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[warthog]

Mizzou upsets No. 19 USC 83-72


The Kansas City Star
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico | On the shoulder's of DeMarre Carroll's career-high 29 points and the sharp-shooting and ball-hawking T. J. Tiller, Missouri knocked of No. 19 USC 83-72.

The triumph earned the Tigers the fourth-place, consolation game trophy Sunday of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

More importantly, it moved Missouri to 4-1 and served noticed the Tigers might be more than a middle of the pack team in the Big 12 Conference.

"That can't do anything but boost your confidence," said coach Mike Anderson. "I can't say enough about the leadership of our guys.

"DeMarre Carroll had a tremendous career-high game. Leo Lyons came back in the second half and I thought really settled down and played some good basketball.

"J.T. Tiller? What can you say? The iron man of our basketball team."

Down by a dozen points in the first half, Missouri cut that deficit in half at the break, USC up 43-37.

With 16 minutes, 11 seconds to play, USC's Taj Gibson worked inside for a basket that put USC up 51-41.

Then the Tigers simply took over, outscoring the Trojans in the final 16 minutes 42-21, handing USC its second loss in three games at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, and more convincingly than Seton Hall's two-point upset of the Trojans on the first day.

Further, this was an answer for Missouri's own 75-71 first-day loss to Xavier in a game Missouri led by seven points before missing eight of 10 free throws down the stretch.

"We saw the Seton Hall game," Carroll said. "Once you get on top of them, we saw that some of their heads get down.

"We just said we're not going to let another opportunity pass us by like we had against Xavier."

It did not help USC's cause that Gibson, plagued by foul trouble from early in the game, rode the bench most of the day and scored only 11 points before fouling out with 63 seconds left.

The Trojans were also hurt when Kasey Cunningham, who scored 11 points in relief of Gibson, was helped off the court with a left knee injury with 10 minutes to play.

But Missouri helped itself as well.

From start to finish, Carroll proved a force. He hit 11 of 16 shots (including three of three three-pointers), hit four of five free throws and ripped off nine rebounds.

"I was feeling it," Carroll said. "I kind of took it personally. A lot of people, they say when you get on a big stage you've got to show your overall game."

Carroll hit two big threes in the second half, stepping back to make sure it was a bonus shot on one of them.

"It was a heat check and I'm glad it went in," Carroll said, "because if it didn't Coach, more of his hair would have turned grey on me."

The other three that stood out did so because it came with the shot clock running down and Carroll's teammates just sort of standing around looking at their senior forward.

"Let me see what I'm made of," Carroll said. "My dad always told me, `Late in the game you need to step up to the plate.'

"I saw my teammates looking at me, so I just shot the ball."

Tiller, meanwhile, hit 3 of 3 threes on the way to 14 points and came up with three steals.

Lyons scored 13 points for the Tigers, while Keith Ramsey (8 points), Miguel Paul (7 points) and Marcus Denmon (5 rebounds and 4 points) contributed off the bench.

Missouri led just 68-67 when, with 5:19 left, Tiller drove right, was fouled and hit both free throws.

Tiller then stole the ball and fed Denman for a lay up past Gibson. Next, Denman stole the inbounds pass and Lyons turned that into a bucket that put Missouri up 74-67 with 4:50 to play.

Mizzou kept USC (now 3-2) at bay the rest of the way.

Missouri, now 4-1, heads home from Puerto Rico tonight having won two of three on the island heading into Saturday's 3 p.m. tip off against Oral Roberts at Mizzou Arena.




http://www.kansascit...ory/905160.html

[AssKickingBoots]

There would be a very different feel around the program had they not have let Xavier slip past them. Xavier is a very good basketball team traditionally, so you can't worry too much about that loss. You've just got to learn from it. However, I'm sure to an outsider, it's more USC's loss than it is a Mizzou win. I don't think that's the case though.

This was a confidence building win. You won't get too many opportunities to swing a 12 point deficit into a 11 point victory against a top 25 opponent. You don't do that without a little help, but you also don't do that unless you are good yourself.

Considering how weak the Big XII should be this year compared to years past (Beasley/Walker out at K-State, Kansas starting over from scratch, etc.) Mizzou might be able to hang with them Texas and Oklahoma and so on. I think they've got a real shot to be a contender in this conference this year, they just need to build more confidence in themselves and the program.

[Dom]

Mizzou has looked pretty sharp so far and losing to Xavier hurts a bit, but Xavier is a good ball club (beat #12 Memphis same day Mizzou beat USC) I think this could be the year they jumped back into the dance.

[AssKickingBoots]

I'm really looking forward to the Mizzou-Illinois Bragging Rights game for the first time in a long time. Illinois has been playing some good basketball as well. Both have just one loss, and while Mizzou has the highest quality win of the two (USC), both teams only lost to really good teams (undefeated no. 7 ranked Xavier for Mizzou, undefeated no. 25 ranked Clemson for Illinois).

Mizzou has crapped away alot of these games to Illinois over recent years, but I'm expecting a big win this time.

One thing to note, Missouri actually got more votes to be ranked than KU last week, in both the AP and Coaches poll. I'm sure they'll be ranked ahead of some of those two loss teams this week. Big picture, one can only hope this is the year they make it back to the tournament.

[Dom]

Illinois smoked Mizzou, not a good showing for the Tigers

[warthog]

[AssKickingBoots]

The only bright spot is pretty much everybody in the Big XII North proved they suck lately. Combined with a soft starting schedule in conference play, Mizzou might be able to do good in the conference... for what little that will end up being worth.

Not exactly a time to be proud of the Big XII North...

[warthog]

Time to end Braggin’ Rights rivalry
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

ST. LOUIS | Drop the series. Let the Fighting Illini brag. They’ve earned it.

On paper, this Braggin’ Rights rivalry makes a lot of sense. The Missouri Tigers and Illinois Fighting Illini meet once a year on the basketball court in St. Louis. Half the arena is orange and the other half is black. The ESPN family of networks televises the event. Big-name broadcasters call the game.

It’s a showcase … for Illinois, 75-59 winners Tuesday night at the Scottrade Center.

That’s nine in a row for the Illini. They’re now 20-8 in Braggin’ Rights games. They can lose the next two or three and keep on bragging. I’d rather see the Tigers take on Saint Louis University in an annual battle. They’d probably muster more emotion for the Billikens.

This Illinois-Missouri basketball rivalry just isn’t heated. It’s a waste of time. The 25th-(over)ranked Tigers came out flat and got exposed as frauds.

“I didn’t see the energy,” Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. “We’re an energy basketball team.”

Not Tuesday night. And never against Illinois.

The Tigers, 9-2, fell behind 20-9 within the first nine minutes and were never in the game after that.

“I told ’em right before we came out that they might make a run,” Missouri senior Leo Lyons said. “And we didn’t fight back.”

It makes no sense for the Illini to dominate this series. They’re not Kansas. They’re not stocked with McDonald’s All-Americans.

Illinois whipped Mizzou on Tuesday with a bunch of gym rats. I didn’t see a bunch of future NBAers on the court wearing orange. Demetri McCamey scored 18 in the first half by knocking down open jumpers and creating shooting windows with head fakes, pump fakes and good movement. He torched the Tigers with fundamentals.

In the second half, Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Trent Meacham joined McCamey in the basketball clinic, and Illinois kept Missouri 20 points down most of the final 20 minutes. Tisdale, Davis, Meacham and McCamey combined to make 26 of 40 from the field.

That’s embarrassing for a Mike Anderson-coached team.

The Tigers are supposed to be a long, athletic, defensive-minded, havoc-wreaking hoops team. They were dismantled by a fundamentally-sound intramural team.

“We were a full step behind today,” Anderson said. “Blame me for that.”

I’m blaming this series. Missouri has one basketball rival, and it’s Kansas. The Tigers may lose to Kansas, but it’s never because they gave a half-hearted effort. They always find a way to beat the Jayhawks.

Sure, it helps getting the Jayhawks on campus once a year. And maybe the Braggin’ Rights series needs to be moved back on campus. Maybe St. Louis steals the emotion from the Tigers.

Whatever, let’s just end this thing.

I mentioned that to Missouri athletic director Mike Alden after the game. He had no interest in halting the series. I made the same suggestion to Anderson. He had the same reaction as Alden.

“It’s a marquee ballgame,” Anderson said. “We just got to get to the point where we play better in it.”

You gotta know when to fold ’em.

This game means more to the Illini. They don’t have a real rival in the Big Ten. Michigan, Wisconsin and Northwestern just don’t crank the juices the way smacking Mizzou in the state of Missouri does.

Having now seen Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri all play in person this season, I know the least about the Tigers. It would be foolish to judge them off this game. No way they’re this bad.

They missed the first 13 three-pointers they shot. They shot 37 percent from the field. Lyons picked up several garbage buckets late and finished with 22 points. I was unimpressed. DeMarre Carroll twisted an ankle, played just 25 minutes and tallied six points. Totally unimpressed.

Missouri’s guards were horrendous. No way they’re really that bad.

It was just an awful night, a terrible road trip in bad weather.

The rest of Missouri’s non-conference schedule is unappealing. We won’t learn anything about this club until Big 12 play. My suspicion is the Tigers are a threat to go 8-8 in the conference if they catch some breaks. It’s just a suspicion. Don’t hold me to it. Heck, based on what we saw Tuesday, 4-12 in league play isn’t out of the question.

http://www.kansascit...ory/950963.html

[Dom]

Mizzou does what they do best..... choke when conference play starts, you just cant lose to Nebraska

[warthog]

After Illinois, I saw this coming. When does this team become Mike Andersons and stop being Quinn Snyders. Time for the coach to answer for his own team here.

[westcoastkcfan]

40 minutes of hell shouldn't mean how Mizzou fans feel while watching the team play. When are we going to see this on the court?

[warthog]

This one needs pinned as well.

[AssKickingBoots]

westcoastkcfan, on Jan 10 2009, 06:23 PM, said:

40 minutes of hell shouldn't mean how Mizzou fans feel while watching the team play. When are we going to see this on the court?

I'm guessing we won't.

This is Mike Anderson's third year now, and he should have his players in there. They're playing better, but is it enough improvement? Is this where we want to be right now? As it stands we're probably the 2nd or 3rd team in an absolutely terrible division. As far as I'm concerned, in order to say we are where we need to be, we should be in the tournament this year. I have my doubts right now, that's for sure.

[westcoastkcfan]

AssKickingBoots, on Jan 12 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

I'm guessing we won't.

This is Mike Anderson's third year now, and he should have his players in there. They're playing better, but is it enough improvement? Is this where we want to be right now? As it stands we're probably the 2nd or 3rd team in an absolutely terrible division. As far as I'm concerned, in order to say we are where we need to be, we should be in the tournament this year. I have my doubts right now, that's for sure.

Totally agree. I was hoping Mizzou would be playing like Anderson's UAB teams did when he left there. UAB looked a lot like the Hogs of old when he was there. I used to love watching Nolans' Hog teams way back when.

[Dom]

warthog, on Jan 12 2009, 10:01 AM, said:

This one needs pinned as well.

When there is a few more threads in here I will pin it... It doesn't have much competition right now

[warthog]

Dom, on Jan 13 2009, 10:37 AM, said:

When there is a few more threads in here I will pin it... It doesn't have much competition right now

Does that matter? The freagin Jayhawks are pinned.

[Dom]

warthog, on Jan 13 2009, 12:53 PM, said:

Does that matter? The freagin Jayhawks are pinned.

lets bring a championship to Missouri and we can do amazing things like that

[warthog]

Dom, on Jan 13 2009, 02:50 PM, said:

lets bring a championship to Missouri and we can do amazing things like that

Amazing things like pinning the thread?

[Dom]

ok holy shit I will pin it... tell them to hurry up and win a conference game though

[warthog]

Dom, on Jan 13 2009, 02:54 PM, said:

ok holy shit I will pin it... tell them to hurry up and win a conference game though

The internet will be long obsolete before they win a conference championship.