1. When you're playing good teams, and make no mistake, SFA is a good (not great) team. I tend to look less at how the game was decided, but rather who won. Mizzou did. They had their faults, but they gutted it out. And for a team that had won 36 games since the end of the 2014 season, that's a big deal. That's what good teams do.
2. Yeah...they're an issue. No doubt about it. Mizzou turned it over 21 times, but somewhat mitigated that by forcing 13 (including the game decider; see below). -8 isn't where you want to be. It's a problem, it's likely to continue to be a problem. We lack a proven, reliable lead guard, and we're easily distracted from our half court sets with pressure. But let's take a deeper look. Mizzou has/will face the following teams, and their respective national rank in Defensive Turnover %:
1. Stephen F. Austin
2. West Virginia
3. St. John's
13. Illinois
That's 4 teams in the Non-conference that are elite. That's three teams that are the best in college basketball at turning over their opponents. And Mizzou has managed to go 2-1 against the top 3. And if you're wondering how our future opponents stack up:
15. Tennessee
25. MSU
36. USCe
78. Auburn
83. Arkansas
118. Florida
170. Alabama
174. Kentucky
186. LSU
253. Ole Miss
323. aTm
328. Georgia
334. Vandy
Whether it was intentional (probably not), or not, Mizzou has tested itself against teams that excel in turning over their opponents, which happens to be our biggest weakness. And you can certainly think that our future opponents will bring pressure...and probably won't be wrong...but if putting a defense on the floor that caused so many TO's was easy, everyone would be doing it. The teams we faced do it as an identity, and do it well.
3. Kassius. Stepped up big with two big baskets, took an ill-advised three, clanked two massive free throws...and still...stepped up and made the defensive play of the game to seal it. Props. That's what seniors do.
4 Assists. Despite our problems hanging on to the ball, Mizzou assisted 17 times on 24 makes. That's an impressive number. We share the ball exceptionally well...often with teams wearing both jersies.
5. Rebounds. Managed to win the battle 28-26, but considering SFA missed 13 more shots than we did, that's not good enough. I imagine more than anything, that will stick in Cuonzo's gut tonight. Mizzou had been good, but wasn't tonight.
6. Fouls/Free Throws. Missed 3 of the 4 biggest of the night. Made 22 of 23 before that. Was the difference in the game considering SFA only shot 13/17. SFA is a fouling machine. And partially due to Mizzou lacking the desire to attack, and more due to an inability for the officials to call a consistent game, SFA had 1 team foul at 10:00 remaining in the 2nd half. After Mizzou being in the double bonus at the 7:00 mark of the first half. No coincidentally, this is when they made their biggest push. Needs to be a teaching moment.
7. Ken Pomeroy has SFA favored in every remaining game except one, where he has them 1 point underdogs. It's very likely they'll finish with 27+ wins and likely the class of their league. They have tough 13 seed written all over them. May not be a win that gets you in the tournament, but it certainly won't hurt.
Epilogue: Mizzou has now matched their highest win total of the last 3 seasons, and has played 12 games. Yet, they still carry a 4 game loser at Scottrade. It's time to end that. And there was no better opponent to prepare Mizzou for Illinois (see above) than the one we faced tonight.
2. Yeah...they're an issue. No doubt about it. Mizzou turned it over 21 times, but somewhat mitigated that by forcing 13 (including the game decider; see below). -8 isn't where you want to be. It's a problem, it's likely to continue to be a problem. We lack a proven, reliable lead guard, and we're easily distracted from our half court sets with pressure. But let's take a deeper look. Mizzou has/will face the following teams, and their respective national rank in Defensive Turnover %:
1. Stephen F. Austin
2. West Virginia
3. St. John's
13. Illinois
That's 4 teams in the Non-conference that are elite. That's three teams that are the best in college basketball at turning over their opponents. And Mizzou has managed to go 2-1 against the top 3. And if you're wondering how our future opponents stack up:
15. Tennessee
25. MSU
36. USCe
78. Auburn
83. Arkansas
118. Florida
170. Alabama
174. Kentucky
186. LSU
253. Ole Miss
323. aTm
328. Georgia
334. Vandy
Whether it was intentional (probably not), or not, Mizzou has tested itself against teams that excel in turning over their opponents, which happens to be our biggest weakness. And you can certainly think that our future opponents will bring pressure...and probably won't be wrong...but if putting a defense on the floor that caused so many TO's was easy, everyone would be doing it. The teams we faced do it as an identity, and do it well.
3. Kassius. Stepped up big with two big baskets, took an ill-advised three, clanked two massive free throws...and still...stepped up and made the defensive play of the game to seal it. Props. That's what seniors do.
4 Assists. Despite our problems hanging on to the ball, Mizzou assisted 17 times on 24 makes. That's an impressive number. We share the ball exceptionally well...often with teams wearing both jersies.
5. Rebounds. Managed to win the battle 28-26, but considering SFA missed 13 more shots than we did, that's not good enough. I imagine more than anything, that will stick in Cuonzo's gut tonight. Mizzou had been good, but wasn't tonight.
6. Fouls/Free Throws. Missed 3 of the 4 biggest of the night. Made 22 of 23 before that. Was the difference in the game considering SFA only shot 13/17. SFA is a fouling machine. And partially due to Mizzou lacking the desire to attack, and more due to an inability for the officials to call a consistent game, SFA had 1 team foul at 10:00 remaining in the 2nd half. After Mizzou being in the double bonus at the 7:00 mark of the first half. No coincidentally, this is when they made their biggest push. Needs to be a teaching moment.
7. Ken Pomeroy has SFA favored in every remaining game except one, where he has them 1 point underdogs. It's very likely they'll finish with 27+ wins and likely the class of their league. They have tough 13 seed written all over them. May not be a win that gets you in the tournament, but it certainly won't hurt.
Epilogue: Mizzou has now matched their highest win total of the last 3 seasons, and has played 12 games. Yet, they still carry a 4 game loser at Scottrade. It's time to end that. And there was no better opponent to prepare Mizzou for Illinois (see above) than the one we faced tonight.
