15 hours(ish) to tipoff!!!
Mizzou-Memphis links!
- Staten Island Advance: Being overlooked doesn't phase Zaire Taylor and Missouri (via Searching for Billy Edelin)
- KC Star: Backboard jungle: Mizzou and Memphis play with an expectant roar
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Post-Dispatch: Limping Carroll says he is A-OK
Having limped on-stage for a pregame news conference Wednesday after twisting an ankle in practice, Mizzou senior forward DeMarre Carroll was suspiciously quick to try to deflect any suggestion he could be affected for tonight's NCAA Tournament game with Memphis.
"I'm 100 percent," he said, smiling.
- Post-Dispatch (Burwell): Mizzou should stick with plan
- Post-Dispatch (Bernie): These Tigers will tear it up
- Bleacher Report: Creature vs Creature: Memphis Tigers vs Missouri Tigers
- The Missourian: Plenty of similarities between Memphis and Missouri
- The Missourian: Calipari, Anderson meet again
- The Trib: Basketball podcast (Steve Walentik, Joe Walljasper)
- PowerMizzou: Battle on the boards could be key
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PowerMizzou: Carroll, Tigers ready for Memphis (again, might want to avoid using "Tigers" against Memphis)
- PowerMizzou: Powered Up: Tigers with something to prove
- Memphis Commercial Appeal: Missouri coach learned his fashion, game tips in Arkansas
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Memphis Commercial Appeal: Instead of rebuilding, [Memphis] Tigers will their way into dream season
- Memphis Commercial Appeal: Calipari's court: Behind [Memphis] Tigers' success sits lots of lieutenants
The Trib takes a look at the doors that may open with Mizzou's current success. Meanwhile, the Post-Dispatch talks about Mike Anderson's 20-20 vision.
For all Anderson was told at the time, really, he heard none of it.
Whether it was selective hearing, sheer denial or broader vision, he saw and thought only this: "It's unbelievable."
Sometimes before assistant coach Matt Zimmerman could get out his next doubt, Anderson would say, "It's unbelievable. The facilities — unbelievable. The campus — unbelievable. The support — unbelievable."
"That was the word he always used," Zimmerman said.
As Zimmerman spoke in MU's locker room in Boise, Idaho, at last week's NCAA first round, he could only shake his head and smile at Anderson's apparent clarity.
Or is it blinders? Or confidence? Or faith? Or all of the above at once?
Whatever the quality is, three years later Anderson seems to have been a seer.
From the dregs he inherited, through an often-ragged first two seasons, Anderson has fashioned the winningest team in school history at 30-6.
MU and KU fans: not hating each other quite as much at the moment. It's only temporary, I'm sure.
Quickly to football, where Wes Kemp is trying to seize opportunity...and hold onto the ball. And yes, dude really does look EXACTLY like Justin Gage...
Finally, a diamond sports update: Mizzou Baseball struck back and managed a split against UIC by knocking out a 12-8 win that wasn't as close as the score indicated. Mizzou exploded in the 7th and 8th innings to take a 12-4 lead into the 9th before Greg Folgia kinda sorta gave up four runs. The top of the Tiger order went off--Austin Holt, Ryan Lollis, Folgia, Steve Gray and Aaron Senne combined to go 9-for-20 with 4 BBs and 11 RBIs. The Missourian has more. Next up: a weekend trip to Stillwater.
Meanwhile, Mizzou Softball held off Houston, 4-2, to move to a lovely 28-4 on the season. Kristin Nottelman was fine on the mound, and catcher Megan Christopher hit a 3-run homer in a 4-run 4th to make the difference. Next up: a weekend trip to Waco.