Mizzou Links, 1-25-11

Mizzou Basketball Links

• KC Star: Back pain bother's MU's Mike Dixon

  Two days before leading Missouri past Iowa State with 15 points and a career-high eight rebounds, Tigers sophomore point guard Michael Dixon wasn’t sure he could even play.

  "I went up to dunk in a three-man weave," Dixon said of a fast-break drill in practice. "I came down and it felt like I pulled something in my back."

  "I got a cortisone shot, after practice, numbed it up a little bit."

  The back still hurts, Dixon said, and the Tigers do not play again until Saturday at No. 7 Texas. But coach Mike Anderson said he probably would hold a game-type scrimmage on Wednesday. Dixon, who sat the majority of the second half against Iowa State, said he simply would put his head down and grit his teeth if necessary.

  "I’m just going to play through it," Dixon said. "I’ll be all right."

• SI.com (Seth Davis): Top 10 candidates for coach of the year

  10) Mike Anderson, Missouri. Yes, the Tigers are ranked now (11) around where they were ranked in the preseason (15), but it's worth remembering the state of this program when Anderson took over four years ago. The Tigers had missed the NCAA tournament for three consecutive seasons and were coming off Quin Snyder's stormy, seven-year tenure. Since Anderson's roots were in the South, his hiring at Mizzou was a bit unconventional, but it only took him two years to stock the program with players uniquely suited for his high-octane attack. Anderson has some really good players on this team (Marcus Denmon chief among them), but the Tigers are feared as much for the way they play as much as for who their players are. Best of all, Anderson oozes class. That makes him a major asset.

  Plus, part of MIzzou's preseason ranking was an overreaction to the presence of Tony Mitchell, which ... yeah ...
  
• It's Official: Tony Mitchell is a Figment of Our Imagination
  The Missourian: No word on Tony Mitchell's status with Missouri
  KC Star (Campus Corner): Mike Anderson: "No update" on Tony Mitchell
  KC Star (Campus Corner): Latest on Mitchell at MU: Might Tueday not be drop-dead date for admission?
• Big Game Coming
  PowerMizzou: Like father, unlike son: Longhorns loom
  Austin American-Statesman: Texas men have stamped themselves as team to take seriously in March

BIg 12 Basketball Links

• Basketball Prospectus: The List: Big 12 Shakeup
• Rush the Court: Checking in on... the Big 12
• Kansas State > Baylor
  KC Star: K-State beats Baylor on 'Big Monday'
  KC Star (Upon Further Review): KSU: "One game at a time."
  Houston Chronicle: Jacob Pullen leads Kansas State past Baylor 69-61
• Texas
  The Dagger: Texas assistant names son after Kevin Durant
• Kansas
  KC Star (Campus Corner): KU adds walk-on Christian Garrett, teammate of five-star recruit DeAndre Daniels (Sneaky, Bill Self, sneaky.)

Mizzou Football Links

• It's Official: Sheldon Richardson is a Figment of Our Imagination
  Post-Dispatch: Sheldon Richardson awaits word on spring eligibility
  Post-Dispatch: Top two recruits still not enrolled at MU
  

Other Mizzou Links

• Mizzou Wrestling
  The Missourian: MU wrestlers don't back down from tough schedule
  

Other

• College Football Talk: A&M-to-SEC rumors surface yet again

  Buoyed by the creation of the Longhorn Network, the speculation surrounding Texas A&M taking their athletic programs to the SEC refuses to die a merciful death.

  In a column Monday morning, Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman writes that Texas’ deal with ESPN, announced last week, could create "a spike in Texas A&M’s interest in joining the SEC."  During the mini-expansion apocalypse way back in June, there were many reports connecting the Aggies to the SEC, including one that had the school’s board of regents giving the thumbs-up for the move.

  That talk came in the midst of Texas’ discussions with the Pac-10, but both schools ultimately opted for conference "solidarity" and remained in the Big 12.

  The new UT network, however, has caused the talk to surface once again, with the Aggies apparently none too pleased with a development that stuffs even more money into their in-state rival’s already bloated coffers.

  So this CFT post made the rounds yesterday, and I really like CFT ... but this is entirely based on the word of an annoyed A&M booster and Kirk Bohls, a full-time UT writer.  Bohls said this 'could' create a spike and that A&M's AD 'might' rally support against Texas.  Well that's great.  And Missouri might still get a Big Ten invite.  See what I did there?  Can I start that rumor again then?
  
• CBS Sports: Bill attempts to bring back 'Colonel Reb' by law (1. Awesome. 2. Sigh.)