The University needs to make money on Athletics.

I know, weird. Right? For the past five years, the university has been operating in the red, hemorrhaging metaphorical boatloads of money each year. Have they lost as much money this year? No. For all intents and purposes, things are getting better. Per Dave Matter’s piece in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the economic picture is getting a bit brighter:

MU saw a significant uptick in attendance figures and ticket sales for football this season (17%, the biggest jump in the SEC). Mizzou has also recently seen increases of 37% for student ticket sales, nearly 10% growth in TSF revenue*, 26% increase in social media engagement**, 25% increase in men’s basketball attendance*** and a 20% increase in women’s basketball attendance.

But as nice at this sounds, it’s still not great, and Missouri must figure out a way to better connect with its fans and not lag behind its peers.

Enter, Huron, “a global professional services firm that consults a wide range of companies.” They’ve worked with universities like Vandy, Pitt, Rutgers, and San Diego State previously, and now they’re working with Missouri. So, they’ll take a look at MU’s strategic plan (that encompasses a crapload of stuff like NIL, tickets, etc.) and everything else and get back to them in the Fall with ideas of what they can do to maximize what the university has to offer. Cutting sports that don’t make money? Not an option by the law, and get outta here if that’s your opinion. Giving all the funding to basketball and football isn’t going to work, either. We’ll leave it to the experts at Huron, I guess.

Until they provide some recommendations, I ask that we all take a look at our fandom. Is there’s a better way we can support the school we love so much? It doesn’t have to be monetary. Maybe it’s just sharing stuff we see about the swim team. Talking about the teams with friends and family. Support ALL of Mizzou’s sports teams? I may be a men’s basketball super fan and do my best to not miss a game —still looking for a taker for my Dec. 28 Kentucky ticket, by the way— but that’s more than I can say for the rows and rows of empty seats of TSF donors in the lower bowl at games.

But I could do better in some other areas. Attend more women’s hoops games. Actively get the word out about ALL of our sports. I’ve been saying I’d go to some gymnastics meets for years, but still haven’t been and they are SOOOOOO GOOD. And season tix are like $35. I can make sure that our writers here at Rock M are focusing on all the sports- we’re doing a better job of this than when I started some 2+ years ago, so there’s a start. But we all can do better. What can you do to help get the positive Mizzou vibes flowing?

Moving on!

Three of our beloved hoops players had a birthday on Tuesday. What a day to be born!!!

First up, the man. The myth. The British Virgin Islands native, former Horizon League DPOY, never not smiling legend, D’Moi Hodge. Our guy turned 24 (!!!!).

Next up is one of the returners and a big part of Mizzou’s success against UCF and Wichita State! A guy with a great nickname, RDGIII. Happy 23rd, Ronnie DeGray!

Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images

And finally, while she may be recently medically retired, she’s still in our black & gold hearts. Happy Birthday, Skylah Travis!

ON TO THE LINKS

Love this guy.

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Yesterday at Rock M

• New Dive Cuts Podcast: Will Mizzou have the right to brag? It’ll be tough, but we’ll find out soon.
• From Sam: 2022 Gasparilla Bowl Mizzou vs Wake Forest Matchup, How to Watch, Odds
• From Josh, who’s really stretching the language here: The Revue: A messy outing saved by a masterful ending
• From Matthew the Wrestling Guru: Missouri Tiger Style vs. North Dakota State Bison Wrestling Dual Preview
• BREAKING NEWS from Sam: Northwestern Transfer Lineman Portals to Mizzou

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More Links:

Football

• Columbia Missourian: Slow mesh RPOs: What they are, why they work and how to stop them (Jack Soble) | Northwestern DE transfer Firestone commits to Missouri (Kenny Van Doren)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Mizzou adds D-line depth with Northwestern transfer Austin Firestone (Dave Matter) | Three Wake Forest players to watch in Friday’s Gasparilla Bowl (Matter)
• PowerMizzou/Rivals: Mizzou bolsters DL with Northwestern transfer (Gabe DeArmond) | Listen to the Live Tuesday Tiger Recruiting Show (Gabe, Sean Williams)
• Columbia Tribune: 3 things to know about Missouri and Wake Forest’s football matchup (Matt Stahl) | How How Brad Smith (LOVE HIM!!!) is remembered 2 decades after reviving Mizzou football (Chris Kwiecinski, who’s on furlough and must’ve planned this one ahead of time)
• Kansas City Star: Bowl game provides Missouri Tigers waiting in the wings their first big opportunity (Blair Kerkhoff)
• Saturday Down South: Former Mizzou LB announces Power 5 transfer destination (Ethan Stone) | Early Signing Day primer: What you need to know about Missouri’s 2023 class (Crissy Froyd)
• Gasparilla Bowl views… it looks warm there. I miss the warmth.

Hoops

• PowerMizzou: In episode 20 of Mizzou, That’s Who, Gabe, Tucker and Maggie are joined by THE HERO, DREE GHOLSTON. This is a really nice listen.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The new Ten Hochman asks if Mizzou, no. 1 in steals, can “steal” a win from the Illini on Thursday | Listen to the new Eye On The Tigers with BenFred & Matter: Talkin’ Braggin’ Rights and Bowl Game
• Benny Buckets, You Tube sensation, is back with a vlog about the UCF game.

• TEE HEE. Also, Jeff Goodman is becoming a real Jesse Nowell, if you recall that individual.

• Come get your Hot Box Cookies, CoMo friends! And use that Kobe NIL code, while you’re at it!

Other Mizzou Sports

• Wrestling bounced back with a win over no. 15 North Dakota State! Read the recap at MUTigers.com or The Missourian’s Jack Knowlton.

• Gymanastics promos!

• Happy to have you, Coach Sullivan!

NBA/G-League Corner

• Jordan Clarkson & Utah Jazz (18-16):

12/20 vs DET (W 126-111): 30 min | 21pts on 7-15 FG (3-7 3PT) | 3 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 2 TO | 2 PF | +2

12/19 vs CAVS (L 122-99): 32 min | 23pts on 8-21 FG (3-6 3PT) | 2 REB | 1 STL | 3 TO | 2 PF | -17

12/17 vs MIL (L123-97): 26 min | 13pts on 5-10 FG (3-7 3PT) | 3 AST | 1 STL | 3 TO | -13

UP NEXT: 12/22 vs WASH @8pm on NBAtv | 12/26 vs SPURS @7pm | 12/28 vs GSW @9pm

• Michael Porter, Jr & Denver Nuggets (19-11):

Held out since 11/22 with heel (achilles?) injury. Updated to “Doubtful” before Monday’s game. #progress

UP NEXT: 12/23 vs PORT @8pm | 12/25 vs PHX @9pm on ABC/ESPN | 12/27 and 12/28 vs SAC @9pm on NBAtv

• Dru Smith & Miami Heat (16-15) & Sioux Falls SkyForce (11-6):

12/19 vs Swarm (W 108-91): 26 min | 14th on 4-10 FG (0-2 3PT) | 7 REB | 3 AST | 2 TO | 2 PF | +11

12/15 vs SPURS: DNP

UP NEXT: 12/21 vs Blue Coats @10:30pm | 12/27 vs Blue @12pm

• Jontay Porter & Wisconsin Herd (7-10):

12/20 vs Squadron (W 99-85): 27 min | 6pts on 1-7 FG (0-3 3PT) | 7 REB | 3 AST | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 1 PF | +6

12/16 vs Mad Ants (L 128-114): DNP- injury/illness

UP NEXT: 12/21 vs Spurs @7:30pm |

Former Tiger Hodgepodge Season Averages (as of 12/20)

**NOTE: Arrows indicate better (or worse) performance over last week’s shared data. I didn’t list the best recent game if there wasn’t a good/better one. (In the case of PF & TO, a ⇧ indicates they’re doing better/ ⇩ is worse)

• Javon Pickett (SLU): In 12 games, Pickett is averaging 25.3mpg (⇩) and 11.5ppg (⇧). He’s got a 51.5 FG% (⇩), 40 3PT% (⇩), and 82.8% FT% (⇧), to go with 6.5rpg (=), 1.4apg (⇩), and 0.6 steals (=). He’s also averaging 2.4 PF (⇩) and only 1.1 TO (⇩).

Best recent game (12/17 vs Drake): 20 min | 15pts | 6 REB | 1 AST

• Sean Durugordon (Austin Peay): In 12 games, Sean is averaging 26.2mpg (⇧) and 11.8ppg (⇧). He’s got a 40.2FG% (⇧) and 30 3PT% (⇧) and 81.8 FT%, to go with 5.3rpg (⇩), 1.3apg (⇧), and 0.7 steals (⇧).

Best recent game (12/16 vs MUR St.): 34 min | 14 PTS | 45.5 FG% | 50% 3PT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL

• Boogie Coleman (Ball State): In 11 games, Boogie is averaging 32.5mpg (⇧) and 13.2 ppg (⇧). He’s got a 37.8 FG% (=), 39.7 3PT% (⇧), and 88.9 FT% (⇧). He’s averaging 5.2rpg (=), 0.7 blocks (=), 3.7apg (⇧).

Best recent game (12/17 vs IL St.): 34 min | 16 pts | 5 REB | 7 AST | 1 BLK | 1 STL (his last 5 games: 16, 15, 11, 11, 11. Wow, Boog!)

• DaJuan Gordon (NM State): In 10 games, DaJuan is averaging 26.7mpg (⇩) and 9.7ppg (⇧), to go with 5.8rpg (⇩), 1.8 steals (=) and 1 apg (⇧). He’s shooting 35.6 FG% (⇧) and 30.2 3PT% (⇩).

Best recent game (12/18 vs NNM): 21 min | 13 pts | 4 REB | 2 AST | 1 BLK | 2 STL | 40% FG & 3PT. DaJuan has 4 consecutive games now of double digits (11, 2 x 10, 13). YAY!

• Xavier Pinson (NM State): In 10 games, X is averaging 30.9mpg (⇩) and 12.2ppg (⇩), to go with 4.6 APG, 3.5rpg (⇧), 0.2 blocks (=), 1.5 steals (=), and 2.5 TO (⇩). He’s shooting 37.5 FG% (⇩) and 30.5PT% (⇩).
• Amari Davis (Wright State): In 12 games, Amari is averaging 26.7mpg (⇩) and 11.9ppg (=), to go with 4.8rpg (⇩), 1.8apg (⇧), and 1 steals (⇩). He’s shooting 44.5 FG% (⇧) and 82.4 FT% (=).

Best recent game (12/17 vs NWOH): 21 min | 12 pts | 50% FG | 3 REB | 2 AST

• Anton Brookshire (Iona): In 10 games, Anton is averaging 7.9mpg (⇩) and 1.9ppg (⇩), to go with 1.2rpg (⇩), and 0.4apg (⇩). He’s shooting just 21.4 FG% (⇩) to go with a 19% 3PT (⇧).

Best recent game (12/4 vs CAN): 12 min | 0 pts | 4 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL

• Torrence Watson (Elon): In 10 games, Torrence is averaging 25.4mpg (⇩) and 9.6ppg (⇩), to go with 4.6rpg (⇩), and 1.5apg (⇩). He’s shooting just 28.3 FG% (⇩) and 24.1% 3PT (⇧).
• Parker Braun (Santa Clara): In 14 games, PB has averaged 32.8mpg (⇩) and 8.4ppg (⇧) to go with 6.3rpg (⇩) and 2.4apg (⇩). He’s got a 56.1 FG% (⇧) and 27.6 3PT% (⇧) to go with 2.8 TO.

Best recent game (12/18 vs CAL): 34 min | 17 pts | 88.9% FG | 7 REB | 2 AST

• Jordan Wilmore (NW State): In 11 games, Big Jordan is averaging 10.3mpg (⇩) and 0.5ppg (=), to go with 2.2rpg (⇧), 0.8 blocks (⇩) and 0.5 steals (⇧). He’s got a 20 FG% (⇩).
• LaDazhia Williams (LSU): In 10 games, LDW is averaging 21.2mpg (⇧) and 9.3ppg (⇩), to go with 4.6rpg (⇧), 1 apg (=), 1.4 steals (⇩) and 0.7 blocks (⇩). She’s also got a 64.2 FG% (⇩) but only a 41.2 FT% (⇧).

Best recent game (12/18 vs ORST): 31 min | 10 PTS | 7 REB | 2 STL

• Aijha Blackwell (Baylor): She’s baaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk and easing her way back into competition!

In 5 games, AB is averaging 14.4mpg and 11ppg, to go with 5.6rpg, 0.2 steals and 0.2 blocks. She’s shooting 58.8 FG% and 33.3 3PT%, to go with 1.4 TO and 1.6 PF.

Best recent game (12/15 vs TN St.): 9 min | 11 pts | 7 REB \ 2 AST | 1 STL | 60% FG

• Kiya Dorroh (Col State): In 6 games, Kiya is averaging only 4.8mpg (⇩) and 2.2ppg (⇩), to go with 1.3rpg (⇩). She’s also got a 54.5 FG% (⇩).

Best recent game (12/19 vs REG): 6 min | 1 pts | 44.4% FG | 2 REB

• Izzy Higginbottom (Ark St): In 11 games, Izzy is averaging 34mpg (⇩) and 15.8ppg (=), to go with 4.3apg (=), 3rpg (⇩), 2 steals (⇩) and 0.3 blocks (⇧). She’s shooting 35.2FG% (⇩) and 17.2 3PT% (⇩), to go with 2.5 TO (⇩) and 2.2 PF (⇩).

Best recent game (12/15 vs GRAM): 29 min | 19 pts | 44.4% FG | 3 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL

• Yaya Keita (Oklahoma): Has not played since 12/6, when he played 2 min and had a PF.
• Trevon Brazile (Arkansas): out for the season with a torn ACL

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