Sorry for the late start everyone...what can I say.  The Boy and I probably get up at the same time each morning....I just come to work before I do the links :-)  But let's get to it...I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of them.

 Starting off...let's see what the locals had to say about our close loss yesterday

• MUTigers.com has the boxscore...a good place to start.  The good was the 2nd half shooting percentage (53.6%), turnovers (7), steals (16) and assists (18).  The bad was the 1st half shooting percentage (31%), fouls (30), Leo Lyons grabbing ONE rebound, and 2nd half FT shooting (35%)
• The Missourian says free throw problems lead to Tiger loss
• The Tribune says free throw shooting dooms Tigers
• The KC Star says Mizzou misses free throws, falls to Xavier
• The STL P-D says free throws produce foul results for Tigers
• The Worldwide Leader says Xavier learns from past mistakes

 The Tigers will tip today against the Fairfield Stags, who fell to Va Tech in the game preceeding ours.  We lean on the worldwide leader for the boxscore and game recap.  In action on the other side of the bracket, Memphis dispatched UT-C and Seton Hall upset #20 USC, meaning we very likely will meet the Trojans in our third game.

 Pat Knight....run and gun?  Are you kidding me?  167 points on 113 attempted FGs?  Did they play 30 minutes halves?

 Let's move to football, where a surprise trophy presentation leads to lots of links in an off week

• The Missourian has a nice picture of the bowl banners we hang in the practice facility if you have never seen them
• Dave Matter blogs about it being "Trophey Time"
• Mike DeArmond explains that Coach Pinkel wanted to get the formality of the presentation over with so the team could concentrate on the tasks at hand.
• Powermizzou has a great photo spread on the presentation
• STL P-D does not cover the award, but has some great tidbits on where some Tiger assistant coaches and getting interest from for head coaching jobs.
• The P-D also has a really nice piece of the durability of our offensive line
• MUTigers.com brings it all home with the release about Coach Pinkel being named the Missouri Athletic Club "Sports Personality of the Year".  He is only the third Mizzou coach in ANY sport to win this prestigious award...and well-deserved

 And finally...some general stuff

• Raymond Jordan of the Mizzou Wrestling team has been named a John Wooden  Cup Semi-finalist.  I will be honest in that I have never heard of this award, but if it has that man's name on it...well good for you Raymond.
• A reminder about the Wrestling Supporting Wrestling campaign this weekend as the #5 Tigers open up their home schedule aganist #16 Hofstra.  If you plan to go (and you should)...plan to arrive a little early.
• Color me impressed with the triple option at Ga Tech - 472 yards on the ground is an old-school beat down.