Take it or leave it: Mizzou can turn untimely break into fresh start
ST. LOUIS -- Sure, you can say the Missouri Tigers' 10-day break could have come at a better time.
Whatever momentum the Tigers gained from playing their best game on Dec. 20 -- even if it was in a loss -- will be forgotten like your least favorite Christmas present by the time they return to action Tuesday night. Instead of facing a Big Ten rival, Illinois, in St. Louis, the Tigers will take on a Big 12 rival, Oklahoma State, on the other side of the state in Kansas City's Sprint Center.
Immediately after Mizzou's 62-59 last-second loss to the Illini, coach Kim Anderson admitted the timing -- as well as the length -- of his team's break was not ideal. He said as much again when he met the media after the Tigers returned to practice. But the first-year coach also pointed out the young Tigers needed a break.
"I don't really like having it, but I think we needed it," Anderson told reporters on Sunday. "I think to be able to go spend time with your families over Christmas -- we've got a lot of young guys, and they've been gone. ... It gives them a chance to unwind a little bit and be with family and friends. It gave us a chance to get away and recharge."
The Tigers were given only four days off, so it wasn't like they had enough time to forget the offense or fall out of shape before they returned to practice Friday. But they had enough time to rest sore knees and heal bothersome bruises.
Enough about the layoff, though. At this point, the Tigers need to forget about it. It will be no excuse if they are unable to match the effort against OSU that they displayed in St. Louis. Against the Illini, the Tigers matched gritty defense, size and athleticism with what is considered a good Big Ten team. They did not look like a team that was outplayed by Elon or Missouri Kansas City.
The way the Illinois game played out, perhaps the Tigers should not look at the layoff as a break but as an end to one season and the start of another. In some ways, Missouri was a different team at Scottrade Center than it had been in winning half its first 10 games.
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Sophomores Wes Clark and Johnathan Williams III stepped up and played like the team leaders they should be. Williams scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Clark finished with 11 points and three assists, his first double-digit scoring effort in a month.
Frontcourt freshmen Jakeenan Gant and D'Angelo Allen gave the Tigers a more energetic, athletic look inside than what Ryan Rosburg and Keanau Post had been providing. The freshmen combined for 15 points on six of 10 shooting while Allen had five rebounds and Gant added a blocked shot and steal. After the game, Anderson said he expected to give the talented youngsters more playing time.
The Cowboys (9-2) look like a good team to go more with Gant and Allen. Oklahoma State's best scorer is 6-foot-7 senior Le'Bryan Nash, the kind of player that the wiry Gant matches up against better than the Tigers' other big men. Gant sat out the first nine games because of eligibility concerns and has played a total of just 31 minutes in two games, but even in limited minutes, it's obvious the Tigers are a better team with him on the floor.
For Missouri to have a chance at finishing in the top half of the SEC, it will need Gant to show his energy and nose for the ball on a regular basis. The Tigers also must have Williams continue to look for his shot as he has all month and for at least one of the guards between Clark, Montaque Gill-Caesar and Keith Shamburger to hit their outside shots. Mizzou has made only seven of 37 3-pointers (18.9 percent) in its past two games after shooting 39.6 percent in its first nine games.
The Tigers (5-6) need a victory over the Cowboys to avoid finishing the non-conference part of their schedule with a losing record for the first time since 1978-79. A Mizzou victory would not be considered that much of an upset even though the Cowboys are 9-2. They own victories over Oregon State and Memphis but were blown out at South Carolina and lost their only game against a ranked team, 73-64 at No. 17 Maryland on Dec. 21. The Cowboys haven't played since so they also will be coming off a lengthy layoff.
You can follow Stan McNeal on Twitter at @StanMcNeal or email him at stanmcneal@gmail.com.
