Braggin' Rights: Mizzou searching for one good win to turn season around
ST. LOUIS -- The past four times Missouri has played Illinois, the Tigers were ranked 23rd, 12th, ninth and ninth in the Top 25.
Not this year. When the border rivals tip off at 1 p.m. Saturday, the Tigers will be 149th to the Illini's 55th in the latest RPI Index.
And as imperfect as is the RPI, Missouri has no complaints about its low ranking.
"We haven't played very well," coach Kim Anderson said Friday.
Missouri (5-5) started the season with a home loss to lightly regarded Missouri-Kansas City and has yet to find its stride. The Tigers have been out-shot and out-rebounded and have totaled fewer assists but more turnovers than their opposition.
The Illini (8-3) cracked the Top 25 earlier this season and enter the game as a significant favorite. Illinois is big, deep and balanced with considerable firepower, averaging 79.4 points a game while shooting 44.4 percent, including 39.3 on 3-pointers. The Illini are led by senior guard Rayvonte Rice, who is averaging 17.3 points a game, but Anderson says he is just as concerned about 6-foot-6 sophomore Malcolm Hill.
"He's a mismatch," Anderson said. "He's 6-6 (and scores) inside-outside."
For this Braggin' Rights game to live up to its reputation as one of college basketball's more exciting rivalries, the Tigers will need to play their best game and have the Illini play one of their worst. But three recent developments could make for a surprise, or at least a closer score than the statistics would indicate.
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-- Tigers sophomore forward Johnathan Williams III is emerging. Over his past four games, Williams is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds and looking like the go-to player the Tigers have been lacking. Williams battled a sore knee earlier in the season, but improved health is not the only reason he is beginning to live up to the elite-recruit label he arrived with in Columbia. As a freshman, he typically deferred to Missouri's big three of Jordan Clarkson, Jabari Brown and Earnest Ross, but now the lean lefty is looking to score.
"He's a guy that can make some things happen for us," Anderson said. "He's a guy we can go to. That's what we've been trying to find, someone who we can go to consistently to make plays."
-- Freshman Jakeenan Gant has arrived. Gant sat out the Tigers' first nine games because of undisclosed eligibility issues, but he debuted with a splash last Saturday against Xavier. The 6-8 forward out of Georgia scored 13 points in 15 minutes and noticeably changed the Tigers' energy level when he entered the game. He was the first player Illinois coach John Groce mentioned when asked Friday about his biggest concerns about Missouri.
"He gives us an energy level. He gives us an offensive weapon," Anderson said. "He brings some stuff that can really help us."
-- The Illini have endured their own scuffles lately. After winning their first six games, they have dropped three out of their past five, and the victories were against American University and Hampton.
Illinois is still adjusting to the loss of the hero of last year's Braggin' Rights game, Tracy Abrams. He tore an ACL in September workouts and was lost for the season. Abrams scored 22 points in last year's game, including two free throws with 4.6 seconds left that made the difference in Illinois' 65-64 victory.
These Tigers are much less experienced and not nearly as accomplished, but they could grow up in a hurry with a strong showing Saturday.
"I know it's been a rough start to our season," Williams said. "We need one good win. One good win would turn the season around."
No matter what the rankings say.
You can follow Stan McNeal on Twitter at @StanMcNeal or email him at stanmcneal@gmail.com.
