out-scoring the Gamecocks 15-5 in fast break points. The Tigers need to keep their foot on the gas for the full final 20 minutes.
