Rebounding, 3-pointers could be the big difference as MU travels to Mississippi Point out | Mizzou Men’s Basketball
One week into Southeastern Meeting engage in, there are even now several unknowns.
Preseason favored No. 9 Tennessee already has a convention decline underneath its belt, although No. 13 Missouri has turn into a contender for a convention title.
While the Tigers (7-1, 1-1 SEC) misplaced 73-53 to the Volunteers previous Wednesday, they responded with an 81-68 get around Arkansas on Saturday.
“It truly is a very fragile condition when you drop a sport,” Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin stated. “I don’t care what you’re rated or who you are. You got to have some men in that locker place that acquired some grit to them, some toughness to them.”
With the jury nonetheless out on no matter whether or not Missouri is for serious in the SEC, it looks toward Tuesday’s matchup with Mississippi Point out to go on making its resume.
The Bulldogs looked sharp in their meeting opener with an 83-73 win at Georgia. Nevertheless, Mississippi State’s new recreation went down to the wire, with the Bulldogs shedding to browsing Kentucky 78-73 in double extra time.
Mississippi Condition experienced its possibilities, foremost by 6 with 9:04 remaining in regulation right after Kentucky coach John Calipari was ejected. Nevertheless, the Wildcats’ Dontaie Allen was far too considerably for the Bulldogs to take care of, scoring a job-superior 23 factors on 7-of-11 from three.
“We were being up nine following 3 free throws,” Mississippi Point out mentor Ben Howland said. “Then we experienced three turnovers in a row that led to layups on the other close. We had 16 turnovers and which is way also numerous. Six or 7 of those people turnovers led to easy baskets for Kentucky.”
The SEC program is fluid and rapid-moving, supplying Howland’s squad very little time to dwell on what could’ve been. Now, they shift on to the subsequent challenge: Missouri.
“The full key to it is to study from it and not let it carry into the future recreation,” Howland reported. “We’ve obtained another unbelievable opportunity in opposition to a extremely great Missouri group.”
The Bulldogs (6-4, 1-1 SEC) supply a sound problem to the Tigers. When Mississippi Condition has only achieved one particular NCAA Match below Howland, the Bulldogs have posted three straight seasons with 20 or more wins.
The Tigers have experienced their have struggles in Starkville prolonged in advance of Howland’s employing in 2015. The Bulldogs have won five straight more than Missouri at Humphrey Coliseum. The past victory for Missouri at Mississippi State was a 78-36 win on Feb. 13, 2013.
Even with the past struggles, Howland acknowledges the development Missouri has made. Howland said final time that he was amazed with the group Missouri experienced, believing they had NCAA Match opportunity.
“You could just see they really performed properly the final 50 percent of the meeting period a calendar year back,” Howland stated. “You could just see that crew growing, particularly when (Xavier) Pinson had moved into the starting up lineup.”
Seeking at Tuesday’s matchup, the struggle on the boards will be crucial for both of those teams. Following dropping the rebounding margin towards Bradley and Tennessee, blocking out has turn into an emphasis for Martin’s squad currently.
“I feel the previous two video games — Bradley and Tennessee — we did not do a wonderful career blocking out,” Martin reported. “We spend much too a lot time on blocking out to make it possible for groups to dominate on the glass.”
The Tigers answered the problem, outrebounding an Arkansas workforce by 15 that had entered the match 10th nationally in the rebound margin.
Missouri faces yet another elite rebounding staff in the Bulldogs. Mississippi Point out is ranked initially among SEC groups with an offensive rebound proportion of 39.3%. The Bulldogs’ 14.5 offensive boards for each video game ranks 15th in the country.
A large aspect of this is forward Tolu Smith. The 6-foot-10 sophomore averages 3.9 offensive rebounds for each video game, which is tied for 14th nationally.
While the Tigers like to leak out in changeover from time to time soon after a missed shot, Missouri will require a staff exertion in securing rebounds. Along with Smith, Abdul Ado and Javian Davis-Fleming just about every ordinary 2.3 offensive rebounds for each game.
If Missouri can limit next-opportunity factors, it should really be in excellent form. Mississippi Point out shoots 48.2% on 2-place subject goal attempts, which ranks 13th out of 14 SEC groups. But when the Bulldogs usually are not productive inside the arc, they are lethal from behind it.
Mississippi State’s 37.9% 3-point capturing sales opportunities the SEC. While the Bulldogs shoot a higher share from deep, they do not chunk up an absurd amount of money of treys. Mississippi State averages 18 3-ideas a video game, which ranks 2nd-to-last in the conference.
If you can find any activity wherever the Tigers need to catch fire from 3, it is really Tuesday’s matchup. With 3 gamers capturing in excess of 40% with additional than 30 3-ideas attempted this year, the Tigers will require to run the Bulldogs off the 3-point line and pressure 2-pointers.
Howland mentioned how hard the dribble-push is from the Tigers.
“I assume they are a single of the greater defensive groups in our league,” Howland mentioned. “When you penetrate, everybody’s collapsing, forcing you to kick it back out.”
Offensively, the Bulldogs depend on their guard enjoy. Iverson Molinar (18.4 details for each recreation) and D.J. Stewart (18.3 points for every recreation) are the two top scorers for Mississippi Point out. The two lead to most of the Bulldogs’ robust 3-position taking pictures, combining for 46.6% behind the arc.
The Tigers have a number of bodies they can toss at the significant-scoring guards, this kind of as Dru Smith and Javon Pickett. Having said that, an X-factor for Mississippi Condition could be Tolu Smith.
Smith averaged 13.9 factors for every match on 58.6% capturing in nonconference participate in but has struggled in SEC engage in so much. In two video games, Smith is averaging 7 factors for every match on 27.8% taking pictures.
Irrespective of the new struggles, Missouri requires to maintain tabs on Smith as he’s the Bulldogs’ ideal rebounder and inside finisher.
“He just requires to gradual down in the publish,” Howland reported. “He’s got to gradual down and get settled and that arrives with experience.”
Missouri faces Mississippi State at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Starkville. The match will be broadcast on SEC Community.