Mizzou Links, 1-3-12

Mizzou Basketball Links

Stupid New Year's Day bowls happening on January 2 ... I had no idea tonight was Mizzou's first Big 12 game until last night ... thought there was still one more day in between. So your posting schedule for the day: Old Dominion Study Hall, Bowl Pick 'em Update, and Oklahoma preview. (And seven more features for SBN.) Coffee's a-brewin'.

• Big 12 Season Starts ... Wait, Tonight? Seriously?
  MUtigers.com: Mizzou Opens Conference Action Tuesday vs. Sooners
  The Trib: Big 12 slate has no rest periods
  The Trib (Steve Walentik): Haith discusses start of Big 12 season
  KC Star: MU's Haith ready for first grind through the Big 12 schedule

  On if his team is ready for the new conference schedule with no off weeks …

  "It is a grind, and not only that, you make a great point, is the true round robin. I think we’re the only BCS Conference in the country that does that. You play a team on the road, you’ve got them coming back to your place or vice versa. You’re going to get a true champion, and that just sets it up to be just a tremendous grind this year. Preparing for that, I think we’ve done a good job with our nonconference schedule, but obviously, you get into league play, it is a little different. I think our guys are excited and ready for it. We’ve got an experienced ballclub, and they’ve been through it, so I think they’re excited about the opportunity." [...]

  On if he was pleased with how his team handled stressful situations against Illinois and Old Dominion …

  "There’s no question. I thought we responded very well in the Illinois and Old Dominion (games). You look across the country — I watched that Rutgers/Florida game the other night — and when you get in those situations, you’ve got to have good guard play, and I think our guys responded well down the stretch in both those games. Obviously, we want to eliminate what got us in those situations in both those games, but with that said, there was a lot of growth, there was a lot of learning involved in those two games. That can only help us down the stretch, and that can only help our team be better because we are going to have to play in some tight ballgames, a lot of tight ballgames. I would anticipate where every time we lace them up in the Big 12 it’s going to come down to the last four minutes, and we’ve got to be really good in those last four minutes."

  PowerMizzou: Big 12 Hoops Preview
  Rush the Court: Checking In On... the Big 12 Conference
  Rush the Court: Big 12 New Years Resolutions, Part One
• TV
  The Trib: TV channels for Oklahoma
• Creeping Awfully High
  The Missourian: Missouri moves up in rankings, will start conference play
• Denmon Holds Steady
  Searching For Billy Edelin: College Basketball Player of the Year Rankings: Week 9

Mizzou Football Links

• NFL
  The Trib: Former Tigers have been a hit for San Francisco
  SB Nation: VIDEO: Blaine Gabbert Touchdown Pass Puts Jaguars On Top
  NFL.com: VIDEO: Jeremy Maclin's one-handed catch
  

Other Football Links

• KSU
  KC Star: Is K-State primed for a second long bowl run under Snyder?
  

SEC

• SimmonsField.com: SEC Dixie-nary: T is for TV
  

Other Mizzou Links

• Mizzou Wrestling
  MUtigers.com: Haynes Wins Title, Tigers Finish Third at Southern Scuffle
• Mizzou Women's Basketball
  MUtigers.com: Brock, Flores Lead Tigers to 66-48 win over SHSU
  The Trib: Tigers' nonconference slate ends with rout of Bearkats
  The Missourian: Crowd continues to grow for Missouri women's basketball
  KC Star: Missouri women take down Sam Houston State 66-48
  KBIA Sports Extra: After poor first half, Mizzou women storm back for 18-point win
  

Other

• They Created A Show Even I Won't Watch
  Food Network Humor: Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cookoff, Episode 1
• USMNT
  SI.com (Steve Davis): Ten storylines to follow in U.S. soccer in 2012