To get us pumped for softball season, which starts TODAY for our Missouri Tigers (!!!), Larissa went on the KTRS 550 Big Sports Show on Wednesday night to chat about the upcoming season. Have a listen.

Some highlights (shouts to otter.ai for the transcription):

• On the excitement level: “We’re like a bunch of caged cats. We’ve been inside and we have cabin fever. We’re ready to go. We’ve trained really hard. We’re very healthy and in great shape and we just need to see some live pitching other than our own.”
• On what the fans will notice: “Our energy is going to be very, very enthusiastic. We have great personalities that are going to be on the field but I think the excitement for the fans is going to be our pitching staff. We returned every single pitcher and we’re the only team that has done so, and we’ve added three new arms as well. So we have a lot of depth on the mound and a lot of versatility. So that’s really going to be our niche moving forward.”
• On establishing what Mizzou Softball is really about: “Now we are so player-driven and internally led within the team that I really just sit back and just tell them what we’re doing today and they get after it.”
• On her appearance on the MLB Network: “Harold Reynolds (a former Gold Glover) was out in Arizona and watching the University of Arizona play and he’s saying, ‘this game is so fast’ and ‘this talent level is so high. How do you get your players to play like that?’
• On the talent level to play this sport: “In the SEC, it shows how talented these athletes are. They have less than half a second to react to that pitch when it’s coming at them at 70-72mph, which is equivalent to the low-100s in baseball. The distance is so much shorter, we play on a harder surface than baseball on natural clay. They have to be so talented and so gifted and so fundamentally perfect in order to play at that level. And I think that’s the most impressive thing is the speed of the game.”
• On the importance of keeping local kids home: “Keeping the Midwest kids home is HUGE... My goal is to go to the College World Series with all Midwest kids. And I would love it if they’re all from the state of Missouri.”
• On the pitching: “We have a very, very deep bullpen. I know how to manage the game based on our depth in our bullpen. Jordan Weber and Laurin Krings both want to be that horse. So it’s great that they have that mentality that they want to go out and they want to throw seven innings and that really carried the team the entire season. The great thing from a coaching standpoint is they don’t have to so I can be able to not overthrow them to manage a little bit differently to keep their pitch count down when we need them.”
• On the competition this weekend: “Texas plays with a lot of speed. So that’s going to be a big test for us because we have been on turf the entire preseason... But we’re gonna face five really quality teams that have all won. They’re going to compete right out of the gate and we have to match that energy.”
• On scheduling: “What I love about the way our season is designed is we can get in a real good away game routine. Teams that play at home more often than they play on the road struggle when they go into postseason. And down the stretch when they start having to travel they’re not used to an away game routine. So establishing that really early getting a real good routine making sure that they stay disciplined...”

ON TO THE LINKS!!! M-I-Z!!!

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Yesterday at Rock M

• My first (of the season, anyway) novel-length softball preview was published for your viewing pleasure
• Sam looked at Mizzou’s odds of winning a National Championship
• Kortay looked at the curious case of Sam Horn
• COMING UP THIS WEEKEND: Previews galore: Tennessee (MBB), Gymnastics vs Florida, baseball position previews (OF, INF)... BK has a piece about Eli’s performance as a 2020 coach, and Dan looks at the implications of OU/UT joining the SEC earlier than expected

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More Links:

Hoops

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read Matter’s newest (subscriber) chat | Mohamed Diarra showing potential to be Mizzou basketball’s rebounding solution (Calum McAndrew) | Tipsheet: Missouri will catch Tennessee rebounding from bad loss at Vanderbilt (Jeff Gordon) | Crucial two-game test looms for Mizzou basketball: Eye on the Tigers podcast (Matter & Ben Fred)
• Columbia Missourian: Missouri’s high-scoring offense set to meet nation’s No. 1 defense in Tennessee (Jaden Lewis)
• The Tigers are back in action on Sunday, and the Missourian’s Payton Havermann wrote about their search for late-season momentum.

• Huge congrats to former Tiger Skylah Travis, as she became a new mom! Sky medically retired during the offseason due to ongoing health concerns. Glad to see she’s thriving!

• The team learns about the memes that fans have created. So silly. I also haven’t seen a lot of these. I might be on the more “journalistic” side of Mizzou fandom on twitter.

Football

• PowerMizzou: Spring Football position previews: Tight Ends (Jarod Hamilton) | 2024 class trends: defensive back (Sean Williams)
• Yay. Looks like our new SEC partners will be here sooner than expected. Read more about it from the Associated Press’s Jim Vertano (via the Missourian)

• And we learned that in the SEC, it does mean more... bags of cash. Read more about it by the Associated Press (via the Missourian)
• Interesting...

Diamond Sports

• Larissa Anderson went on the Inside Mizzou Athletics podcast to chat about the new season. Have a listen. Love her. And read the MUTigers preview.

• Fewer bombs, but multiple aces: What to expect from Mizzou softball in 2023 (Chris Kwiecinski, Columbia Tribune)
• Bold predictions for Mizzou softball in 2023: Can the pitching carry the Tigers? (Matt Stahl, Columbia Tribune)
• Yessssssss!!!!!! Can’t wait to see them hit those dingers!

• Good baseball news for Luke! Read about it from the Missourian’s Ethan Burke.

• Not something you want to see, but the SEC is a wildly successful baseball league.

Other Mizzou Sports

• Get to know Mizzou Gymnastics senior Helen Hu! Also, Mizzou faces Florida tonight, and you should watch. 6pm SECN.

• Tiger Style is honoring their seniors. Here’s Connor Brown.

Keegan O’Toole is getting ready for battle.

• It’s Tennis’s time for Braggin’ Rights as they take on Illinois in St. Louis at 3pm. Per MUTigers.com, Missouri is 0-3 all-time versus the Illini and dropped a 4-0 decision in last year’s matchup. The Tigers are 3-1 in the spring season and 9-1 in duals in 2022-23.

Live stats will be available through StatBroadcast.

• Track and Field is back out on the road. Per MUTigers.com, the Tigers will be split up into two separate meets — the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday and the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tenn. on both Friday and Saturday.

• Mizzou announced its recipients to the Fall 2022 Honor Roll on Wednesday, and 98 student-athletes from cross country, football, soccer, and volleyball were honored. Per MUTigers.com, students must get a 3.00 cumulative GPA or a 3.0 in the preceding semester to qualify. If I counted correctly, 43 (!!!) Football players are listed. That’s got to be almost half, right?
• And we learned that in the SEC, it does mean more... bags of cash. Read more about it by the Associated Press

Kansas City Chiefs - Mizzou Crossover

• Kendall Blanton, back in the Super Bowl again! I totally forgot he got signed by KC. Pretty cool he could be playing for his second ring.

• Nicky Bolts!!! Here’s the advice veterans have given Chiefs LB Nick Bolton about the Super Bowl (via USA Today ChiefsWire)

NBA/G-League Corner

• Jordan Clarkson & Utah Jazz (27-29):

2/8 vs MINN (L 143-118): 24 min | 8pts on 3-13 FG (1-5 from 3) | 6 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 1 PF | -9

2/6 vs Mavs (L124-111): 32 min | 26pts on 7-19 FG (2-5 from 3), 12-15 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 4 TO | 3 PF | -6

2/3 vs Atlanta (L 115-108): 31 min | 24pts on 10-21 (3-10 from 3) | 5 REB | 3 AST | 1 TO | 2 PF

UP NEXT: 2/10 vs TOR @6:30pm | 2/11 vs Knicks @6:30pm | 2/13 vs Pacers @6pm

From the Deseret News: From Sixth Man gunner to facilitator, Jordan Clarkson continues to change his game

• Michael Porter, Jr & Denver Nuggets (38-18):

2/9 vs ORL (L 115-104): 34 min | 12pts on 3-16 FG (3-12 for 3) | 3 REB | 2 TO | 2 PF | -5

2/7 vs MINN W 146-112): 29 min | 30pts on 11-15 FG (4-6 from 3) | 5 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 1 TO | 1 PF | +43

2/5 vs MINN (L 128-98): 32 min | 22pts on 7-16 FG (2-10 from 3), 6-8 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PF | -9

2/4 vs ATL (W 128-108): 30 min | 23pts on 9-16 FG (3-8 from 3) | 2 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 1 PF | +15

UP NEXT: 2/11 vs CLT @6pm | 2/13 vs Heat @6:30pm on NBA TV | 2/15 vs Mavs @8pm | 2/23 vs Cavs @6pm

• Dru Smith & Long Island Nets (16-3)/Brooklyn Nets (33-22):

2/9 vs Bulls (W 116-105): DNP

2/7 vs PHX (L 116-112): 12 min | 5pts on 2-3 FG (1-1 from 3) | 2 REB | 2 STL | 1 TO | 2 PF | +4

2/6 vs LAC (L 124-116): 13 min | 2pts on 1-3 FG (0-2 from 3) | 4 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 1 PF | -13

2/4 vs MCC (W 123-121): 30 min | 24pts on 9-11 FG (6-7 from 3) | 2 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 1 TO | 5PF | -1

UP NEXT:

• Jontay Porter & Wisconsin Herd (5-12):

I’m guessing he’s injured as he’s gotten DNP (injury/illness) the past two weeks

UP NEXT: 2/10 vs G0-G0 @6pm | 2/11 vs Blue Coats @5pm | 2/14 vs Charge @6pm on NBA TV

• Jeremiah Tilmon & 905 Raptors (8-7):

2/8 vs Celtics (L 126-117): 9min | 5pts on 2-3 FG | 1 REB | 2 AST | 2 TO | 5 PF | -3

2/6 vs Celtics (L 115-112): DNP, Coaches Decision

2/4 vs Charge (W 124-118): 18 min | 15pts on 6-9 FG, 2-3 FT | 5 REB | 1 BLK | 3 PF | +5

UP NEXT: 2/12 vs Knicks @12pm | 2/13 vs Knicks @6pm, then all-star break

Former Tiger Hodgepodge Season Averages (as of 2/9)

**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)

Major Players (20min+ a game)

• Javon Pickett (SLU): In 23 games, Pickett is averaging 22.7mpg (⇩) and 9.7ppg (⇩). He’s got a 46 FG% (⇩), 30.3 3PT% (⇩), and 80.6 FT% (⇩), to go with 4.8rpg (⇩), 1.6apg (⇧), and 0.4 steals (⇩).
• Sean Durugordon (Austin Peay): In 24 games, Sean is averaging 28.5mpg (⇩) and 12.6ppg (⇩). He’s got a 40.1 FG% (⇩) and 31.4PT% (⇧) and 76.5 FT% (⇩), to go with 6.1rpg (⇧), 0.9apg (⇩), 0.4 blocks (⇧), and 0.7 steals (=).
• Boogie Coleman (Ball State): In 24 games, Boogie is averaging 34.3mpg (⇧) and 14.9ppg (⇩). He’s got a 38.4 FG% (⇩), 37.4PT% (⇩), and 79.2 FT% (⇩). He’s averaging 5.1rpg (⇧), 0.4 blocks (=), 3.5apg (⇧).

Best recent game (2/3 vs EMU): 43 min | 18 pts | 33.3 FG% | 10 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL

• DaJuan Gordon (NM State): In 23 games, DaJuan is averaging 26.7mpg (⇧) and 9ppg (⇧), to go with 5.1rpg (⇩), 1.4 steals (=) and 0.8 apg (=) and 0.3 blocks. He’s shooting 38.4 FG% (⇧) and 27.3 3PT% (⇧).

Best recent game (2/8 vs GCU): 29 min | 11 pts | 4 REB | 1 STL

• Xavier Pinson (NM State): In 24 games, X is averaging 31.3mpg (⇧) and 13.3ppg (⇧), to go with 4.5 APG (=), 2.9rpg (⇩), 0.2 blocks (⇧) and 1.3 steals (⇩). He’s shooting 38.7 FG% (⇧) and 34.1 PT% (⇧) while also shooting 85.7% FT (⇩).

Best recent game (2/8 vs GCU): 36 min | 22 pts | 2 REB | 1 AST

• Amari Davis (Wright State): In 26 games, Amari is averaging 22mpg (⇩) and 9.8ppg (⇧), to go with 3.4rpg (⇩), 1.1apg (=), and 0.8 steals (⇩). He’s shooting 45.1 FG% (⇧) and 78.2 FT% (⇧).

Best recent game (2/8 vs IUPUI): 19 min | 15 pts | 4 REB | 2 AST | 55.6 FG% | 83.3 FT%

• Torrence Watson (Elon): In 21 games, Torrence is averaging 25.6mpg (⇧) and 9.3ppg (=), to go with 5.7rpg (⇧), 0.2 blocks, and 1.5apg (=). He’s shooting 33.9 FG% (⇧) and 29% 3PT (⇧) and 78 FT% (⇩).

Best recent game (2/8 vs NC A&T): 36 min | 17 pts | 10 REB | 42.9 3PT%

• Parker Braun (Santa Clara): In 25 games, PB is averaging 30.7mpg (⇩) and 7.8ppg (⇩) to go with 6.4rpg (⇩) 1 blocks (=), 0.4 steals (=) and 2apg (=). He’s got a 55.3FG% (⇩) and only 25.5 3PT% (⇩) and 43.2 FT%.
• LaDazhia Williams (LSU): In 21 games, LDW is averaging 25.4mpg (⇧) and 8.6ppg (⇩), to go with 6.2rpg (⇧), 0.8 apg (=), 1.1 steals (⇩) and 0.9 blocks (=). She’s also got a 52.2 FG% (⇩) but only a 44.7 FT% (⇩).

Best recent game (2/2 vs UGA): 32 min | 10 pts | 8 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 55.6 FG%

• Izzy Higginbottom (Ark St): In 20 games, Izzy is averaging 31.2mpg (⇧) and 14.3 ppg (⇧), to go with 2.8apg (⇩), 2.8rpg (⇧), 1.9 steals (⇧) and 0.1 blocks (=). She’s shooting 36.4FG% (⇧) and 27.8 3PT% (⇧) to go with 85.1 FT% (⇩).

Best recent games (2/4 vs COU): 38 min | 19pts | 5 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL and (2/2 vs CCU): 32 min | 24pts | 4 REB | 3 AST | 6 STL | 75% 3PT

Role Players (15 min or less a game):

• Jordan Wilmore (NW State): In 22 games, Big Jordan is averaging 9.7mpg (⇩) and 0.7ppg (⇩), to go with 2rpg (⇩), 0.5 blocks (⇩) and 0.3steals (⇩). He’s got a 35 FG% (⇩).
• Kiya Dorroh (Col State): In 9 games, Kiya is averaging 4.3 mpg and 2.1 ppg to go with 1.1 rebounds. She’s shooting 52.9 FG%. Prior to 2/2, she hadn’t played since 1/5.

Best recent game (2/2 vs USU): 5 min | 4 pts | 50% FG

Non-factors (rarely playing):

• Anton Brookshire (Iona): Has not played since 1/29 game. In 20 games, Anton is averaging 8.5mpg (⇩) and 3.2ppg (⇧), to go with 1.2rpg (⇧), and 0.4apg (=). He’s shooting 33.8 FG% (⇧) to go with a 27.7% 3PT (⇧).
• Ed Chang (Idaho State): Hasn’t played since 1/26. In 12 games, Ed is averaging 7.9 mpg (⇩) and 2.1 ppg (⇩) to go with 0.2 blocks (=) and 0.6 steals (⇧). He’s shooting 29 FG% (⇩) and 25 3PT% (⇩).
• Aijha Blackwell (Baylor): Coming off injury has been tough for AAB. After being out almost a month, she hasn’t played since 1/22. In 8 games, AB is averaging 11.9mpg (⇩) and 7.5ppg (⇩), to go with 4.4rpg (⇩), 0.3 steals (⇩) and 0.1 blocks (=). She’s shooting 48.9 FG% (=) and 25 3PT% (=).
• Yaya Keita (Oklahoma): Hasn’t played since 12/6 and only appeared in 2 games

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