The Shootaround: Oct. 29
The Missouri men's basketball team gave fans its first glimpse at the new-look program Wednesday night, as the team staged its annual Black and Gold intersquad game at Mizzou Arena.
Keep an eye on TheManeater.com for full game coverage, but here's the inaugural version of The Shootaround, a quick-hitting look at Missouri men's basketball, exclusively on The Maneater Sports Blog.
Off we go:
-- Read, listen or watch any media outlet that covered the Black and Gold Game, and the main story is going to be the debut of Marcus Denmon. To pull a Dan Shanoff, let me phrase it this way: Believe. The. Hype.
Denmon exploded for 36 points on 14-of-17 shooting, but it's not the sheer numbers that are most impressive. Denmon put up his points in a variety of different ways. He showed explosiveness with the ball on drives as well as an ability to drain the three-ball after spotting up.
"He's just one of those guys. He's been a scorer in high school and, we'll see," coach Mike Anderson said of Denmon. "He's still got a lot of work to do, but I like his mindset, his energy, his toughness."
-- We didn't see much of it Wednesday night, but the emergence of Denmon and some other offensive threats could mean big things for Matt Lawrence. Lawrence, known around Big 12 circles for his proficiency from long range, saw a lot of increased pressure last year based on the rest of the team's difficulties drawing defenses away from him.
If Missouri gets some other threats going, Lawrence can get back to doing what he does best when left alone: driving dagger threes.
-- The Shootaround would be remiss if it didn't mention the play of junior transfers Zaire Taylor and Keith Ramsey.
Taylor looked very natural running the point for the black team on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points and five assists. But, more than anything, Taylor just exudes a passion for the game. After the game, Anderson was glowing about Taylor's potential.
"He gives us another dimension. He's a big guard that can create, can score. So unselfish," Anderson said.
Ramsey is a 6'9" forward whose length looks like it could be a big asset to this team defensively. Ramsey's quick hands earned him two blocks and four steals on Wednesday.
"He's so long and so active," Anderson said.
-- One of the victims of Ramsey's blocking was none other than senior forward Leo Lyons, a preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention selection who had an ugly first half. Lyons managed to rack up four fouls in 13 minutes in the first half and was "trying too hard," according to Anderson.
-- After the game, Anderson called junior guard J.T. Tiller, renowned for the speed at which he plays the game, "kamikaze." I'm not sure if that nickname is official, but if so, he and Demarre Carroll should be considered the kamikaze twins.
While Tiller drives into lanes at breakneck speeds, Carroll throws his 6'8", 225-poind frame around the lane without second thought. You'd be hard-pressed to find a duo in the Big 12 that plays the game with such tangible intensity with little regard for their own safety.
-- If there was any question that the program is starkly different psychologically since last season, Tiller answered it following the game.
"The attitude is just more positive," Tiller said in a tone I can't adequately convey in text. "It's just a more positive atmosphere."