COLUMBIA, Mo. -- There will be no savior to pick up the pieces for Missouri basketball after a tumultuous offseason that included a coaching change and numerous arrests.
None of the returners who averaged six points or less will suddenly become elite scorers for a team that lost more than 51 points per game from its top three players. Players such as freshman Jakeenan Gant and transfers Keith Shamburger and Deuce Bello should make immediate impacts, but they're unlikely to become standouts just yet.
Instead, the Tigers' best chance for success will be finding balance and contributions from the 11 scholarship players left, following the departure of former St. Louis high school star Cameron Biedscheid earlier this week. Shane Rector also transferred last spring, and Mizzou dismissed Torren Jones for a violation of team rules in August.
Sickness has kept Shamburger, Wes Clark and Montaque Gil-Caesar out for recent stretches, and injuries also kept Johnathan Williams III and Bello out the last two to three weeks. Gant and freshman D'Angelo Allen have been reinstated following suspensions stemming from their arrests on suspicion of third-degree assault earlier this month, so it's easy to see why the Tigers are eager to finally start official practices next Monday.
"It's definitely been tough," says junior Ryan Rosburg, the only player on the roster who has been in Columbia the last two seasons. "But I think we've got the right pieces and I think everyone knows each other and knows each other's game well enough to (where) it'll be easy once we start everyone getting ready."
They're also getting familiar with their new coach, reigning Division II Coach of the Year Kim Anderson. He says he understands why some players may have been apprehensive at first when he took over for Frank Haith, and it will take some positive results for the team to completely buy into the system.
But it's possible Anderson could be the perfect guy to find success with Mizzou's assortment of fresh, modestly talented faces. A year ago, he coached Central Missouri to a national title, even though the Mules didn't have anyone average more than 14 points per game or earn even All-Region honors at the end of the season.
"I liked coaching that team like last year, where everybody's a part of it, everybody's contributing, whether it's sccoring, rebounding," Anderson says. "Sitting here today, I think this could be a well-balanced team. I think this could be a fun team to play on because there's so many guys that can contribute."
Of course, it's still a little too early to tell just where the production will come from with this group, and Anderson knows it's an evolving process. He says as many as 11 players could see the floor early, though he'd like to get the rotation down to eight or nine later in the season.
Williams, for one, has lofty goals that include 17 points and 10 rebounds "or something like that" and he'll certainly be expected to contribute more in his sophomore season. But these Tigers might have a better chance at success with eight players averaging between six and 14 points per game, like Central Missouri had last season.
If that's to happen, Mizzou will need some strong leadership, which Anderson says may be one of his biggest concerns heading into the season. Clearly, Rosburg will be asked to shoulder more responsibility, and senior forward Keanau Post has shown some signs of becoming more of a vocal presence on the court.
"He's a guy that's not afraid to call people out and put people in their place when it needs to be done and talk to guys," Rosburg says. "That's helped us with him being a senior, too."
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Even senior transfer Keith Shamburger knows he needs to lead by example, although he's more of the quiet type and has been cleared to play with his teammates for only two weeks. The point guard from Hawaii has as much college experience as anyone and should certainly provide a good model for talented sophomore guard Wes Clark.
He spent the offseason focusing on defense, something several players said Anderson has emphasized more than the previous coaching staff. That will be critical for a team that ranked in the bottom half of the SEC last year by allowing nearly 70 points per game from opponents who shot better than 41 percent from the floor.
Anderson doesn't know much about those other teams right now, though he's looking forward to spending time watching video to get a better idea of where they might stand in the SEC. He's not hiding the fact his team is a "work in progress," which might actually be the nicest description possible for the Tigers.
Last year's Kentucky team may provide the most vivid example of how it takes more than talent to have consistent success, even if it also illustrates the added value of elite individuals in March. This Mizzou team seems about as likely to have anyone in the conversation for Player of the Year as it is to compete for a national title, but that doesn't mean it can't come together and find some team success above and beyond its individual accomplishments.
You can follow Luke Thompson on Twitter at @FS_LukeT or email him at lukegthompson87@gmail.com.
