Column: More of the same

By Patrick Daugherty
Feb. 1, 2008

If it wasn’t already, Missouri’s basketball season is now officially lost. As if losing Stefhon Hannah, the Tiger’s starting point guard and leading scorer, to a broken jaw wasn’t enough, the accompanying “indefinite” suspensions of Leo Lyons, Marshall Brown, Darryl Butterfield and Jason Horton should be the icing on the cake.

But really, they aren’t even going to make a difference. The Tigers didn’t appear to be headed anywhere even before last Saturday’s incident.

Their record was a middling 2-3 in the Big 12 and 12-8 overall. Key members of last year’s team were not contributing as much as expected, and coach Mike Anderson was suddenly beginning to look like Quin Snyder part II, with the team often looking confused and running what seemed like no set plays.

Their nonconference record was not as bad as it looked, as many of their losses were to quality opponents like Michigan State, Illinois, Arkansas and California. Schedule strength doesn’t mean a whole lot unless you win, though, and they did not–except against Maryland. That lackluster record at a time of year when many power conference teams have glistening records after fattening up on small time patsies was already beginning to look more indicative of the team’s true talent level than the result of a young team fighting hard through a grueling early season schedule.

The team’s win over then-No. 12 Texas and a hugely sloppy–but still close–game against No. 3 Kansas offered the usual momentary glimmer of hope, but a back and forth loss to Texas Tech and a bizarre, wild win at Colorado seemed to only cement their status as the biggest enigma –and underachievers–in the Big 12.

Now, as is becoming a tradition, the season has officially been derailed by off-the-court trouble.

But these suspensions, no matter how long they are, should not take the blame.

That belongs squarely on Anderson’s shoulders. Has he done anything to prove to Missouri fans that he is a winning coach moving the program forward? Even before last Saturday, his own son and nephew were disciplined for off-the-court problems. If he can’t keep his own family in check, why are we supposed to be surprised everyone else is getting in trouble?

On the court, has anyone ever seen a coach use a larger rotation? I know our “40 minutes of hell” defense is grueling, but do nine different players really need to be averaging at least 13 minutes a game? How is anyone supposed to find a groove?

Keon Lawrence isn’t playing enough, Matt Lawrence is playing too much, and Anderson and Lyons continue to play mind games. Figure it out. We need a true five.

And why is senior Marshall Brown only playing 13 minutes a game, compared to 22 last year and 28 the year before that? I know Coach Anderson wants those who run his “system,” but why has one of the only bright spots from Quin Snyder’s last season been made an also-ran? At least publicly, Brown had never been a malcontent until last weekend’s happenings, and I doubt his skills have fallen to the level his playing time suggests. He, like the fans, has not been getting what he deserves.

Dubious coaching, baffling playing, little improvement from last season — it’s beginning to look like Missouri basketball after all.

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Column: More of the same

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