-It's really good for Mizzou to see Noah Carter get a couple to fall early on. This is the best he's looked since November. The offense seemed to run smoother because he was making the defense pay when they left him alone. They need him to play like that every game in conference play.
-The perimeter defense has been atrocious. Nick Honor got put on skates at one point. Ant Robinson came up with some steals, but Georgia's guards were able to drive in way too easily. Mizzou usually sent a helped defender in off the weak side and the Bulldogs kicked it out to the open man and made a 3 just about every time. It's one thing if you want to leave bad shooters open. But you can't leave Georgia's two best shooters to do it. Mizzou's guards have to stay in front of their man.
-The offense hit another hitch midway through the first. Mizzou's ball-handlers weren't able to get inside as easily as Georgia's were. But I also just wonder about some of the lineups Dennis Gates was running out to try and fix the issue. He had Zeus, Aidan Shaw and Jordan Butler together at one point. How was that group supposed to score?
-Mizzou's biggest hang up all season has been that it takes too long to end those cold stretches. Once Tamar Bates hit the 3 to end the run, Georgia had jumped in front by 17. The Tigers made three shots for a 12-0 run right after that, so it's not like they were incapable of scoring. But why did it take so long for them to get a bucket? There's gotta be a better sense of urgency when the other team starts pulling away. That's the difference between having a lead at halftime instead of being down by a few points.
-Credit to Aidan Shaw for the comeback. He had the bucket at the rim after Bates' 3 that seemed to really energize the team. He had a block that led to a 3 for Carter and then a putback dunk on a fastbreak the next trip down. He's also dribbling again which is more than he was doing earlier this season. It feels like Gates gives up on him too easily sometimes - he'd gone through a long stretch off the floor before then and it's not because he was in foul trouble.
-If Missouri can keep its foot on the pedal the rest of the way, it'll win this game. Georgia seems pretty shell-shocked by that late comeback. But another cold spell could doom the Tigers.
-The perimeter defense has been atrocious. Nick Honor got put on skates at one point. Ant Robinson came up with some steals, but Georgia's guards were able to drive in way too easily. Mizzou usually sent a helped defender in off the weak side and the Bulldogs kicked it out to the open man and made a 3 just about every time. It's one thing if you want to leave bad shooters open. But you can't leave Georgia's two best shooters to do it. Mizzou's guards have to stay in front of their man.
-The offense hit another hitch midway through the first. Mizzou's ball-handlers weren't able to get inside as easily as Georgia's were. But I also just wonder about some of the lineups Dennis Gates was running out to try and fix the issue. He had Zeus, Aidan Shaw and Jordan Butler together at one point. How was that group supposed to score?
-Mizzou's biggest hang up all season has been that it takes too long to end those cold stretches. Once Tamar Bates hit the 3 to end the run, Georgia had jumped in front by 17. The Tigers made three shots for a 12-0 run right after that, so it's not like they were incapable of scoring. But why did it take so long for them to get a bucket? There's gotta be a better sense of urgency when the other team starts pulling away. That's the difference between having a lead at halftime instead of being down by a few points.
-Credit to Aidan Shaw for the comeback. He had the bucket at the rim after Bates' 3 that seemed to really energize the team. He had a block that led to a 3 for Carter and then a putback dunk on a fastbreak the next trip down. He's also dribbling again which is more than he was doing earlier this season. It feels like Gates gives up on him too easily sometimes - he'd gone through a long stretch off the floor before then and it's not because he was in foul trouble.
-If Missouri can keep its foot on the pedal the rest of the way, it'll win this game. Georgia seems pretty shell-shocked by that late comeback. But another cold spell could doom the Tigers.
