Michael Porter Jr. on Mizzou: "I think they’re going to get there."

Here are today's Mizzou Links.

By Bill Connelly@SBN_BillC Feb 29, 2016, 5:04am CST

What's On

Hall of Famers.

Also: Shane Ray.

The Trib (David Morrison): A Few More Good Minutes with...Shane Ray

The Trib: Ray enjoys trip back to old MU stomping grounds

Post-Dispatch: Mizzou notes: Super Bowl winner Ray proud of MU players' cohesiveness last fall

Michael Porter Jr. continues to say nice things about Mizzou

Post-Dispatch: Porter is blazing a trail toward stardom

Post-Dispatch: Michael Porter Jr. Q&A: On recruiting, Mizzou, NBA

Q: How do you view Missouri’s program right now?

A: I respect what they’re trying to do there. You’ve go to think about it: That’s a coach (Kim Anderson) who just got there a couple years ago and he has all brand new players. He restarted the program basically. You can’t shame them. Look how young they are, all freshmen and sophomores. They have a lot of potential I think. I think they’re going to get there. I’m not looking at that program and saying, ‘Man, they’re trash. I’d never go there.’ I’m looking at it like it’s a growing program and I’d have a chance to do something great there if I wanted to.

Q: Other programs on your list are more established, but would it be appealing to go somewhere like Missouri and have a chance to be the player who turns things around?

A: There’s an appeal to each school on my list. Like Kentucky and Duke and Kansas, those are the schools where I feel like I can go and definitely get prepared for the NBA after one or two years. Mizzou, it’s a school where I think I can go and be remembered forever. Washington, I’d have a chance to play under my godfather (Lorenzo Romar). At Oklahoma, I could play with Trae. There’s just something about every school, and that’s what makes it so hard.

And we assume we know who Mizzou's coach is going to be

Post-Dispatch: Speculation about Anderson's future with Mizzou is prevalent

The Trib (Steve Walentik): Anderson vague when faced with question about his own future (and other notes)

If Anderson has received any assurances about continuing in his post beyond this season, he didn’t say so when asked about his future during his weekly press conference Thursday.

"We’ve had discussions," Anderson said. "But I talk to Mack" Rhoades "a lot. I think that’s probably a fair question, but as far as me, I think that every coach is coaching for his job every day. The only day I ever really felt good — and I say really felt good — the only day that I felt like I was really safe was the day after we won the national championship at Central Missouri. I thought, ‘You know what, I’m probably going to be pretty good today. I’m OK today.’

"But then tomorrow you’ve got to go back to work again. So I think that’s the nature of a lot of coaches."

Mizzou lost to Oregon on Saturday after leading comfortably. The game turned after Paige Lowary took a comebacker to the face.

B4 I We unfortunately have to pass on some bad deja vu for Tiger fans. Paige Lowary was just hit in the face with a comebacker
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) February 28, 2016

UPDATE ON LOWARY: Great news. We're told that she was hit above the eye and have already stopped the bleeding. Little bit of swelling
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) February 28, 2016

UPDATE ON LOWARY (2):

Unbelieveable... After about a 10 minute delay @PAIGELOWARY has re-emerged from the dugout and IS BACK IN THE CIRCLE
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) February 28, 2016

Hit by a line drive pitching or won a fight in the ring vs Ronda Rousey? You tell me. pic.twitter.com/0L5yKkLxuR
— Paige Lowary (@PAIGELOWARY) February 28, 2016

That Lowary came back out to pitch was ridiculously amazing, but Oregon scored six runs in that inning to get back to within one, then tied the game in the next inning. Lowary probably shouldn't have still been out there, but from a long-term perspective, initial struggles might have been worth it for Lowary to get over any fears she may have had in the short-term. I guess.