Before we here at InsideSTL.com turn our attention to “hate week” as Tiger football fans like to call it, let's take a moment to talk hoops. After the effort they turned in in Puerto Rico, Mike Anderson and his players deserve that momentary recognition.
Things looked bleak for the Tigers on Thursday afternoon. Mizzou had gone a repulsive 7-20 from the free throw line in the second half of its game against Xavier to gag up a late seven-point lead and lose to the Musketeers. The Internet experts (don't take it as an insult, I lump myself in this category as well) were out in full force. Same old Tigers. Still can't win close games. They choked. Those statements and feelings were all out there. And at the time, they may not have been all that unwarranted. The 75-71 loss to the Musketeers put Missouri at a reprehensible 3-13 in games decided by five points or less under Anderson. That's not bad. That's downright putrid.
The distance from the middle to the bottom in major conference basketball isn't all that great. Over the course of a season, most teams will play about eight to ten games that are “swing games” or games decided in the final four minutes. If you go 6-3 in games like that, you're going to play in the NCAA tournament. If you go 3-6, you're going to be lucky to get to the NIT. If you go 2-7, which is about what the Tigers had done, you're going to be sitting on your couch in March.
But things didn't look bleak just for that reason. The clear goal for Missouri in the Puerto Rico Tipoff was to win at least two of its three games and to have one of those wins be a “quality win” or one the NCAA/NIT selection committees would look at with admiration. It appeared that chance was out the window after losing to Xavier because it seemed likely the next two opponents would be Fairfield and Seton Hall. But then the Pirates helped Missouri out and sent USC to the consolation bracket. The Trojans are a top 20 team and probably the second best squad in the PAC-10 this year, which is going to get you a dance ticket any season.
After beating Fairfield in impressive, even if expected, fashion, the Tigers got the Trojans. USC got nine of the game's first ten rebounds and raced out to a 12-point lead, even with its star, Taj Gibson, sitting on the bench with two fouls. Things didn't look good. Then, suddenly, the Tigers caught fire.
DeMarre Carroll put up a career-high 29 points including a perfect three-for-three from three-point range. J.T. Tiller looked like the best defensive guard Missouri has had in ages. Marcus Denmon and Keith Ramsey came up with huge plays. Leo Lyons woke up from a first half slumber with big plays down the stretch. The Tigers won the game 83-72 and all the goals were accomplished in Puerto Rico. They return home for a week off at 4-and-1 on the season, with a win over a likely NCAA tournament team on their resume. Their only loss was a close one to the team that beat defending NCAA finalist Memphis to win the tournament. Things couldn't have gone a whole lot better.
But it isn't just the results that should find Tiger fans hopeful as the season is in its early stages. It's the way the Tigers got there. If you watch this team play, it actually looks like a Mike Anderson coached team. They're not 1994 Arkansas, but they might just be 2004 UAB. The Tigers play defense. They made Xavier's backcourt look panicked and plain bad. They destroyed Fairfield as they should. The wore down a talented and athletic USC team and completely outplayed the Trojans in the second half.
Last season, Anderson had little choice but to play a guy like Matt Lawrence for 25 to 30 minutes a game. Yes, Lawrence was limited and there were times when his shot wasn't falling that he really hurt the Tigers. But who was Anderson going to put in his place? This year, he has options. Lawrence wasn't hitting against the Trojans and the minutes went to freshmen Kimmie English and Marcus Denmon. With Lyons struggling, juco transfer Keith Ramsey showed his first flash of promise in five games and chipped in eight big points and some key rebounds. Carroll became a go-to guy.
It's a long season. Five games may not tell us much. But they've told me this: Missouri is better than last year. Whether that translates into the win-loss column and a return to postseason play is yet to be determined, but no one who has watched these first five games with any sense of objectivity can say they haven't seen improvement.
It's a long road back for Missouri basketball. But this weekend gave me hope that the Tigers are headed in the right direction.
Gabe DeArmond is the publisher of PowerMizzou.com. You can read his daily coverage of Tiger football and basketball online at http://missouri.rivals.com.