By Kaveh Kaghazi
Missouri coach Frank Haith took a big step in addressing the lack of depth in Missouri’s front-court by adding ex-UConn power forward Alex Oriakhi, the university announced Friday. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Oriakhi posted career-high averages in points (9.6) and rebounds (8.7) for the UConn NCAA championship team in 2011.
Missouri coach Frank Haith has another weapon to work with in 6-foot-9, 245-pound UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi.
Oriakhi (oar-ee-AAH-kee) made the decision while on on official visit to the university Friday. He was also considering Kentucky and North Carolina. Oriakhi will have one year of eligibility remaining at Missouri.
“We’re very excited to add a talented and proven player like Alex to our program,” Haith said.
“Addressing our front court depth has been a major emphasis of ours for this next year, and when you add Alex to a group of newcomers including Stefan Jankovic, Ryan Rosburg and Tony Criswell, we are definitely heading the right direction. Alex is a very hard worker, he’s somebody who we expect to fit into our program’s culture right away. He will do whatever he’s asked to help the team, and he can impact a game any number of ways, whether it’s scoring, rebounding or defending,” Haith said.
Oriakhi was a 2009 McDonald’s Prep All-American. He will play alongside former-AAU teammate Phil Pressey who averaged 6.4 assists per game for the 30-5 Tigers. The addition of Oriakhi should aid returning forward Laurence Bowers in the Tigers’ front court. Bowers missed the entire 2011-2012 campaign with a torn ACL.
By Ryan Williams
The No. 3 ranked Missouri Tigers headed to Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday afternoon, but not before saying farewells to their fans and families. Coach Frank Haith and senior leaders Kim English and Marcus Denmon all spoke to crowd to share their thanks and their hopes at coming back from the tournament with six more wins and a national championship. The Tigers’ first game is Friday, March 16, at 3 p.m. against Norfolk State. Below are photographs taken from the event at Mizzou Arena.
By Kaveh Kaghazi
Marcus Denmon finished tied for second in the Big 12 in scoring with 18.0 points per game. Denmon is just the second Missouri player in history to be named to the All-Big 12 first team two times. (Kaveh Kaghazi)
Missouri guard Marcus Denmon was named to the All-Big 12 first team, the conference announced Sunday.
Denmon averaged 18.0 points on 46.8 percent shooting along with 5.1 rebounds per game. The senior from Kansas City, Mo. joins Kansas forward Thomas Robinson, Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, Texas guard J’Covan Brown and Iowa State forward Royce White on the All-Big 12 first team.
Denmon joins Kareem Rush as the only Missouri players in school history to be named to the All-Big 12 first team on two occasions. The senior ranks third in the Big 12 in steals (1.5) and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (41.9).
Tigers senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe was named to the All-Big 12 second team after averaging 13.8 points on 70.8 percent shooting and 7.5 rebounds per game this season.
Guards Kim English and Phil Pressey were named to the All-Big 12 third team. English averaged 14.1 points per game while Pressey led the conference in assists (6.2) and steals (2.1).
Junior guard Michael Dixon was named Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year—the first Missouri player to win the award since Matt Lawrence in 2009. Dixon was the unanimous pick for the award after averaging 13.3 points coming off the bench in each of Missouri’s 31 games. The Kansas City, Mo. native led the conference in free throw percentage at 89.5 percent.
Dixon was also named to the Big 12 All-Defensive team. He averaged 1.2 steals per game in 26.5 minutes of action. The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
After leading the Tigers to a 27-4 record in his first season, Missouri coach Frank Haith was bypassed for Big 12 Coach of the Year as Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg and Kansas’ Bill Self shared the award.
The Tigers return to action on Thursday in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo. Missouri will meet the winner of Oklahoma State and Texas Tech at 6 p.m. at Sprint Center.
Player of the Year
F Thomas Robinson, Kansas
Defensive Player of the Year
C Jeff Withey, Kansas
Newcomer of the Year
F Royce White, Iowa State**
Co-Freshmen of the Year
F Quincy Miller, Baylor
G Le’Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State
Sixth Man Award
G Michael Dixon, Missouri**
Co-Coaches of the Year
Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State
Bill Self, Kansas
All-Big 12 First Team
F Royce White, Iowa State**
F Thomas Robinson, Kansas**
G Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas**
G Marcus Denmon, Missouri
G J’Covan Brown, Texas
All-Big 12 Second Team
G Keiton Page, Oklahoma State
G Pierre Jackson, Baylor
G Rodney McGruder, Kansas State
F Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri
F Quincy Acy, Baylor
All-Big 12 Third Team
C Jeff Withey, Kansas
F Perry Jones III, Baylor
G Scott Christopherson, Iowa State
G Kim English, Missouri
G Phil Pressey, Missouri
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Quincy Miller, Baylor; Chris Allen, Iowa State; Melvin Ejim, Iowa State; Jamar Samuels, Kansas State; Steven Pledger, Oklahoma; Romero Osby, Oklahoma; Le’Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State; Myck Kabongo, Texas; Elston Turner, Texas A&M; David Loubeau, Texas A&M
All-Defensive Team
F Quincy Acy, Baylor**
F Jordan Henriquez, Kansas State
C Jeff Withey**, Kansas
G Rodney McGruder, Kansas State
G Michael Dixon, Missouri
All-Rookie Team
F Quincy Miller, Baylor;
F Royce White, Iowa State **
G Le’Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State
G Myck Kabongo, Texas
G Pierre Jackson, Baylor**
** Unanimous Selection
By Kaveh Kaghazi
Senior Marcus Denmon gives his senior speech to the crowd after the game at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. With 14 points against the Cyclones, Denmon tied Melvin Booker for sixth all-time in scoring in Missouri history with 1,697 career points. (Photo by Ryan Williams/KBIA)
Eight Missouri seniors were honored before and after the Tigers’ 78-72 victory against Iowa State Wednesday night. With 103 career victories, this group of seniors led the winningest class in school history, including a career 67-4 home record.
After the game, six seniors addressed their fans, family and coaches, and gave a final farewell to Mizzou Arena. Center Steve Moore, and guards Marcus Denmon and Kim English thank their supporters and share memories of their four-year journeys as Missouri Tigers. (3:22)
Story by Kaveh Kaghazi
Photos by Ryan Williams
Michael Dixon celebrates with Phil Pressey during Missouri's 78-72 win at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. Dixon scored a game-high 21 points on eight of 10 shooting.
On a night when eight seniors from Missouri’s winningest class in school history were honored, it was junior Michael Dixon who shined brightest.
Five Missouri players scored in double figures, including a game-high 21 points from Dixon as the No. 7 Tigers held off Iowa State, 78-72, Wednesday night at Mizzou Arena.
After a tough outing in Lawrence, Kan. Saturday, when the junior failed to get a shot off at the end of overtime, Dixon came through for his teammates Wednesday. Dixon ignited Missouri down the stretch, scoring 15 second-half points, and icing the game at the free-throw line in the closing seconds.
“I think [Dixon] was a little shook after the Kansas game,” Missouri coach Frank Haith said. “I think he felt like he struggled late in that ball game and he was determined to come back and play.”
The Tigers looked tight early, falling behind Iowa State (21-9, 11-6) by as many as eight points in the first half. Cyclones’ sophomore forward Royce White gave Missouri fits, finishing with 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
“He’s such a dynamic and different kind of player,” Missouri forward Kim English said. “He’s definitely a tough matchup.”
White came into Wednesday’s game as one of the better all-around players in the Big 12, averaging close to 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game. The Tigers found a way to contain White as the game went on, holding the 270-pounder scoreless in the final 12 minutes.
“We were tight,” Haith said. “But give these guys credit. We turned our defense up.”
Trailing by five with 13:34 remaining, Dixon sparked a 13-7 Missouri run with a number of key plays, including a coast-to-coast drive down the court through three Iowa State defenders that resulted in a basket, and a foul.
“The shots that he made were critical to us having some success…he kind of loosened things up by making those shots,” Haith said.
Seconds later, Missouri regained the lead when Dixon found a streaking English for an easy layup that made it 60-59 with 8:16 to play. The Tigers (26-4, 13-4) never trailed again. Point guard Phil Pressey found a wide-open Steve Moore down the court with under a minute to go for a two-handed slam that sealed the win and sent the crowd at Mizzou Arena into a frenzy.
Senior Marcus Denmon gives his senior speech to the crowd after the game at Mizzou Arena. Denmon tied Melvin Booker for sixth all-time in scoring in Missouri history with 1,697 career points Wednesday night.
Pressey had four assists Wednesday, breaking Missouri’s single-season assists record of 181 set by Anthony Peeler in 1989-1990.
English finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in his final game at Mizzou Arena.
Senior guard Marcus Denmon followed up his 28-point performance at Kansas with 14 points and seven rebounds, tying him with Melvin Booker for sixth all-time in career scoring at Missouri. Forward Ricardo Ratliffe capped his Missouri career with 16 points on six for nine shooting.
Missouri closes out its regular season Saturday in Lubbock, Texas against Texas Tech before getting set for the Big 12 conference tournament in Kansas City next weekend. The Tigers clinched a No. 2 seed in the tournament with Wednesday’s victory.
Multimedia by Kaveh Kaghazi
When asked how to stop Kansas forward and national player of the year front-runner Thomas Robinson, Missouri forward Ricardo Ratliffe paused and looked to the floor before finally settling on an answer.
“You don’t,” Ratliffe said.
Robinson, a 6-10 junior from Washington D.C., has been a force in the Big 12 this season, averaging more than 17 points and 11 rebounds per game. In the first matchup between Missouri and Kansas, the Tigers threw an array of players at Robinson, double-teaming him for most of the night. The extra defenders had no effect on Robinson’s game as he scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a losing effort on Feb. 4.
“You just try to contain him,” Ratliffe said. “I don’t feel I’m capable of going out there and him having zero points and zero rebounds.”
Combine Robinson with the 7-foot Jeff Withey, who is averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds since Missouri held him scoreless earlier this season, and all of a sudden the Tigers could be faced with significant matchup problems at Allen Fieldhouse.
Withey was held scoreless and attempted just one shot when the teams played three weeks ago. Senior forward Kim English can take credit for Withey’s struggles, as he played stout defense against the 7-footer.
“A phrase that basketball guys use is do your work early,” English said. “Be in position early…They’ve always been tremendous as far as inside the paint, and I don’t expect that to stop.”
Production inside from Robinson and Withey will be key to Kansas’ success Saturday, but Missouri’s ability to get to the hoop could spark trouble for the Jayhawks. Robinson has averaged four fouls in his last six games, and fouled out of Wednesday’s game against Texas A&M.
Ratliffe said he expects the Missouri guards to attack the basket early and often to draw fouls on Robinson.
“We can’t play on our heels,” junior guard Michael Dixon said. “We can’t play passive so we’re going to try to go at their bigs when we get in the lane—me and Phil and all the guards.”
The Tigers have had foul troubles of their own of late with English and center Steve Moore each fouling out of Tuesday’s Kansas State game. English was “crushed” by the 78-68 home loss, but said he and the Tigers had to bounce back.
“We’re 25-3,” English said. “If you would have asked me in August if we’d be 25-3 headed into Allen Fieldhouse, I’d take that.”
English will likely take on Withey again as the 6 foot 9 inch Ratliffe defends Robinson. Missouri coach Frank Haith said the Tigers would have to “bring the muscle” against Kansas–a task that will fall directly on Ratliffe’s shoulders as he prepares to face one of the best big men in the country.
Ratliffe said there are a number of things he can do to make the game difficult for Robinson, but there is one facet of Robinson’s skill set that can’t show up on Saturday.
“I know he’s a guy that flies high above the rim,” Ratliffe said. “That’s one thing I can do, try to cut him to zero dunks because that’s what gets the crowd into the game.”
The No. 3 Tigers haven’t won in Lawrence, Kan. since 1999. Saturday’s game will have key conference implications as Missouri (25-3, 12-3) sits one game behind No. 4 Kansas (23-5, 13-2) in the Big 12 standings. Tip-off at Allen Fieldhouse is set for 3 p.m.
Story by Kaveh Kaghazi
Photos by Ryan Williams
With less than four minutes to go in the first half, the No. 3 ranked Missouri Tigers trailed Kansas State by nine at Mizzou Arena, when senior forward Kim English was called for a technical foul. A fan in the crowd below press row could be seen slapping his hands against the concrete wall in frustration of Missouri’s struggles.
Kim English (center) gets benched after recording his third personal foul in the first half, a technical foul for aggressively slamming the basketball to the floor. English is shown here between forward Matt Pressey (left) and Mizzou’s Director of Athletic Performance Todor Pandov (right).
It was that kind of night for the Tigers, as they suffered their first loss at home this season, dropping to 25-3 and 12-3 in Big 12 play. Kansas State used their physicality, length and a deep, nine-man rotation to foil Missouri’s chance at a school-record 26-2 start.
Kansas State coach Frank Martin can say he’s done it twice to Missouri this season. The Wildcats handed Missouri its first loss of the season on Jan. 7, and finished a sweep of the Tigers in Columbia, fighting their way to a 78-68 win in front of a late-arriving crowd at Mizzou Arena.
A visibly frustrated Frank Haith praised Kansas State for their effort and execution after the game.
“I think their physicality kind of got to us,” Haith said. “The game—the way it was played tonight, it was to their advantage.”
In so many games this season, it’s been the Tigers who have forced their opponent to adapt to their fast-paced style. On Tuesday night, it was the Wildcats who imposed their scrappy, hard-nosed style, forcing Haith’s squad to adapt to them.
After stunning No. 13 Baylor on the road Saturday, Feb. 18, 57-56, Kansas State junior guard Rodney McGruder said the Wildcats came into Mizzou Arena with a lot of confidence.
“Why not come in here and get a victory?” McGruder said.
After scoring 20 points against Missouri on Jan. 7, McGruder poured in a game-high 24 points, including a perfect eight for eight at the free-throw line. The Wildcats took a 40-30 lead into halftime—Missouri’s largest halftime deficit at home this season.
“We didn’t punch back early,” senior forward Kim English said. “And when you do that when you play good teams it’s an uphill battle all the way and it just hurt us.”
Martin’s team was fortunate to hold Missouri to a low shooting percentage for the second time this season, as the Tigers shot just above 32 percent in the season’s first matchup.
Missouri shot just above 38 percent from the field for the game and connected on eight of 26 3-pointers. The Tigers were especially cold late, missing on nine 3-point attempts in the game’s final five minutes.
“We were trying to get a five-point shot,” Haith said. “Instead of continuing to play and be aggressive and attacking…I thought we settled.”
Kansas State’s lead ballooned to 61-45 after a McGruder layup with 12:31 remaining when Missouri started to make a run. Momentum began to shift toward the Tigers when junior guard Michael Dixon nailed a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 11. The teams traded baskets before Missouri guard Phil Pressey found an open English for a 3-pointer, cutting the Wildcats lead to three with 6:43 to go.
As the crowd at Mizzou Arena erupted, McGruder calmly took the ball in his hands, and drilled a 3-pointer, pushing the lead back up to six.
Missouri continued to rally, but the Wildcats kept coming with answers, spoiling any potential comeback. Missouri capped a 21-9 run when Dixon connected on two free throws to cut the lead to 70-66 with 2:21 remaining, but after a Tigers timeout, Kansas State guard Angel Rodriguez dribbled down the baseline and found an open Jordan Henriquez for an alley-oop dunk that slammed the door shut on Missouri’s quest for a perfect home record.
“Their length does bother us,” Haith said. “They’re very aggressive and physical.”
Missouri battled foul trouble for most of the game as English and center Steve Moore both eventually fouled out of the game. English picked up his third foul in the first half before throwing the ball to the ground prompting the official to call a technical foul on him. English played most of the second half with four fouls and Pressey finished the game with four fouls.
“Not having depth really hurt us,” Haith said.
The loss was just the fourth time in 70 games this Tigers’ senior class has lost at Mizzou Arena in their careers. Senior guard Marcus Denmon finished with 19 points. Dixon scored a team-high 21.
The loss dropped the Tigers to a half-game behind Kansas in the Big 12 standings. Missouri travels to Lawrence, Kan. Saturday to square off against the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks from Allen Fieldhouse, as they attempt to regain the lead in the Big 12 race.
Story by Ryan Williams
Photos by Kaveh Kaghazi
Ricardo Ratliffe and Kim English celebrate Missouri's 83-65 win against Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Ratliffe's 15 points and 12 rebounds helped MU's senior class achieve a record 101 career wins.
For the No. 3 Missouri Tigers, it wasn’t revenge that took place Wednesday night at Mizzou Arena. It was business as usual.
“(We) definitely remembered how we played Stillwater,” senior forward Kim English said. “We learned from that loss.”
The last time the Tigers and the Cowboys met, Oklahoma State pulled away down the stretch behind Le’Bryan Nash’s 27 points in a 79-72 upset victory in Stillwater, Okla. This time Missouri took care of business, winning handily at home, 83-65 behind an offensive explosion and strong defense.
“We knew coming into this game that Missouri was going to respond,” Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. “When Missouri plays like this, and shoots how they did tonight, they can play with anybody in the country.”
Missouri’s offense shined in the first half behind sixth man Michael Dixon. Dixon finished the game with 15 points on 7 for 11 shooting, including a perfect 6 for 6 from the field during the Tigers 35-12 run to end the first half.
“I will say (Dixon’s) playing at a high, high level right now,” Missouri coach Frank Haith said. “And we sense it, and he senses it…when he gets in the game he’s playing with a high-level of confidence.”
Dixon is shooting 66 percent (31-for-47) from the field in his last five games. But Dixon wasn’t the only player in black and gold that brought his A-game Wednesday night. Five Tigers scored in double figures. Ricardo Ratliffe recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Phil Pressey nearly reached a triple-double with 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
“Every other player can score,” Ford said. “They’re just talented and Frank’s done a great job of putting his players in the right place, done a great job of distributing the points and that’s not an easy thing to do.”
English and Marcus Denmon made an impact once the second half started. After starting a combined 3 for 6 from the field and a total of nine points, the seniors finished the game a combined 12 for 23 for 30 points.
“It’s fun when you really don’t care who gets that basket,” English said. “When it’s just your college buddies and you’re out there playing basketball it’s fun.”
Oklahoma State held a 10-9 lead with 14:37 left in the first half, but failed to regain the lead again. Missouri’s largest lead of the game was 35 points with 6:59 remaining in the game. The Cowboys were able to get some offense going in the second half behind lone senior Keiton Page who had a game-high 23 points and five 3-pointers.
Cowboys’ star freshman forward Nash, however, only had 11 total points on the night—not even half of what he had the last time these two teams met on the hardwood. English said that he studied film of Nash all week and read the Oklahoma State offensive sets early to try and force Nash out from around the basket.
“I didn’t want (Nash) to get going early because with young prolific scorers if they make some shots early, their jump shots start falling…and that’s what happened in Stillwater,” English said.
Haith was quick to point out that English’s defense might be getting overlooked and he’s made sacrifices to shut down the other teams’ star forwards.
“I don’t know if we really give him credit for what he’s done all year defensively,” Haith said. “He’s guarding guys six to seven inches taller than him and battling them every single night.”
Wednesday’s victory over Oklahoma State gave seniors Kim English, Marcus Denmon, and Steve Moore 101 wins for their collegiate careers, making them the lone leaders in Mizzou history.
“This is just a product of the bigger process,” English said. “The accolade is nice, but we just looked at it as another game on the schedule. We just want to win.”
The Tigers are back in action against Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, Saturday, Feb. 18. at 1 p.m.
By Kaveh Kaghazi
Three weeks ago in Stillwater, Okla., Oklahoma State freshman Le’Bryan Nash burst onto the college basketball scene, carrying the Cowboys to a 79-72 upset win against then No. 2 ranked Missouri.
Nash and Oklahoma State won’t sneak up on the No. 3 Tigers when the Cowboys visit Mizzou Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
“We didn’t execute defensively,” Missouri coach Frank Haith said.
“We’ve got to guard them better and Nash was outstanding in that game, so we’ve got to do a much better job on him.”
Ricardo Ratliffe had 25 points and 12 rebounds in the Tigers' 79-72 loss against OSU on Jan. 25. At 73.7 percent, Ratliffe remains 0.9 percent shy of the NCAA single-season field goal percentage record.
The freshman from Dallas, Texas, scored a career-high 27 points, including three 3-pointers in the Cowboys lone victory against a ranked opponent this season. Nash has averaged 16 points in his last six games — up from his 12.5 point per game average prior to the Jan. 25 victory against MU.
“He’s versatile,” junior guard Michael Dixon said.
“If you put a big on him, he’ll bring him out to the perimeter. And if you put a smaller guy on him, he’ll try to post you up.”
The 6-foot-7 Nash wasn’t the only player to give Missouri (23-2, 10-2) fits the first time around. Fellow freshman Brian Williams scored 22 points, converting on 10 of 12 free throws, while sophomore Markel Brown brought the house down at Gallagher-IBA Arena with two highlight reel dunks.
“Those guys will drive the ball,” Haith said. “That’s their deal. Williams and Brown—they’re very athletic.”
Coming off a 72-57 win against Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 11, the Tigers’ defensive focus switches from inside to outside. Baylor’s massive height advantage posed problems for Missouri on the glass. The Bears’ starting lineup has three players 6-feet-7 or taller as they jumped out to a plus-15 rebounding advantage in the first half on Saturday.
The Cowboys spread the floor, using a four-guard system similar to Missouri—a contrast senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe said is just the nature of the Big 12.
“It’s a real versatile league,” Ratliffe said.
“We’ve got big teams and we’ve got little, quick teams like us. But I mean everybody’s good…you can’t take a night off in this league.”
The Cowboys (12-13, 5-7) have their sights set on accomplishing something no other team has done against Missouri this season: beat the Tigers at Mizzou Arena. At 14-0, MU is one of only 14 Division 1 teams yet to lose on their home court in 2011-2012.
Ratliffe continues to chase Steve Johnson’s 30-year-old NCAA single-season field goal percentage record. At 73.7 percent, the forward remains 0.9 percent shy of the record after a 3-for-9 performance against Baylor. Ratliffe had success against Oklahoma State the first time the teams played, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the loss.
Asked about Missouri’s strategy against a smaller Oklahoma State team, senior Kim English said the Tigers will continue to feed Ratliffe early.
“We have a specimen inside,” English said. “We start the games inside-outside and the floor spreads.”
As to why they were unsuccessful three weeks ago in Stillwater, Okla., English pointed at the lack of execution and defensive breakdowns late in the game.
“We’ve definitely shown growth since that game,” English said.
Since the loss, Missouri has been successful closing out late in games. Three of the Tigers’ last four wins have come by three points or less—two of them coming on the road.
Tip-off at Mizzou Arena is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Story by Kaveh Kaghazi
Photos by Karen Mitchell
Steve Moore's first points of the game came on this commanding dunk over Baylor's Anthony Jones.
Coming into Saturday’s game against No. 6 Baylor, the Tigers had to find a way to offset the Bears’ enormous size advantage.
The No. 4 Tigers struggled early, before finding a weakness in Baylor’s defense and exploiting it in the second half. Behind a combined 51 points from guards Phil Pressey, Michael Dixon and Marcus Denmon, Missouri knocked off Baylor for the second time this season, 72-57 Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
“At the end of the day when you’re playing Missouri, you’re going to give up something,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “So we decided we were going to give up the three.”
Giving up the three to a team as confident as this Tigers team proved to devastate the Bears. Missouri made Baylor pay for the open looks, connecting on a season-high 14 3-pointers on 28 attempts.
Pressey hit three of seven 3-pointers—tying a season high for attempts. The Tigers (23-2, 10-2) had a hard time finding good scoring opportunities against Baylor’s zone defense early. As the game went on however, the Tigers seemed to do what they’ve been so successful at this season—force the opponent to play the Tigers’ game.
“The game is played away from the basket, that’s to our advantage,” coach Frank Haith said. “If it’s played closer to the basket, that’s to our opponents advantage.”
The game was played on the inside in the first half, as Baylor dominated the rebounding battle. The Bears athletic big men crashed the boards early and often against the Tigers, storming out to a 23-8 rebounding advantage in the first half.
“We understood that Baylor would come out with a high energy level, coming off a loss,” guard Marcus Denmon said.
“And they would try to take advantage of their length and athleticism on the boards. And we let them take advantage of that early… at halftime we understood that it was obvious what we needed to do in the second half.”
Both teams traded blows early in the second half, with Missouri holding on to a one-point lead before a Michael Dixon 3-pointer with 13:08 remaining put the crowd on its feet and gave MU a 41-37 lead. Baylor missed on their next possession, allowing a Missouri fast break capped off by a Steve Moore dunk that brought the house down at Mizzou Arena.
“The crowd does ignite us, I mean we can’t deny it—especially on defense,” Dixon said.
“And once somebody starts hitting some shots, or Steve makes a big play or (English) boxes somebody out…we just feed off that.”
The run put Missouri on top for good, as Baylor (21-4, 8-4) failed to get into rhythm. Freshman Quincy Miller led the Bears with 20 points, but the Baylor big men were held in check. Six-foot 11-inch forward Perry Jones III was held to just four points on 2-for-12 shooting.
“Every night we depend on Perry Jones and for him to struggle like that kind of hurt us,” Baylor forward Anthony Jones said.
Jones came into the game averaging 14 points and seven rebounds. In two games against Missouri this season, he has been held to a combined 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Pressey scored 19, Dixon added 16, as did Denmon who also dished out six assists.
“It feels good,” Dixon said.
“It feels good to make shots and be at home and to play at a certain comfort and…once Marcus mainly started hitting threes, it opened up me and Phil’s shots.”
Missouri is now tied with Kansas for the Big 12 conference lead but owns a victory over Kansas, giving Missouri first place in the conference. The Tigers face Oklahoma State next on the schedule. Haith said his team still has a lot of work to do.
“I think we have to find ways to win games….for us rebounding is a spot that we stress and we’re trying to get better at,” Haith said. “I still think there’s a level this team can get to. I’m excited about where they’re at, but I do think there’s some room that we can get better.”
As most coaches are forced to do against this Missouri team, Drew had to pick his poison. Rather than letting Pressey drive and create for his teammates, Drew opted to let the Tigers have their 3-point opportunities.
“When Missouri is on, there is nobody in the country as good as them offensively, Drew said. “You’ve got to hope they’re not on. And they’ve been on a lot this year.”
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