Live blog: No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 15 Kansas — March 1, 2009
Video Preview: No. 8 Missouri at No. 15 Kansas
Senior Staff Writer Ross Taylor and Sports Editor Lenny Goldman take sit courtside and examine today's game between the No. 8 Missouri Tigers and the No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks. The teams are set to tip off at 1 p.m. on a CBS nationally televised broadcast.
Pregame Observations
Fans in the Kansas student section cheer as Jawhawk players take to the court prior to Saturday's matchup against MU at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan.
We're about 45 minutes away from tip off here at Allen Fieldhouse, and the atmosphere here is already charged. Students have packed the ends of the floor behind the baskets, and the stands are a sea of blue "Muck Fizzou" shirts. Students were lined up outside for a few blocks in frigid temperatures waiting for entrance when we arrived two and a half hours prior to gametime.
In warmups, the Kansas players looked incredibly focused and appeared to be taking a very business-like approach to their preparation. Missouri's players, much like they do at home, came out for warmup with a bit of a bounce in their step and appear very loose. Zaire Taylor and Kim English haven't stopped smiling since stepping foot on the floor to a chorus of boos.
Which approach will work out better? We'll have the answers in three hours or so.
Starting Lineups
Here are tonight's announced starting lineups:
KANSAS
4 S. Collins
12 B. Morningstar
15 T. Taylor
22 M. Morris
45 C. Aldrich
MISSOURI
4 J.T. Tiller
11 Z. Taylor
24 K. English
5 L. Lyons
1 D. Carroll
Energy abounds early
The rematch of Missouri and Kansas promised big energy, and a little less than 5 minutes into the game, the promise is being delivered.
Kansas has run out to an 11-5 lead with 15:16 left in the first half. Missouri is 2-of-10 from the field, and Kansas is already exploiting Mizzou on the fast break.
Missouri's shooting is already looking spotty. DeMarre Carroll's midrange jumper is usually a great indicator of what kind of shooting night Missouri will have, and so far, Carroll has not been effective from his 15-18 foot comfort zone.
Worst start imaginable for MU
Things couldn't be going much worse for Missouri early, as the Tigers have been blitzed to the tune of a 21-5 Kansas lead with 12:14 remaining in the first half.
Before the game, pundits and analysts noted Missouri's need to come out and land the first punch to help take the Kansas crowd out of the game. Missouri's done no such thing. The noise level in Allen Fieldhouse climbs higher and higher as Kansas' lead does the same.
After Missouri coach Mike Anderson burned his second timeout of the game, Missouri responded with a Leo Lyons bucket inside to end a 14-0 Kansas run. Lyons is due for a free throw after a TV timeout. Missouri trails 21-7 with 11:50 to play.
KU on 14-0 run
Kansas is currently still on a 14-0 run. Just over three minutes ago the score was 5-7 in favor of the Jayhawks and J.T. Tiller had a layup opportunity on fast break, but couldn't finish. The Tigers haven't scored since.
The Jayhawks have dominated in the half-court game. Missouri needs to force turnovers to create some easy buckets or else this could get ugly in a hurry.
Missouri offense goes from lifeless to life support
For the first ten minutes of the game, Missouri's offense had been largely dormant, as Leo Lyons appeared to have to carry the Tigers' lagging offense to keep the game from getting out of reach too early.
Lyons has accounted for 11 of Missouri's 19 points, with the other eight coming from DeMarre Carroll and J.T. Tiller. Missouri's depth, one of its biggest strengths all year, has no points. Missouri is shooting 23 percent from the field, compared to Kansas' 53 percent.
At a TV timeout with 2:31 to play in the first half, Kansas leads Missouri, 38-19.
The early rout is on
Kansas guard Sherron Collins moves around freshman guard Kim English toward the basket in the first half. Kansas led 45-19 at halftime.
Missouri and Kansas have retreated to their respective locker rooms, and the Allen Fieldhouse crowd saluted the Jawhawks off the floor with a standing ovation reaching over 103 decibels.
Right now, the crowd has no reason to quiet down. A Tyshawn Taylor last second three-pointer on Kansas' final possession of the half gave the Jayhawks a 45-19 halftime lead.
It's hard to decide what's uglier for Missouri right now - the numbers or the actual game. The Tigers are 8-of-39 (20.5 percent) from the field, 0-for-9 from 3-point range, and 3-for-9 from the free throw line.
Kansas, on the other hand, shot 44.4 percent from the free throw line and 56.3 percent from the field, including hitting 5-of-7 from deep.
Missouri has no bench points, and coach Mike Anderson appears to have benched starting freshman Kim English. Anderson was seen giving English an earful after an early foul near midcourt.
Anderson has his biggest coaching task ahead of him since the Tigers' loss to Kansas State. Missouri was able to survive a horrible first half against Kansas at Mizzou Arena, but the Tigers may have trouble pressing their luck in Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas honors Hinrich
At halftime, the Kansas athletic department honored former Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich, who played for the Jayhawks from 2000-2003. In that span, Hinrich helped lead the Jayhawks to two Final Fours and the Big 12's only undefeated conference season in 2002.
After a video featuring many of Hinrich's career highlights and an introductory speech, Hinrich gave a short address to an adoring Allen Fieldhouse crowd. Hinrich's name and number now sit to right of Nick Collison's on Kansas' wall of retired numbers.
Missouri starts second half strong
Missouri has started the second half with a bit more gust. The Tigers still trail 54-33, but have a 14-7 advantage since the break. A comeback like this will take time. If the Tigers can continue to chip away, they could set up for a big run at the end.
But in an atmosphere like this, it's going to be nearly impossible, especially with Collins shooting the ball like he is. Collins is three of four from 3-point range.
Missouri has continued to look to Lyons for buckets, and he's done a nice job down low. The forward will now shoot to free throws to trail and start the comeback.
Jayhawks raining threes
With 14:18 to play, Mike Anderson has had to call yet another momentum timeout, as Kansas' shooters are beginning to put the game away.
Tyrel Reed and Sherron Collins each hit 3-pointers within a minute and a half of each other, pushing Kansas' lead to 25. Kansas is now 8-of-12 from 3-point range.
Kansas holds off Missouri run
With the help of overflowing energy from the stands, the Jayhawks have been able to hold off any sort of Missouri comeback. Whenever the Tigers put together a run, Kansas is able push the lead back to 25.
Tiller looks like he's not playing at 100 percent. He may have suffered some sort of lower leg injury. More updates later.
Missouri's defense is the only chance it has at this point. The Tigers must create turnovers to even think about making this close
Kansas destroys Missouri
The Tigers were simply no match for the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence. After witnessing a game in Allen Fieldhouse, it appears that winning a game here would be next to impossible.
The atmosphere is absolutely overwhelming, and when Kansas can get off to a quick start, there is no hope in catching up. The Jayhawks shot lights out today. Led by Collins with 25 points including four 3-pointers, Kansas defeated Missouri 90-65.
The Tigers saw a strong performance from their starters, but the bench had no impact whatsoever. Against Kansas State Missouri's bench put 40 points. Lyons led the Tigers with 20 points.
Missouri must get over today's loss quickly as it takes on No. 3 Oklahoma at home on Wednesday.