Cuonzo Martin on Jeremiah Tilmon: “We’re a different team when he’s not on the floor.”

Missouri hoops coach Cuonzo Martin met with the media yesterday, and conversation quickly began to hone in on one specific, very tall, very talented freshman.

No, not that one. The other one.

No, not that one either. The other one. The one who fouls a lot.

Tilmon’s foul trouble was part of the difference in Missouri’s loss to Kansas because with him on the bench, the Tigers didn’t have an answer for Jayhawks center Udoka Azubuike.

Martin said he isn’t too worried about Tilmon’s early struggles because they’re all fixable issues and Martin said his fellow East St. Louis, Ill. native is very coachable.

“To his credit, he plays at the same level, and he’s quick learner,” Martin said. “We’re a different team when he’s not on the floor.”

With discipline, Jeremiah Tilmon is going to be very, very good.

The Tigers’ success in the paint will largely depend on Tilmon’s discipline. His 10 points against Kansas gave Missouri a spark, especially a second-half put-back dunk, in which he soared over Jayhawks freshman Billy Preston and sent the Missouri faithful into a frenzy.

With Tilmon, the Tigers have a spark — high energy down low and a guy who can run the floor. And without him?

“We’re a different team when he’s not on the floor,” Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said at a news conference Tuesday.

Tilmon revealed that he fouled out of the Wisconsin scrimmage, too, which ... wow, if so. That’s at least 12 fouls in probably no more than about 30 minutes of action.

I wrote a couple of months ago that I feared Tilmon foul trouble, but damn. Regardless, he’s got plenty of time to figure things out, and the simple fact that he got to go up against both Kansas and Wisconsin in scrimmages could pay off handily.

In other basketball news, there will be a statue outside of Mizzou Arena soon.

The University of Missouri System Board of Curators approved the statue of former men’s basketball coach Norm Stewart at Tuesday’s meeting in Columbia. The statue, funded by private donations, will be unveiled Nov. 10, the day of Missouri’s season opener against Iowa State. The statue dedication will be at 1:30 p.m. at the Walsworth Plaza.

Nine days. The most anticipated Mizzou basketball season in years begins in just nine days.

More Links:

• Yep, these extended highlights remain more enjoyable after wins.

• The Mizzou offensive line has begun to look quite good lately.
• Mizzou Soccer’s season is over after a defeat to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Whatever you do, don’t look at the score. Honestly? A pretty damn disappointing year on the pitch.
• No more J’den Cox? Uh oh, Mizzou Wrestling better fear a tumble in the rankings this wint—oh I’m sorry, the Tigers will begin the year fifth in the country.

• Mizzou Men’s Golf not only got to play golf in Hawaii, but the Tigers logged a third-place finish as well. Hayden Buckley finished second in the individual competition.
• Here! Get to know Mizzou senior swimmer Hannah Stevens:

• HALLOWEEN PARTY AT COACH BIESER’S HOUSE!