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1. NEVER. ANY. DOUBT.
That was one of the strangest games of basketball I've ever seen. Vandy openly trolling dcrockett17 with the slowest pace ever in the first half ... Jabari Brown and Rod Odom combining to shoot 6-for-24 ... Torren Jones turning into Alex Oriakhi (in personality, anyway) ... Mizzou scoring as many points in the first eight minutes of the second half as in the entire first ... a complete inability to dribble for minutes at a time ... Mizzou forgetting how to shoot free throws until the moment it absolutely needed to make them ... it was entertaining and horrific and fun and exciting and horrific.
MUtigers.com: Tigers Gut Out 67-64 Win Over Vanderbilt
MUtigers.com: Post-Game Notes
MUtigers.com: Post-Game Quotes
Missouri Head Coach, Frank Haith
Opening Statement...
"Obviously it was a hard fought game. It wasn't the prettiest of games, and we lost some focus there. We saw some plays we haven't seen in a while in terms of offensive execution, and lost some focus in terms of missing free throws. That's part of it, but that happens sometimes. I'm happy with how we finished out and ultimately got the win. Winning is hard, and I'm proud of the three freshmen and they all gave something tonight."
On the play of the Tigers freshmen...
"Scoring is important, but I am proud of the way they scrapped tonight. Torren (Jones) had three steals, at the end and Jonathan (Williams, III) affected a lot of shots with three blocks. That's great production out of both of those guys. Wes (Clark) is a tough kid. I think he battles. All those guys are getting better and better."
On what the mentality was at halftime after only scoring 20 points...
"We didn't panic. It's conference play, and it's going to happen. Just look across the country there and there are other scores like that too. We just missed some shots. I also think that we weren't ourselves in terms of taking good shots. I think we had some plays where we weren't sharing as well as we had been."
On Missouri's past three wins...
"We've been in three tight ball games, so nothing is guaranteed for us. We shouldn't be surprised when this happens. We've seen everything. We've played three different styles. We played Arkansas and we had to adjust on how we played against them. Tennessee is a throw it in the post and bang you around type of team. Tonight we played Vanderbilt who is a very deliberate team. They do a lot of screening action, then they do screen on screen action. A couple of times our freshmen got lost, but they adjusted well and I'm proud that against three different styles we came away with three wins."
The Trib: Missouri survives scare against Vanderbilt
Post-Dispatch: Tigers shake off slow start, nip Vandy
KC Star: Late run lifts Missouri to 67-64 win over Vanderbilt
KC Star: Wes Clark provides a boost for the Tigers
The Missourian: Missouri men's basketball wins despite quiet night from Brown
The Missourian: Strong second half propels Missouri men's basketball past Vanderbilt
Fox Sports MW: Brown goes cold, Clarkson steps up to push Mizzou over .500 in SEC play
KBIA Sports: Missouri overcomes first half shooting troubles, beats Vanderbilt 67-64
PowerMizzou: Tigers hold off Vandy
PowerMizzou: The Baseline View
Mizzou Network: HIGHLIGHTS: Mizzou Beats Vandy, 4th in SEC
Mizzou Network: POSTGAME: Jordan Clarkson paces Mizzou to win over Vandy
2. Recruiting never stops
2014
PowerMizzou: Film Room: 2014 RB/ATH
2015
PowerMizzou: Nate Strong update from his coach
3. Spring ball!
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): MISSOURI POSITION PRIMER: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
The question that hangs over the entire tight end group going into next season is, "Just how much is Missouri going to use its tight ends?"
Waters saw steady action last year, but mostly as a blocker in the Tigers' three-wide set. Rarely did he release for routes and even more rarely did he catch a pass. Culkin came into the year as the starter but was marginalized, one would assume, because Waters was the better blocker.
Culkin and Reese are both athletic, catch-first tight ends who still could have some adjustments to make if they're going to be used as primarily blocking backs. But, with an unsettled receiving corps, they could also see their pass-catching roles increase, and both would be well-equipped for that.
Echard is a blocker, basically an extra offensive lineman. His use this past season was almost exclusively in goal-line situations, and that could continue.
4. :(
5. #Stubble
The Missourian: Missouri softball opens strong with sophomore Sami Fagan
The Maneater: Finucane, Stangel usher in new era for Tiger softball
The Trib: OF Gadbois making early push for Tigers
Mizzou Network: EXTRA BASES: Mary Nutter Classic Preview
6. #ManStubble (yeah, we need a better baseball hashtag)
MUtigers.com: Baseball Continues Season at Wake Forest
7. Fightin' Pingetons still grinding away
MUtigers.com: Tigers Look for Win on First-Ever Trip to Gainesville
The Missourian: Sophomore adds international experience to Missouri women's basketball team
8. WHATNOT
Swimming & Diving
MUtigers.com: Tigers Post Two School Marks at SEC Championships
MUtigers.com: Tigers Sit in Sixth After Day Two at SEC Championships
The Missourian: Missouri swimming sets two school records at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships
Gymnastics
MUtigers.com: Parking Update For Friday's Gymnastics Meet In Columbia
Volleyball
MUtigers.com: Brittney Brimmage Checks in From Switzerland
Soccer
MUtigers.com: One on One: Kaitlyn Clark
Workout Wednesday
MUtigers.com: Workout Wednesday: Week 15