Missouri still in 'uncharted waters' as it readies for Baylor
Senior forwards Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll carried the Tigers over the Bears on Jan. 31 at Mizzou Arena with 30 and 25 points, respectively. The teams will face off again tonight for the Big 12 title game.
Before Missouri's semifinal showdown against Oklahoma State on Friday, Mike Anderson said his team was in "uncharted waters." Not only does Anderson's statement still ring true heading into Saturday's Big 12 Championship final against Baylor, it now takes on even more meaning.
"It is special but it can really, really get special," Anderson said. "I think these guys have paid a price and you are seeing the rewards."
Asked by a reporter if Missouri was putting pressure on itself because of Baylor's propensity for "upset specials" in the Big 12 Championship tournament this year, Leo Lyons quickly dismissed the notion.
"I don't consider it an upset because we are not that type of team you have to come out and dominate somebody," Lyons said. "We are going to stop what they are doing because their guards have been hot. We witnessed it before."
After Missouri's win over Oklahoma State, Anderson noted the role conditioning and fatigue played in the game. Like the OSU game, when Missouri faces Baylor, the Tigers will have had an extra day of rest on its opponent thanks to Missouri's first-round bye.
"There is a lot at stake for both teams, and so I think sometimes the conditioning and all that stuff kind of goes out the window," Anderson said. "You get an opportunity to play in the championship game, that's a big deal."
Anderson was also extremely complementary of Baylor's run through the Big 12 Championship tournament thus far.
"They are playing awful well. As a matter of fact, it brought back some flashbacks from two years ago," Anderson said. "You got [guard Curtis] Jerrells and [guard] Tweety [Carter] playing well, [guard/forward Kevin] Rogers playing well. Of course, the addition of LaceDarius Dunn. He was unconscious."
And, in wrapping up his postgame news conference, Anderson perfectly summarized the common theme surrounding Saturday's title game.
"I know everyone didn't come to this particular championship game in, but it should be an exciting game to say the least," Anderson said.