*I'm watching Mizzou basketball in syndication. Every game is identical. It's just a matter of whether the dagger comes with six minutes left or four or two. But it always comes. And the zero remains in the win column.
*It seems like every time Missouri has a chance to make a real difference making play they don't make it. Down one, Nick Honor misses an open three. Down one, Tamar Bates misses a wide open layup. Down one, Anthony Robinson misses a wide open three and an open layup. It's why they feel like they're close. But when they're in position to make the huge play, it just doesn't happen.
*The final difference making stretch came at 50-47. Nick Honor missed a three leading to a dunk. The next time down Noah Carter missed a three. The next time down Tamar Bates missed a three and Honor picked up a foul by diving on Wade Taylor who already had possession of the ball. Just too many empty possessions at a time when you had a chance. Story of the season really.
*Coming out of a timeout with six to shoot in a five point game, Missouri didn't get a shot off. Just an absolute killer. Tamar Bates had the ball on the block, was double teamed and threw it away. It's really a theme for this team. They have guys who get in the paint all over the place. But none of them do anything with it once they're there. Honestly they don't even look at the basket much of the time.
*Texas A&M shot 28.8% from the floor and won a basketball game in a high major conference. That defies belief.
*There were probably a few bad calls, but when every single team you play shoots five times as many free throws as you do, it's not them, it's you. That said, I'm not sure I've ever seen a game with a 36-10 free throw disparity. I'm not sure how that's even possible to be honest.
*Missouri battled to a near stalemate on the boards (41-35, but it was 35-34 at one point). Just watching the game it honestly seemed like they were getting murdered and constantly giving up offensive rebounds, but they managed to stay pretty even against one of the better rebounding teams they'll see.
*I feel like Jordan Butler is growing up. I'm not saying he's great yet, but he's got some fight and he's figuring it out.
*I have no idea why Jesus Carralero is on the floor in a five point game with 45 seconds left when you know you have to score and he's almost refused to look at the basket all night. However...
*I kept looking at the lineup on the floor thinking "I don't like this lineup." And then I'd look over at the bench and think "Well I don't know who the hell he should put in." This is a talent issue plain and simple. And I'm not saying Dennis Gates gets no blame for that. He does. He's the coach. But he had a really good first year and he's recruiting his ass off. He just missed this year. I don't know how many more times we can say it. On any given night, there's maybe two players he can count on. At some point it's rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It's not who he's playing or when he's playing them. He just doesn't have enough good players. Even the better players on this team are very limited. They're good in certain areas but really poor in others. There's just not a five man rotation he can put on the floor that you feel like puts Missouri at a talent advantage against anyone in this conference.
*It seems like every time Missouri has a chance to make a real difference making play they don't make it. Down one, Nick Honor misses an open three. Down one, Tamar Bates misses a wide open layup. Down one, Anthony Robinson misses a wide open three and an open layup. It's why they feel like they're close. But when they're in position to make the huge play, it just doesn't happen.
*The final difference making stretch came at 50-47. Nick Honor missed a three leading to a dunk. The next time down Noah Carter missed a three. The next time down Tamar Bates missed a three and Honor picked up a foul by diving on Wade Taylor who already had possession of the ball. Just too many empty possessions at a time when you had a chance. Story of the season really.
*Coming out of a timeout with six to shoot in a five point game, Missouri didn't get a shot off. Just an absolute killer. Tamar Bates had the ball on the block, was double teamed and threw it away. It's really a theme for this team. They have guys who get in the paint all over the place. But none of them do anything with it once they're there. Honestly they don't even look at the basket much of the time.
*Texas A&M shot 28.8% from the floor and won a basketball game in a high major conference. That defies belief.
*There were probably a few bad calls, but when every single team you play shoots five times as many free throws as you do, it's not them, it's you. That said, I'm not sure I've ever seen a game with a 36-10 free throw disparity. I'm not sure how that's even possible to be honest.
*Missouri battled to a near stalemate on the boards (41-35, but it was 35-34 at one point). Just watching the game it honestly seemed like they were getting murdered and constantly giving up offensive rebounds, but they managed to stay pretty even against one of the better rebounding teams they'll see.
*I feel like Jordan Butler is growing up. I'm not saying he's great yet, but he's got some fight and he's figuring it out.
*I have no idea why Jesus Carralero is on the floor in a five point game with 45 seconds left when you know you have to score and he's almost refused to look at the basket all night. However...
*I kept looking at the lineup on the floor thinking "I don't like this lineup." And then I'd look over at the bench and think "Well I don't know who the hell he should put in." This is a talent issue plain and simple. And I'm not saying Dennis Gates gets no blame for that. He does. He's the coach. But he had a really good first year and he's recruiting his ass off. He just missed this year. I don't know how many more times we can say it. On any given night, there's maybe two players he can count on. At some point it's rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It's not who he's playing or when he's playing them. He just doesn't have enough good players. Even the better players on this team are very limited. They're good in certain areas but really poor in others. There's just not a five man rotation he can put on the floor that you feel like puts Missouri at a talent advantage against anyone in this conference.
