Column: All MU needs is a chance
Published Feb. 16, 2010
After crossing the halfway point in the conference season, the Missouri men's basketball team finds itself on the infamous "bubble" of the NCAA Tournament.
Following the departure of last year's three top scorers, analysts anticipated Missouri would have a rebuilding year, with most of the production coming from the sophomore class. Coach Mike Anderson's team has held its own in the grueling Big 12, entering this week with an 18-7 record, including 6-4 in conference.
Bracketologists believe the team needs three more wins to solidify an NCAA Tournament bid. The committee selecting the field had Missouri as a No. 10 seed in a mock bracket last week with little room for error.
The Tigers' insistence on living or dying by shooting percentage makes them one of the hardest teams in the country to predict. If the team makes the postseason, I wouldn't be surprised if it loses its first game or makes the Sweet 16.
Although consistently out-rebounded this year, Missouri's defense allows the team to keep most games close even on a bad shooting night. If the Tigers can force their season averages of 20 turnovers and 10 steals, plus break even on the boards, the sheer advantage in number of possessions will carry the team to victory.
Before watching Saturday's game against Baylor, I had faint hopes for the team to pull out the victory against one of the conference's tallest teams. Despite forcing 13 turnovers and five steals and shooting a decent 45 percent field goal percentage, Missouri battled to the last possession.
The Tigers looked more aggressive, driving the lane and finding open teammates under the basket. The Tigers have the speed to compete with anyone; their success is determined by how well they can draw defenders to the ball and find the open man. These fundamentals resulted in victories over taller teams in Kansas State and Oklahoma State and the pummeling of a smaller Colorado team.
This performance gives reason to believe the team can defeat Texas on Wednesday night.
The Blackout Games are never short on suspense, even without postseason ramifications. A win over Texas this year would give the Tigers a desperately needed second signature win to go with Kansas State. Seeing 15,061 raucous fans decked out in a sea of black should help the team gain confidence before the opening tip. Maintaining that confidence throughout the game will be the difference because Texas might dwell on its recent struggles.
This means no extended scoreless streaks. When the Tigers start settling for long-range twos and threes, they rely on trying to shoot themselves out of it to get going again. This allows Texas' inside presence of senior guard/forward Damion James and senior center Dexter Pittman to get somewhat of a breather guarding a vacant post presence.
In the end, it will take a few running floaters from freshman guard Mike Dixon, some 3-pointers from sophomore guard Kim English and sophomore forward Lawrence Bowers' best garbage man impersonation on the glass for Missouri to hang tough. The continued reemergence of senior guards J.T. Tiller and Zaire "Big Shot" Taylor would be nice as well.
If Missouri wins against Texas, it will greatly enhance its prospects of reaching the NCAA Tournament. For this team, that's all it needs: a chance.