#POSTERIZED: The Perfect Storm

This is the perfect #POSTERIZED dunk.

1. A Backup forward throws down a nasty, borderline-filthy baseline one-hander in garbage time of a 40-point blowout.

2. Then earns a technical foul for taunting...during garbage time of a 40-blowout.

3. Entire bench starts to crack up.

4. Backup forward gets credited with both the dunk AND the assist.

ERROR. ERROR. DOES NOT COMPUTE.

That's exactly what Missouri backup forward Stefan Jankovic did during the late second half of a 37-point blowout victory over Alcorn State on Tuesday night.


I dare you to find me a more complete sequence of entertaining late-game events than this.

I dare you.

But was it as good as these?

Clancy Rugg - Vermont vs. UConn, 11/13
Jamari Traylor - Kansas vs. Michigan State, 11/13
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. St. John's, 11/13
Kris Brewer - Kent State vs. Temple, 11/13
Rakeem Christmas - Syracuse vs. San Diego State, 11/11
Deandre Daniels - UConn vs. Michigan State, 11/9
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Emporia State, 10/31
Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31

Continue reading...

Missouri beats Kansas after a controversial, 11-0 run to close the game

This season has featured a change to the block/charge rule.

In an effort to prevent weak-side defenders from planting themselves under the rim to try and draw a charge, the NCAA has put in a charge circle. Its not quite as far out as the NBA's charge circle, but its there, and its something new that college refs have to pay attention too. As much as in any season that I can remember, people have been complaining about the inconsistency of this call in the college game, and the thinking is that it is because the refs aren't used to having to determine where a player's feet are at the same time they have to decide if that player is in good defensive position.

Why am I bringing this up?
Continue reading...

Previewing your college hoops weekend: The final year of The Border War?

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 8 Kansas @ No. 4 Missouri

Let's put this game in a vacuum. Let's pretend that Missouri hasn't turned into a top five team and that Kansas has struggled this season with their two-man attack. This game would still be must-see TV. Why? Because this could be the last time that these two teams meet in Mizzou Arena for a long time. The Border War is one of the most heated rivalries in the country, but with Missouri's decision to head to the SEC next season, what little friendliness existed between the two schools is all but gone. The environment at this game is guaranteed to be absolutely electric, a fact that is only going to be magnified by Gameday's appearance in Columbia.

But this game doesn't occur in a vacuum. The fact of the matter is that these are two of the best teams in the country, with both having legitimate Final Four aspirations. That is sure to make things even more intense.
Continue reading...

Michael Dixon shines again, but does he top the list of sixth men?

Missouri was struggling Monday night in Austin.

With Marcus Denmon shooting 3-12 from the field, Kim English struggling to get himself open and Phil Pressey turning the ball over, the Tigers needed a spark, and they got it from the man they rely on to be a game-changer. Michael Dixon scored 21 points on 9-10 shooting from the floor, sparking two different runs that push Missouri's lead into double figures. After Texas made a run and took the lead in the final minute, it was Dixon's driving layup that won the game for the Tigers.

He may be Missouri's fourth-leading scorer at 12.1 ppg, but he's yet to start a game this season, playing 25.1 mpg as the change of pace that Frank Haith uses.
Continue reading...

Pics/Vids: Game 8: Missouri vs. Texas A&M

Monday, January 16th
Mizzou Arena, University of Missouri
Missouri 70, Texas A&M 51

Game 7 - Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
Game 6 - Marquette vs. Pittsburgh
Game 5 - Butler vs. Cleveland State
Game 4 - Indiana vs. Minnesota
Game 3 - Xavier vs. Duquesne
Game 2 - Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Game 1 - Belmont vs. Lipscomb

Continue reading...

#BIAHRoadTrip The Diary Part XI: Troy's grumpiness, a night out in Columbia and Henry, our cab driver

5:15 pm Day 14
University Plaza Hotel
Springfield, MO
Total Miles: 2461

Road Trip Part-I
Road Trip Part-II
Road Trip Part-III
Road Trip Part-IV
Road Trip Part-V
Road Trip Part-VI
Road Trip Part-VII
Road Trip Part-VIII
Road Trip Part-IX
Road Trip Part-X

This post is brought to you by the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, MO.

As hard as it is to believe, we made it into Columbia, MO, in one piece.

And so did Troy's car. (We still haven't gone to get it serviced, but it stopped shaking and there are still no lights on.)
Continue reading...

Missouri's seasons been a success, but the Tigers aren't satisfied

You can find the rest of the features from the #BIAHRoadTrip here.

This post is brought to you by the La Quinta Inn in Columbia, MO.

COLUMBIA, MO - No team in the country has had to deal with more turmoil over the last year than the Missouri Tigers.

Think about this: after a disappointing finish to the 2011 season -- one that saw the Tigers end up 8-8 in Big 12 play and back in CoMo after the first round of the NCAA Tournament -- Mizzou had not one, but two long and drawn out coaching decisions. After Mike Anderson finally stopped leading Missouri on by accepting the Arkansas job, Matt Painter wavered on his decision before ultimately staying put at Purdue.

Then came the Frank Haith hire and the subsequent barrage of criticism, followed by the flirtation of a couple players with the NBA Draft before, ultimately, July appeared to finally bring the Tigers some continuity.

Or so we thought.
Continue reading...

The Emery Board: Featuring Chane Benhanan

This weekly column is in honor of BYU's Jackson Emery, who, for two straight seasons, claimed his squad would go undefeated and win the National Championship. Unfortunate for Jackson, his statements never really panned out. In 2009-2010, BYU went 30-6 and lost to Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2010-2011, they finished 32-5, and lost to Florida in the Sweet-16. So, in those two years, BYU lost 11 games compared to Emery's projected total of zero, won zero National Championships, and in fact, didn't even win the the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

We were going to put the Emery Board to sleep this season. But thanks to Louisville freshman Chane Behanhan, this post has been giving new life.

If you remember correctly, about a week ago, the freshman forward stated that the Cardinals would not lose a single game this season, and that his team is the best in the country.

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March.

The Emery Board: 5th Edition
Marquette dropped off the Emery Board thanks to a shaky performance at LSU. Louisville barely made it through the week undefeated, as they were given stern tests from Charleston and Western Kentucky. As conference play heats up, the Emery Board will get smaller and smaller. This week is loaded with a couple of very important games featuring undefeated teams. Will any of them suffer from the post-Holiday hangover?

No.1 Syracuse (13-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. Seton Hall (11-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. Seton Hall (11-1)

Syracuse continues to play steady ball, easily handling Bucknell and Tulane this past week. Their game against Seton Hall should be a dandy. The Pirates have played much better than anybody expected, and have been flying way below the radar. The match-up between Herb Pope and whoever the Orange throw at him will be very interesting. I can see Fab Melo, James Southerland and Rakeem Christmas all taking shots at Pope, but I'm not sure which of the group will be able to shut him down. That being said, the Pirates don't have nearly as many weapons as the Orange, so conventional wisdom suggests that the 'Cuse should win. But this is a Big East game, so you never know what may happen.



No.4 Louisville (10-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. No.12 Georgetown (10-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. No.12 Georgetown (10-1)

If anybody on Louisville going to make a bonehead statement, it makes sense that it was the freshman Benhanan. After all, he has yet to play a single Big East conference game. And wouldn't you know, the Cardinals get a top-15 opponent in their first conference game of the year. See Chane, this is what the Big East is like, and if your team struggled with Charleston and Western Kentucky, Georgetown might be the team to make you eat your words. But lets say Louisville does beat Georgetown, which they more then capable of doing, they get No.3 Kentucky on New Year's Ever in the only rivalry game in the country as tumultuous as the Crosstown Shootout. With what we saw from Louisville last week, I just can't put a lot of faith in them to enter the New Year with a "goose egg" in the loss column.



No.6 Baylor (12-0)
Next game: 12/28 vs. No.14 Mississippi State (12-1)
First realistic loss: 12/28 vs. No.14 Mississippi State (12-1)

The Bears are in the toughest portion of their non-conference schedule. They haven't looked uber-dominant, but they were able to beat a game BYU team in Provo, and beat Saint Mary's and West Virginia on a neutral court. Now comes their toughest test of the season: No.14 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs feature a front-court with enough size to give the bears some struggles, and back-court play could be the difference-maker in this game. If Pierre Jackson can come up large, as he did against BYU (game-clinching block) and WVU (game-winning shot), the Bears should squeak by with a victory.



No.8 Missouri (12-0)
Next game: 12/30 at Old Dominion (6-6)
First realistic loss: 12/30 at Old Dominion (6-6)

Realistically, Missouri should run through Old Dominion on New Year's Eve. But Blaine Taylor's squad is seasoned and tested. The Monarchs aren't nearly as good as they were two years ago, but this setting has all the makings of a trap game. The Tigers just defeated their "Border War" rivals Illinois last week, they had the holiday weekend off, and they start Big-XII play next week. If there was ever a time to catch Mizzou sleeping, it would be now. But let's say Missouri wins, which I expect them to do. It's possible that the Tigers are the last undefeated team standing. They start Big-XII play against Oklahoma, Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas. While that's not exactly an easy start, it's not a murder's row either. This team has showed very few weaknesses thus far, and I could totally see the Tigers being undefeated heading in to their 12/21 showdown with Baylor in Waco.



No.13 Indiana (12-0)
Next game: 12/28 at No.17 Michigan State (11-2)
First realistic loss: 12/28 at No.17 Michigan State (11-2)

The Hoosier's had cupcakes for Christmas, as they faced Howard (4-9) and UMBC (1-10). Indiana waxed the east coast teams by a combined score of 196-97. But the non-conference schedule is over, and the Hoosiers begin Big-Ten play with a murder's row: at No.17 Michigan State, No.2 Ohio State on New Year's Eve, and No.16 Michigan. The Hoosiers have been a pleasant surprise thus far, but I'm 100% confident that they will lose one of their next three games.



No.22 Murray State (13-0)
Next game: 12/30 at Eastern Illinois (6-5)
First realistic loss: 12/30 at Eastern Illinois (6-5)

So here we are. Murray State has finished their non-conference schedule and still has not been defeated, they are clearly the best team in the Ohio Valley Conference and will be the favorites in every game they play. But, like I said last week, they will be getting the best shot from every team they play. They will get more TV coverage, more publicity, more everything. I think Murray State will lose a game this year. In fact, I'm nearly sure of it. But I have exactly no idea which game it will be.



Bottom of the Barrel


Run The Floor did a good job breaking down the teams that have yet to notch a victory this year. I suggest you give their site a good-read, but not before you read our stuff first.


Binghamton (0-10)
Next game: 12/28 at Canisius (2-9)
First real chance to win: 12/28 at Canisius (2-9)

Chicago State (0-13)
Next game: 12/31 at Ball State (6-4)
First real chance to win: 1/15 vs. St. Francis (Ill) (Non-DI)

Grambling State (0-9)
Next game: 12/29 at LSU (9-3)
First real chance to win: 1/3 vs. Alabama State (2-9)

Hartford (0-11)
Next game: 12/31 at LaSalle (8-4)
First real chance to win: 1/15 at Binghamton (0-10)

Northern Illinois (0-11)
Next game: 1/2 vs. Roosevelt (Non-DI)
First real chance to win: 1/2 vs. Roosevelt (Non-DI)

Towson (0-12)
Next game: 12/30 vs. No.24 Virginia (10-1)
First real chance to win: 1/2 vs. Northeastern (3-7)

Continue reading...

The Emery Board: Chane Behanan Edition

Dear Louisville freshman Chane Behanan,

Thank You.

Sincerely,

Locker room bulletin boards everywhere


For now, this weekly post will remain as "The Emery Board", but a new title could be coming soon, and it's all thanks to the first-year forward.

You see, Louisville just beat Memphis this weekend in a tough non-conference affair to remain undefeated at 10-0, good enough to land them at No.4 in the AP/Coaches Poll. But according to Behanan, the Cardinals are better than that. His team is the best team in the country:
Continue reading...

The Emery Board

This weekly column is in honor of BYU's Jackson Emery, who, for two straight seasons, claimed his squad would go undefeated and win the National Championship.

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March.

The Emery Board: 3rd Edition
After a roller-coaster weekend, we are left with just nine undefeated teams. Indiana remains undefeated thanks to a game-winning three point buzzer-beater by Christian Watford. Murray State stayed in the mix with a strong road victory at Memphis. Plus, there was the Crosstown Brawl. How does that effect Xavier's unbeaten record?


No.1 Syracuse (10-0)
Next game: 12/17 at North Carolina State (6-3)
First realistic loss: 12/17 at North Carolina State (6-3)

The Orange have looked down-right impressive this season. Fab Melo has improved by leaps and bounds, and the Orange sport one of the deepest benches in the country. Plus, all the distractions with the Bernie Fine investigation have yet to rattle this bunch. But they've also yet to play a true road game, and will receive a stern test from North Carolina State this Saturday.


No.4 Louisville (9-0)
Next game: 12/17 vs. Memphis (5-3)
First realistic loss: 12/17 vs. Memphis (5-3)

The Cardinals rolled through IUPUI and FDU this past week, and have a tough non-conference game against Memphis on the horizon. Gorgui Deing has been very impressive this year, and Kyle Kuric continues to improve as one of the leaders of this team. And remember, this team continues to fight the injury bug. With games against Georgetown and Kentucky down the road, it's unlikely they will stay undefeated for long, but this team should be considered a real threat to contend for a Final-Four bid.


No.7 Baylor (7-0)
Next game: 12/14 vs. Bethune-Cookman (3-4)
First realistic loss: 12/23 vs. West Virginia (6-2)

The Bears didn't play last week, and don't face any real competition until 12/22 when they play Saint Mary's. But that starts a tough stretch against quality teams, with West Virginia, Mississippi State and Texas A&M to follow. Guard-play and coaching will continue to be the team's question-marks. Can Pierre Jackson and A.J Walton get it done? And can Scott Drew actually coach this team up during late game situations? We should have some answers once 2012 rolls around.


No.8 Missouri (9-0)
Next game: 12/15 vs. Kennesaw State (2-5)
First realistic loss: 12/22 vs. No.19 Illinois (10-0)

This team continues to impress. The Tigers have yet to score less than 80 points in a game, and while rebounding will continue to be a question, the team's chemistry and efficiency will get them by. Phil Pressey is emerging as one of the best guards in the country, and if Kim English can continue to shoot well from outside, teams will have serious match-up problems. This team has rallied behind Frank Haith, and the results thus far have been tremendous. Illinois' seven-footer Meyers Leonard will provide Missouri with a tough match-up, but if the Tigers can defeat the Illini, it's likely they remain undefeated heading into the new year.


No.9 Xavier (8-0)
Next game: 12/18 vs. Oral Roberts (6-3)
First realistic loss: 12/18 vs. Oral Roberts (6-3)

If you spent your weekend under a rock, you might be confused as to why Oral Roberts has a chance to beat an undefeated, top-10 team. But due to the Crosstown Brawl, Xavier will be without their three best players for this game. While the length of suspensions are down-right embarrassing, this team is scary-good when they have all their horses on the court. After Oral Roberts, they play Long Beach State and Gonzaga. I have to imagine Xavier will lose one of the next three games. If not, then we have to start considering this team as a legitimate Final-Four contender.


No.11 Marquette (9-0)
Next game: 12/17 vs. Northern Colorado (3-5)
First realistic loss: 12/29 vs. No.25 Vanderbilt (6-3)

The Golden Eagles may be the most entertaining team in the country. They have a variety of weapons and role players, and one of the most talented coaches in the country. But injuries have started to pile up in the past week. Center Chris Otule will miss significant time with an ACL injury. Plus, freshman Juan Anderson injured his shoulder during practice and sophomore Jamil Wilson sprained his ankle late in the week. Marquette has a tough stretch of games towards the end of the month, and probably will suffer a defeat before January first. Nonetheless, this team is really talented and should be considered a legitimate Final-Four contender.


No.19 Illinois (10-0)
Next game: 12/17 vs. UNLV (9-2)
First realistic loss: 12/17 vs. UNLV (9-2)

Did any of us expect Illinois to be undefeated at this point in the season? If your answer is no, you're clearly lying. Center Meyers Leonard has been playing inspired basketball as of late, and transfer Sam Maniscalco has stepped up as well. This is a much different team than last year. The departures of Demetri McCamey and Jereme Richmond have made this team more cohesive and while they aren't uber-talented, they are a rough, tough team that will be a difficult out.


No.20 Indiana (9-0)
Next game: 12/17 vs. Notre Dame (7-4)
First realistic loss: 12/28 at Michigan State (8-2)

Christian Watford's buzzer-beating, game-winning three pointer against Kentucky has been the signature moment of the season. Indiana came into the contest undefeated but untested, and with the victory, Tom Crean got a career-defining win. This team has a superstar center in Cody Zeller, some big-time athletes in Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo, and a bunch of veteran leadership. A let down will come at some point, but for now, this team should be given all the praise in the world.


Murray State (9-0)
Next game: 12/15 vs. Lipscomb (6-5)
First realistic loss: 12/30 at Eastern Illinois (6-3)

The Racers passed their first real test of the season, a road victory over Memphis. With all their tough non-conference games out of the way, the Racers have set themselves up to make a run at finishing the season undefeated. That might sound ridiculous, but no team in the Ohio Valley Conference is as talented as them, and if they can avoid a significant letdown, going undefeated isn't out of the realm of possibility.



Bottom of the Barrel

Binghamton (0-7)
Next game: 12/17 at Hofstra (3-7)
First real chance to win: 1/5 vs. Stony Brook (3-5)

Chicago State (0-9)
Next game: 12/14 at Wichita State (7-2)
First real chance to win: 12/17 at Loyola (IL) (2-7)

Grambling State (0-6)
Next game: 12/18 at Texas Tech (4-4)
First real chance to win: 1/3 vs. Alabama State (2-6)

Hartford (0-10)
Next game: 1221 at Marist (4/5)
First real chance to win: 1/15 at Binghamton (0-7)

Morgan State (0-7)
Next game: 12/14 at UMBC (1-7)
First real chance to win: 12/14 at UMBC (1-7)

Northern Illinois (0-8)
Next game: 12/14 vs. DePaul (6-3)
First real chance to win: 12/17 vs. Southern Illinois (1-5)

Towson (0-9)
Next game: 12/14 at Coppin State (3-5)
First real chance to win: 12/14 at Coppin State (3-5)



Continue reading...

The difference for Missouri this year: they are a team

NEW YORK - The Missouri Tigers had a reputation under Mike Anderson, one that only four words were needed to describe.

"40 Minutes of Hell."

Using the defense taught to him by Nolan Richardson, the legendary Arkansas head coach, the Tiger's would press for the entirety of the game, trapping in the back court and looking to wear down their opponents. But the plan backfired; instead of wearing down their opponents, the style that Anderson wanted to play began wearing on his team.

"Last year was miserable," Kim English said in the bowels of Madison Square Garden as he hobnobbed with famous faces like ESPN's John Anderson and Michael Kim and former player Zaire Taylor. "This year, we're just college buddies playing basketball. Just like five dudes at the rec, we just happen to be on a big stage every night."


It looked like it. Between the smiles that were flashed on the court and the way that this team shares the ball and picks each other up, its quite obvious that this group genuinely enjoys competing together. They are, undoubtedly, a team.

And that right there is the biggest difference between this season and last season.

Its no secret that this group did not enjoy their final year under the tutelage of Mike Anderson. The combination of a short leash, a deep bench and unacceptability of making a mistake made it difficult for the players on this team to get into a rhythm. When a player is getting yanked for missing a shot, it doesn't exactly allow anyone to a) get into a rhythm or b) focus on making the shot instead of being concerned whether they are headed for the bench if they miss.

Basketball is a difficult sport when you spend the game looking over your shoulder.

"The style of play we have is fun," Marcus Denmon, Missouri's leading scorer who put on a show as he hit six threes en route to a game-high 28 points against Villanova, told reporters after the game. "The guys we have on this team, we all get along on the floor and off the floor."

Where last season this group played for themselves, this team plays for each other.

"Its the most unselfish team I've played on, or seen on TV," Ricardo Ratliffe said after the game. Ratliffe finished with 17 points and 11 boards and was 8-8 from the field. If you think that 8-8 shooting is impressive, try this stat on for size: Ratliffe has made 30 of his last 32 field goal attempts. And while it would be easy to commend him for being one of the most efficient big men in the country, a lot of the credit for those shooting numbers has to fall in the lap of this team's playmakers, Michael Dixon and Phil Pressey. Its easy to shoot that well when the ball is given to you in front of the rim.

"Its just a blessing to play with this many selfless guys," Ratliffe added.

Pressey and Dixon are the guys that make this team go, and its not because of their ability to score. Those two dominated this game. They controlled the pace, pushing in transition when the opportunity presented itself and pulling back and executing the Tiger's half court offense when the numbers weren't there. How often can you say that a back court dominated the game when they shoot 3-21 from the floor?

Because that's exactly what Dixon and Pressey did. And while this was an off game for them scoring wise -- neither is anywhere near that poor of a scorer -- the selflessness this team exhibits is a direct result of those two accepting the fact that their role is to create. Combined, they finished with 19 assists and just four turnovers.

"I just want to get my shooters the ball where they need to be," Pressey said. "Get my big men the ball, keep everyone happy. If they're happy, they're going to play defense."

To be perfectly honest, the way that this Missouri team plays isn't all that different from the way last year's team played. They don't run a full court press anymore, but they still play a ball-hawking style of defense. With guys like the Presseys -- both Phil and his older brother, Matt -- Dixon and Marcus Denmon, Frank Haith as a quarter of terrific perimeter defenders They pick up at half court and immediately get into their man. They make it difficult to run sets by forcing the offense to play so far out. That ball pressure makes it difficult for their opponents to get the ball into the post, helping to nullify the size disadvantage Missouri faces when they play English, a natural two-guard that stands just 6'6", at the power forward spot.

And, if you can believe it, this team actually plays more in transition than they did a year ago. According to Synergy, they've upped their number of possessions in transition from 17.7% a year ago to 20.8% heading into Tuesday night's game.

The difference lies in what happens in the half court. When the quick shot isn't there, the Tigers aren't afraid to pull the ball out and run their half court sets. That's where the true change has been made. Missouri is still plays one of the faster paces in the country, but the number of possessions they have is down from 72 per game last year (14th most in the country) to 70 per game (43rd in the country). With their point guards buying into Haith's offensive system, the Tigers are capable of being a surgical team in the half court. Last year's 0.893 PPP in half court sets has been bumped to 1.105 PPP heading into Tuesday's game.

They run to offense, but they aren't afraid to run their offense when they don't get a layup.

"We know that if we keep moving the ball as a team we will get good shots," Denmon said.
Continue reading...

Missouri's impressive start to the year

I don't think anyone truly expected what we saw out of Missouri at the CBE Classic in Kansas City this week.

The Tigers started out the week on Monday with an impressive, 87-58 win over Notre Dame. But no one truly expected the Irish to be all that good this season, so the win didn't exactly resonate nationally. Tuesday's performance did. The Tigers abused Pac-12 favorite Cal, winning 92-53.

It was thoroughly dominating. In the two games, Missouri shot 58.5% from the floor. They shot 42.9% from three and 66.2% from inside the arc. They outscored the Bears and the Irish 179-111. Break that down into tempo-free numbers, and Mizzou posted 1.28 PPP while giving up just 0.80 PPP.

I think that we can confidently say that this team is going to be able to score and capable of defending again this season.


Their system is slightly different this season, however. Where as under Mike Anderson Missouri would be pressing for 40 minutes a game, this year's Tigers play tough, physical and pressuring man-to-man defense in the half court. Between Michael Dixon, Phil Pressey and Marcus Denmon, there are always going to be three guards on the floor that are, simply put, pure-bred ball-hawks. They don't really have any shotblockers inside, but so Missouri is going to have to rely on their help-side defense and their ability to draw charges to help protect the rim.

Last night, Kim English drew four charges in the first 14 minutes, and all four were on shots that went in. Jorge Gutierrez committed two of the charges. You don't think that Cal could have used those eight points and would have wanted their best player on the floor and out of foul trouble?

Offensively, this team is just as dangerous as they have always been. Pressey and Dixon are both excellent creators off the dribble that can stick open jumpers. Matt Pressey is known more for his defense, but he's capable of hitting a jumper with space. Ricardo Ratliffe is a land-warrior, but he can rebound and score on the block as well as anyone in the Big 12 this side of Thomas Robinson. And, of course, there's Denmon, who is one of the most lethal pure shooters in the country.

The x-factor for this team, however, is going to be English. At 6'6", English is a talented wing that uses his ability to shoot the three to set up his dribble-drive. But what makes him all the more important this season is that he will be playing the four as Laurence Bowers' knee injury has forced Haith to utilize a four guard lineup.

So far, the results have been position. English is averaging 16.0 ppg while shooting a ridiculous 60.0% from beyond the arc. He's finally playing with the confidence that he lost as a junior, and he's thriving. He creates a matchup problem for any opponent because of his ability to shoot the ball; he's going to be defended by power forwards for much of the season. And while his strength isn't penetrating off the dribble, he can go by just about any power forward in the country.

Perhaps the most important aspect to this Missouri team is that they share the basketball. There are a myriad of offensive weapons, but they aren't going 1-on-1 on every possession. The ball moves quickly and players attack when they have an opening, not when they haven't taken a shot for a couple of possessions. Some of that likely has to do with the fact that the Tigers aren't as deep. Every player on the roster knows that they can make a mistake and stay in the game, partially because Mike Anderson is gone and partially due to the fact that the Tigers just aren't all that deep.

The issue is going to be on the glass. Missouri game up 17 offensive rebounds to a Cal team that has their own issues on the interior, and its tough to blame English. He's being forced to play out of position. If Haith needs to go big, he can bring in Kadeem Green and Steve Moore alongside Ratliffe, but that limits how dangerous Missouri can be offensively.

English doesn't even need to get the rebounds himself. As long as he is making sure that his man is staying off of the glass, Denmon, Dixon and both of the Presseys are very capable at swooping in and grabbing a board.

After seeing both Kansas and Texas A&M in person the past week, I believe this Big 12 is going to be wide open this year. Anyone can win.

And even with Bowers injured, that includes Missouri as well.
Continue reading...

Missouri helps raise $100,000 for Joplin

Missouri beat Missouri Southern 114-68 on Sunday night, but the final score wasn't what mattered.

The $100,000 did.

That's what the game, dubbed the One State, One Spirit Classic, raised for Joplin, MO, the town where Missouri Southern is located. Its also the town that was absolutely devastated by an F5 tornado on May 22nd, a storm that killed 116 people and completely wiped sections of Joplin off the map. Missouri Southern is not a bad basketball team -- they are ranked in the top five in Division II and have a couple of players that looked like they could get minutes for the Tigers -- but this game wasn't played for the competition, as Dana O'Neil explains:

Each person in the sellout crowd represented a donation, as did the T-shirts sold at the concessions and the commemorative chairs auctioned during the game. More than money, though, Missouri brought a welcome distraction for a community that is still clearing debris and rebuilding five months later. When Haith dreamed up this game, he did it with the attention of redirecting attention back to Joplin once the news trucks left and the next big story came along.

And that's precisely what this game did, even briefly. The news cycle keeps on spinning, so while all the attention was on Joplin when the storm struck, eventually the stories get repetitive and news breaks elsewhere. People move on and forget, and that's something that Frank Haith didn't to let happen.

He gets the credit for this game, by the way. It was his idea to play this game and his effort to get it cleared by the NCAA.

So with that in mind, we will link you to two must-read stories on the disaster -- Dana O'Neil's and Luke Dittrich's.

In terms of actual basketball, Phil Pressey and Mike Dixon both played well in the back court, but Missouri's Achilles' heel was abundantly clear. Without Laurence Bowers, they are small. Kim English played a lot of four last night, and while he held his own, only time will tell if the same will be true in the meat of the Big 12 schedule. The potential is there for this team to be successful, but its going to depend on how well they are able to make up for that lack of size inside.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 21 Missouri Tigers

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 23-11, 8-8 (t- 5th Big 12), lost to Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Frank Haith

Key Losses: Mike Anderson, Justin Safford, Ricky Kreklow, Laurence Bowers

Newcomers: Frank Haith, Tony Lester, Kadeem Green

Projected Lineup:

- G: Phil Pressey, So.
- G: Marcus Denmon, Sr.
- F: Kim English, Sr.
- F: Ricardo Ratiffe, Sr.
- C: Steve Moore, Sr.
- Bench: Michael Dixon, Jr.; Kadeem Green, Fr.; Matt Pressey, Sr.


Outlook: Missouri was a bit of a disappointment last season. The Tigers returned a ton of talent from a team that won 22 games in 2009-2010 and went 10-6 in the Big 12. They started out the year ranked in the top 15 and climbed as high as No. 8 in the country at one point during non-conference play. But Missouri was never able to iron out their wrinkles. For starters, the Tigers were hit or miss defensively. While they were ninth in the country at forcing turnovers -- and probably the best in the country at forcing turnovers that led to wide open layups -- they struggled to force an opponent into a tough shot if their press was beaten, and were even worse when it came to the defensive glass, ranking 317th in the country in defensive effective FG%. While they were able to win their games at home, the Tigers went just 1-7 on the road in league play.

This season, however, with Frank Haith at the helm instead of Mike Anderson and his '40 Minutes of Hell' defense, the Tigers are going to be a team that plays much different. The good news is that the players on the roster are talented enough that they will be able to survive playing a different, more controlled style. The bad news is that they lost arguably their most important piece in Laurence Bowers.

Bowers tore his acl playing pickup in October and will miss the season, and there is a valid argument to be made that he was the most valuable player on this roster. On a team that doesn't have too much depth in the front court, Bowers was their second leading scorer last season and their leading rebounder and shot-blocker. A lanky, 6'8" power forward with some serious athleticism, Bowers was the most versatile defender on their roster, the perfect compliment to Ricardo Ratliffe on the front line.

Without him, Missouri will have a massive hole at the four spot. Ratliffe should be fine in the post, and may actually be better off playing in a slower system. He's a big body and a guy that has the ability to score on the block. He'll need to become a bigger presence on the glass this season, but he should be one of the better big man in the conference this season. Senior Steve Moore should get the first crack alongside Ratliffe, and while Moore was productive in limited minutes, it will be interesting to see how the 270 lb career reserve reacts to playing significant minutes for the first time in his career. The only other option up front will be Kadeem Green, a redshirt freshman from Canada with a similar physical profile to Bowers. Moore and Green are now the most important players on this roster.

Missouri's perimeter attack is going to be loaded. It starts with Marcus Denmon, an explosive scorer and sharpshooter at the off-guard spot. Denmon is one of the more underrated guards in the country and a guy that the stat gurus love. He was the 19th most efficient player in the country a season ago thanks to he sniper-esque 44.8% from long range, his impressive shot-selection and the fact that he doesn't turn the ball over. He averaged 17.2 ppg as a sophomore, so it will be tough to ask him for more, but the Tigers may end up needing it.


Joining him on the perimeter will be Kim English, a 6'6" wing that had a season-long shooting slump last year. Mizzou will be counting heavily on him to return to his sophomore year form. If English can iron out the kinks in his jumper, he gives Missouri three players that are capable of going for 20 points on a given night. English may also be counted on to play bigger this season, as there will probably be times when he has to play the four spot if Haith is forced to use four guards. Another senior, Matt Pressey, rounds out the perimeter rotation.

Missouri also has two quality point guards on their roster in sophomore Phil Pressey, Matt's younger brother, and junior Michael Dixon. Pressey is the smaller of the two, but he's a lightening quick point guard that can get into the lane and create. Dixon is a better scorer and shooter than Pressey. Dixon isn't a big point guard, but he has more size than Pressey and is better at drawing contact in the paint. As a combination, they give Missouri a very good point guard rotation. Don't be surprised when you see them on the court together at the same time.

The Tigers will have a different feel than they have in the past, but they do have the talent to contend for the Big 12 title. That will be a more difficult task without Bowers, but its possible if English turns back into the scorer he was a sophomore and the Tigers get better both on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass.
Continue reading...

Rivalry games and why not playing them is bad business, literally

The latest in conference realignment talk -- which is a long way from finishing its spin cycle -- centers around Missouri and their not-so-subtle efforts to get into the SEC. This news comes just days after the Big 12 seemingly had created stability in a league on shaky legs by agreeing to pooling the money made off of Tier I and Tier II media rights and through a six-year grant of rights to the conference.

As you might imagine, Kansas head coach Bill Self was less than thrilled with this news, and I don't blame him one bit. He's the head coach of one of the biggest, most popular and most influential basketball programs in the country at Kansas, but since his school is lacking in football success and tradition, most projections of the eventuality of super-conferences have the Jayhawks on the outside looking in. Missouri jumping ship to the SEC, thus further weakening the Big 12, would make that inevitability one step closer.


"To me it's a great rivalry, one of the best in college basketball without question, but I don't think I would be interested in having a once a year game like I did when I was at Illinois, playing Missouri," Self told the Journal-World on Tuesday night.

"I could probably change my mind (but) trust me, we would have no trouble finding another non-league game to play. I love the rivalry. Playing home and home in the league is great and all those things ... (but) I can't imagine, why would we continue playing? If they choose to be somewhere other than with us and with the other schools that they’ve been a part of and could jeopardize the future of the other schools ... I'm not going to make a commitment now that we'd ever play again. I'm not saying we won't. I'm certainly not going to pretend that we would."

I strongly suggest you click and read through that link if you haven't already. Self is pissed, and if that's him holding back in the media, I'd hate to be the guy that committed four turnovers in the first half during one of his halftime lectures.

Now, it goes without saying that the worst part of this process of conference expansion is the death of rivalries, and The Border War is one of the best there is. It has been played uninterrupted since 1907, with Kansas leading the series 171-94. But this rivalry isn't just a case of two teams having played a lot of games over the years or a number of great games in recent seasons. And this isn't a case of one school simply not liking the other school.

The rivalry between the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri stems from the rivalry between the state of Kansas and the state of Missouri, which dates all the way back to before the Civil War. When our country was being settled and people were starting to spread out west, tensions rose between the two over the issue of slavery -- Missouri was a slave state while Kansas was a free state. The conflict turned bloody, particularly during the War.


Games between the two schools are always going to be heated. It doesn't matter if the teams involved are in a position to compete for a league title, because a .500 season can be defined with a win in the Border War. That's what a true rivalry is all about.

And taking that away from the fans because one school or one coach is butthurt over their rival's luck in landing a spot at the cool kid's table is not only a shame, but it would be dumb and shortsighted.

I'm calling out Bill Self here because he is the guy whose quotes made the rounds on the blogs this afternoon, but the same can be said for everyone on in the athletic departments and coaching staffs at schools like Texas and Texas A&M, or Syracuse and Georgetown, or Pitt and West Virginia.

Conference realignment has only stoked the flames of each of the four rivalries I've mentioned in this post. Georgetown fans are pissed that their program, which was a major reason that Big East basketball became the Big East basketball that we know and love today, is going to eventually be relegated to playing in a Catholic League that's on par with the Atlantic 10. Pitt and Syracuse fans are pissed their team is getting blamed for the death of the Big East when they simply made a move that everyone else would have made. West "f*cking" Virginia fans are pissed that Pitt was able to find a comfortable landing spot while they are getting denied by the SEC and the ACC. Texas A&M fans are pissed about the Longhorn Network while Texas fans are pissed Aggie fans are pissed about the Longhorn Network.

And all of that gets thrown on top of the hatred that already exists between the two schools. Think about the anticipation that would lead up to those games if they are only played once every season. Think about how many tickets would be sold. Think about how many folks would watch the games at home. Think about how many gimmicky t-shirts and bumper stickers and hats and posters can be sold.

This is supposed to be all about money, right? We are destroying the fiber of our collegiate athletics system because these schools are trying to make a quick buck, amirite?

So why would they pass up on a marketing opportunity like this? Because they are are pissed at each other? Because the opposite sides of the rivalry is holding a grudge against one another?

If people were smart, they would capitalize here, turning anger into a more intense rivalry, and those rivalry games into a more profitable event.

But if people were smart, we probably wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
Continue reading...

Laurence Bowers tears acl, Mizzou's Big 12 title hopes take a hit

Its now official.

Missouri forward Laurence Bowers will miss the rest of the season after tearing an acl in a pickup game on Monday afternoon.

This is just difficult news for an outstanding young man and representative of our athletics department," head coach Frank Haith said in a statement a couple hours after news of the injury broke. "I have had a chance to talk with Laurence a few times and he is doing well. I know he is anxious to get started on his rehabilitation and he will continue to be a big part of the 2011-12 team. It's obviously a tough loss for us as a basketball team. He's an All-Big 12 type player. He's one of our best defenders and he brings a great deal of versatility, but our primary concern is to help Laurence through the recovery process."


Bowers is a genuinely liked kid, the kind of player that turned himself from an under-heralded recruit into an NBA prospect. Seeing him lose his senior season -- a chance to end his playing career with guys like Kim English and Marcus Denmon, who he has been teammates with for four years -- is certainly not pleasant.

The loss is a huge blow to the Tiger's hopes of winning the Big 12 this season. Already thin up front, Bowers was the team's best rebounder, second-leading scorer and most versatile defender. Given the lack of size on this season's roster and the struggles they have had defensively, there is an argument to be made that he was the most valuable player on Mizzou. How important does George Goode's decision not to enroll at Missouri and to instead finish his career at FDU appear now?

With Kansas reloading, Texas rebuilding and Baylor, well, being Baylor, this was supposed to be Missouri's season to win the league.

But between Bowers' injury, the head coaching change, the potential NCAA violations facing Frank Haith and the ever-present rumors swirling about Mizzou's involvement in conference realignment, it seems like destiny is just not on the Tiger's side.
Continue reading...

Frank Haith comments on the Miami situation

For the first time since Charles Robinson's explosive article on Miami for Yahoo! Sports dropped a month ago, Missouri head coach Frank Haith publicly and directly denied any wrongdoing during his tenure with the Hurricanes.

"I'm still unsure of what-all I can say," Haith said on KTRS' "Inside College Sports" show. "First of all ... I did nothing wrong at the University of Miami."

Haith has essentially been told to keep mum on the subject in the media, but he has commented on it before, usually in the form of a non-denail denial -- "I was not aware of any allegations against my program" at Miami "until this story was written."


But of course Haith is going to deny these accusations in the media. He's not going to come out and say "Yeah, we spent $10,000 on DeQuan Jones, and I was pissed. We only got 4.5 ppg out of him." What I found to be a more interesting part of the story is where Haith comments on his ability to recruit given the fact that every other team going after a kid the Tigers are on the trail of uses this situation to negatively recruit.

As we laid out here, recruiting for the next two years will be an enormous priority for Mizzou with the amount of talent headed out the door after this season. You think it hurt that two top Tiger targets -- Marcus Smart and Chicken Knowles -- both committed elsewhere over the weekend?

Would that be frustrating enough for Haith to speak to the media? I wonder if the lack of a public denial of the scandal factored into the decision.
Continue reading...

Frank Haith is off to a good start on the recruiting trail

The biggest concern that most folks, including myself, have in regards to Missouri's future under Frank Haith is how well Haith and his coaching staff are going to be able to recruit.

With seven players -- including key pieces like Kim English, Ricardo Ratliffe, Laurence Bowers and Marcus Denmon -- graduating after this season, for Haith to have sustained success with a program many believe can compete for this year's Big 12 title he's going to have to restock the cupboard.

Recruiting top talent to a school like Missouri is not necessarily an easy thing to do. Its certainly more difficult when, as a coach, you have potential NCAA sanctions hanging over your head -- if you've forgetten, Yahoo! Sports reported that Haith knew about a $10,000 payment paid to secure the services of DeQuan Jones at Miami. Negative recruiting is the practice of drilling the cons of a program competing with you for a recruit into that kid's head. How many times to you think Rodney Purvis has heard that Haith is going to be fired before he steps foot on a college campus?


The good news is that before any of the shrapnel from the Miami scandal struck Haith, he was able to land two key transfers in Earnest Ross, who led Auburn in scoring and rebounding last season, and Keion Bell, a high-scoring and high-flying guard from Pepperdine. Both players will become eligible in 2012-2013 -- Ross for two seasons, Bell for one -- and will provide some talent and experience to help hold the program over while some of the younger guys the Tigers bring in develop.

And there will be younger guys coming in. For all the negative recruiting and the smoke surrounding the program, Haith has steadily been landing commitments.

Yesterday, it was Travis Jorgenson, a 5'10" Missouri-native and three-star recruit according to Rivals, that committed to the Tigers, joining Tyrek Coger in the Class of 2013.

Last Saturday, it was Shawn Smith, a three-star off-guard from Florida, that committed to Missouri. He joins Quantel Denson, Aaron Scales and Simon Goines as Haith's Class of 2012 commits.

All told, that's six commitments Haith has already gotten for his next two recruiting classes. Hard to argue against that being a good start.

Its far from the end, however. None of those players have been mentioned in any of the top 100 lists that we use to make our Consensus Recruiting Rankings. The next step for Haith, and Tim Fuller, who is Haith's lead recruiter, is to land some of the top 25 and top 50 kids they are chasing -- Rodney Purvis and Marcus Smart and Chicken Knowles.

Landing local kids is easy. Convincing elite talent to take a risk by committing Missouri is a different story, but it will make the difference between competing for NCAA Tournament berths and Big 12 titles.
Continue reading...

What is to come of Frank Haith?

From a hoops perspective, the biggest issue that comes out of the explosive Yahoo! report on former Miami booster Nevan Shapiro -- beyond how Jim Larranaga probably feels about leaving George Mason -- is the job status of new Missouri head coach and former Miami head coach Frank Haith.

The accusations he is facing are bad. Really bad. Simply put, he was aware -- if not the facilitator -- of a $10,000 payment to the family of top 25 recruit DeQuan Jones back in the summer of 2008. Its a bit more complicated than that, yes, but you really don't need to know much more.


Now, the NCAA still needs to do their due diligence. They must investigate and corroborate the accusations laid out by Charles Robinson. But if those accusations turn out to be true, there is a good chance that Haith can be hit with a show-cause penalty, which essentially means that the NCAA must give the OK for a program to hire him.

The problem is, as Gary Parrish points out, the NCAA is going to have their work cut out for them proving what Shapiro said. The deal was made in cash -- you can't trace cash -- that went from a booster to an assistant to a player's family. That money never touched Haith's hands and unless there is a smoking gun or Haith finds his conscience and admits it, how will the NCAA prove Haith's knowledge?

That doesn't mean that it will save Haith's job at Missouri, just like Tim Floyd wasn't able to save his job at USC after being accused of paying OJ Mayo's handler. But what it likely will mean is that Haith isn't hit with an NCAA violation, like Floyd, who is now coaching at UTEP.

"I am more than happy to cooperate with the national office on this issue and look forward to a quick resolution," Haith said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. "The NCAA has instructed me not to comment further at this time in order to protect the integrity of their review, so I appreciate your understanding in this matter. The reports questioning my personal interactions with Mr. Shapiro are not an accurate portrayal of my character."

Its interesting that Haith offers more than a "no comment" and avoids categorically denying the report.

Its unlikely that Missouri will fire Haith before the season starts. Hiring a second head coach in the span of five months would be a nightmare, especially when that coach would probably want to pick his own coaching staff. Would it be worth it to promote a staff member to the interim position? Probably not.

The other thing to think about is recruiting. Haith already has commitments from three players in the Class of 2012 and one player from the Class of 2013. Do those commitments hold if Haith's job is uncertain? What kind of recruiting class is he going to be able to pull out of 2012? Do they still have a shot at Rodney Purvis?

Its tough to see this getting better for Missouri before it gets worse.
Continue reading...

How Yahoo's story will affect hoops

Charles Robinson and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports dropped a nuclear bomb on the University of Miami football program on Tuesday afternoon.

Its thoroughly and exhaustively reported, all stemming from the confessions of Nevan Shapiro, a former Miami booster currently incarcerated for his part in a Ponzi Scheme. (Those seem to be popping up everywhere these days, don't they?) With the exception of the Baylor basketball scandal involving Dave Bliss from 2003 and the SMU scandals that resulted in the football program receiving the death penalty in the late 1980's, this could very well be the biggest scandal in NCAA history.

The majority of Yahoo!'s report has to do with Miami's football program, but the basketball side is involved and could affect more than just the Hurricanes.

(The best part about Yahoo!'s story is that they broke down the violations committed by each person on their own separate page. Here are the four you want to pay attention to for hoops -- DeQuan Jones, Frank Haith, Jake Morton, and Jorge Fernandez.)

It starts with DeQuan Jones, who was a top 25 recruit nationally in 2008. Shapiro alleges that in the early summer of 2008, Jake Morton -- then a Miami assistant and now a member of the Western Kentucky coaching staff -- came to him saying that a member of Jones' family was demanding a $10,000 payment in order to ensure Jones would remained committed to the Hurricanes. Morton got the money from Shapiro and delivered it to the family without the knowledge of the player, according to Shapiro.

Frank Haith, then the head coach of the Hurricanes and now the first-year head coach at Missouri, was aware of the payment and later thanked Shapiro for putting up the money. That wasn't their only interaction, either. Shapiro took out Haith, Morton, and Jorge Fernandez -- then an assistant with Miami and now on the staff at Marshall -- on many occassions, sometimes to the same place as members of the Miami football team.

Fernandez was also involved in another potential violation. One of the nights that Fernandez was out with Shapiro he brought along Moe Hicks, the head coach of famed Rice High School in NYC and the program director for the NYC Gauchos, arguably the best AAU program out of NYC. Durand Scott, who is a rising junior on the Hurricanes, played for Hicks at Rice and was a member of the Gauchos program.

Hicks is now the Director of Basketball Operations at St. John's.

The Miami football program is in quite a bit of trouble, but the tentacles of the NCAA's investigation will also affect hoops in a major way. And not just at Miami. One player -- Jones -- is alleged to have been bought with the coaching staff's knowledge. Another player -- Scott -- played for an AAU and high school coach that was photographed being taken out, with Miami's coaching staff, and put on the tab of a Miami booster.

Miami and Missouri fans should be worried. There's a very good chance that Haith loses his job over this, and Jim Larranaga could not have been dealt a worse hand to try and rebuild Miami. Western Kentucky, Marshall and St. John's fans should track this investigation.

Who knows what else is going to turn up.
Continue reading...