Sports Blog — November 19, 2009
Missouri basketball prepares for life without Tiller
On Tuesday, the Tigers earned an opening-night win over Tennessee-Martin but suffered a loss along the way. Senior guard J.T. Tiller left the game in the second half with a bone bruise to his left foot that will keep him out, at the very least, through Sunday’s game against Texas-Pan American in the opening round of the South Padre Island Invitational.
“We’re certainly not happy that he got hurt, but at the same time, we’re relieved that he’ll have an opportunity to cast it up, heal it up and get ready to play,” coach Mike Anderson said. “The healing process is just a matter of time. There will be a little pain, but the guy played with a broken wrist all year long (last season). So that tells you his makeup.”
Tiller is the team’s top returning scorer from the 2008-2009 season, and was called the “face of the team” by Anderson in the preseason. Replacing his production and leadership will not be an easy task. But the Tigers have other players ready to step up and fill the void.
“He’s the key to our team,” senior guard Zaire Taylor said. “So with him out of the picture, everybody’s got to step up – me, Marcus (Denmon), Laurence (Bowers) and the rest of the guys. Leadership is definitely going to have to improve. Especially from myself, Keith (Ramsey), Justin (Safford) and some of the guys who have been around for a little while.”
On top of Tiller’s injury, sophomore guard Kim English hit his head in the opener, and is dealing with shooting problems. But Anderson sees no reason to worry.
“He got popped pretty good, and I thought he was different even at halftime,” Anderson said. “But we’ll get him to work out at practice here. He’s important in what we’re doing. He’s pressing, that’s all. Sometimes you want to do something so bad, you work so hard and you want to showcase that. But once things start happening, you better really watch out then.”
Missouri's match-up with Memphis pitted two coaching friends against each other
Memphis’s win over the Tigers on Wednesday night had meant a lot for both teams, and especially for the head coaches -- Memphis's Melissa McFerrin and MU's Cindy Stein. The two first met when they were assistant coaches at Central Michigan from 1984-1986 and have remained close ever since.
“Melissa is one of my best friends,” Stein said. “I feel like I have a lot of coaching friends, but Melissa is one of my dearest and truest friends. She is one of the most trusted people of my circle. I think she’s a terrific coach. We challenge each other basketball wise and every aspect. It’s hard going up against her.”
McFerrin echoed those statements when she said she had been looking forward to the trip Memphis made to Missouri.
“I told the players before the game it didn’t matter, and I lied,” McFerrin said. “This place is special to me. I got joy in my heart for my players but sadness in my heart because this is a program I care about a lot. Cindy is one of my dearest friends. She came to Missouri and really put Missouri back on the map in terms of women’s basketball. Cindy truly loves this place and the people that she works with, and she’s a great representative of the University of Missouri.”
McFerrin was asked who would win in a game of one-on-one between the two coaches.
“Cindy would beat me,” McFerrin said. “Cindy will tell you that she will beat me too. She might be lying but I’m going to say that she would beat me. She’s tough.”