Now THAT’S how you do it

I’m so proud of these ladies. They got their heads right and showed everyone that they should not be counted out after throwing down 84 points in an absolute offensive clinic over the unsuspecting ‘Dores. Missouri started “playing to win” instead of “playing not to lose”, as one of the SEC Network announcers put so succinctly.

Adeen wrote a recap, which you can read here, and the MUTigers.com recap, which you can read here, but I have some thoughts as well that I’ll share in this space.

Hayley Frank, was...well...Hayley Frank, but it was not just her this time. BEHOLD! Lo got her groove back and came out firing... and most importantly MAKING the shots. Rosie did her thing, and had 9 points in the first quarter alone. Judd kept up her aggressive play but not entirely to the detriment of the team like previous games and also had a great offensive night. Mama had some really savvy moves. It was fun to watch. The ball was m-o-v-i-n-g-g-g-g-g-g.

Now, is part of this that Vandy is pretty terrible? I mean, that doesn’t hurt. The “Dores do have Harbison, though, the former SLU player who just had a 41-spot last game.

I AM JUST SO HAPPY FOR THE TEAM. And the fans! (I wonder how many of my senior interviewees were there?!)

SIDE NOTE: I fully realize that it was a big deal that Georgia had no. 3 LSU on the ropes (I was, of course, rooting for UGA to beat down She Who Must Not Be Named), but was it necessary to turn off the volume on our game for a FULL QUARTER + on the split-screen for theirs? And when Mizzou is playing so well? So irritating. And unnecessary.

Back to the good stuff.

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STATISTICS

Starters

Frankie: 31 min | 25 points on 8-12 FG & 3-7 3PT | 6-6 FT | 7 D-REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 1 TO | 4 PF

Lo Money: 35 min | 25 points on 9-16 FG & 4-8 3PT | 6 REB (5 def) | 4 AST | ZERO TO | 1 PF

Haley ‘200th year’ Troup: 25 min | 4 points on 2-5 FG & 0-1 3PT | 1 AST | 1 PF

Mama the Spaniard: 25 min | 4 points on 2-4 FG | 3 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 2 TO | 1 PF

JK: 4 min | 0 points on 0-1 FG | 1 REB | 1 AST

Bench

Ashton ‘Judd’gernaut: 27 min | 10 points on 4-6 FG & 2-4 3PT | 8 D-REB | 3 AST | 2 BLK | 4 TO | 2 PF

Averi “Barely Related to Stan” Kroenke: 10 min | 4 points on 2-4 FG | 1 REB | 1 TO | 1 PF

Mama Kate: 13 min | 0 points on 0-3 FG | 1 TO | 1 PF

Rosie: 21 min | 16 points on 6-6 FG & 2-2 3PT | 2-3 FT | 5 REB (4 def) | 1 AST | 3 TO | 3 PF

Lil’ Linthacum: 7 min | 1 point on 0-1 FG, 1-2 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 1 TO | 2 PF

Older Linthacum: 4 minutes

Overall: 33-58 (56.9%), 11-22 3PT (50%), 9-11 FT (81.8%), 35 REB (27 Def), 21 AST, 4 STL, 2 BLK, 15 TO, 18 PF

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ON TO THE LINKS!!!

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Yesterday at Rock M

• Read Adeen’s recap here and Lauren’s preview here for the Mizzou-Vandy game
• Read Sam’s Study Hall from the 87-77 win over the Bayou Bengals
• Brandon’s Sidebar was about how Mizzou Hoops continues to avoid disaster
• Kortay got started with the Baseball Previews!!! First up: the weekend rotation.
• IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Read my fun investigative piece about older Women’s Hoops fans | Read Matt’s piece about big man Mo Diarra | Read Watkins’ The Verdict: Mizzou Romps Against Former League Foe
• COMING UP: A Mississippi State preview, an MU-OU wrestling preview, a MU-UK gymnastics preview... so yeah, a lot of previews.
• ROCK M QUOTE OF THE DAY: “After three years it seems like Eli Drinkwitz just straight up hates using tight ends in the passing game. And as the school that - in my mind, anyway - will forever be “Tight End U” thanks to Kellen Winslow, Martin Rucker, Chase Coffman, Michael Egnew, and Albert Okwuegbunam, it is a got dang shame that the past three years have featured jack squat from the tight end position.” —Nate Edwards, Position Postmortem: Tight Ends

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More Links:

Hoops

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read Matter’s newest (subscriber) chat
• Columbia Missourian: Missouri snaps six-game losing skid behind blistering offensive performance (Payton Havermann) | Tigers look to end skid with NCAA Tournament on horizon (Parker Gillam) | Starkville trip provides Quad 1 opportunity for Missouri (Jaden Lewis)
• Columbia Tribune: How Dennis Gates filled Mizzou Arena with a relentless standard, beyond the wins (Matt Stahl) | How the Mizzou women can improve their NCAA Tournament chances after ending their losing streak (Chris Kwiecinski)
• Rock M’s own Brandon Kiley talked with his cohost on 101 ESPN about the Tigers:

• PowerMizzou: Tigers land first punch, knock out Vanderbilt (Caleb Logue) | Stats that stood out against LSU (Drew King) | The new Mizzou, That’s Who with Gabe et. al focuses on Mizzou’s 3-game win streak

• Read the WBB recap on MUTigers.com.

• Beautiful.

• Behind the Scenes of Mr. Brightside, courtesy of the Mizzou Broadcast Ops team. The a Cappella singing was *chef’s kiss* perfection.

• HERCULES! HERCULES!

Football

• PowerMizzou: Sean Williams & Jarod Hamilton’s Newcomer Profiles continue— Tre’Vez Johnson | How Mizzou’s six offensive line combos fared in 2022 (Jarod Hamilton) | New 2024 target Kyle Rakers details latest Mizzou visit (Williams)
• USA Today: Predictions for each SEC football team’s starting quarterback, from Alabama to Tennessee (Blake Toppmeyer, John Adams)
• The new football complex is coming along, per Mizzou coach Al Pogue:

• The Athletic: The ‘NIL presumption’ and how an NCAA bylaw change aims to alter infractions cases (Nicole Auerbach)
• Columbia Missourian: MU Spring Game scheduled for March 18

• CAPTAIN NICKY BOLTS!

• Another former Tiger going to work for a former Tiger.

Other Mizzou Sports

• SWIM & DIVE: Mizzou Swimming is off til the SEC Championships, which kick off on February 14. Diving heads to the Air Force Open, which started Thursday. (Per MUTigers.com)
• ESPORTS: Mizzou Gaming Lounge opens with plans to grow community (Austin Hoagland, Missourian)
• WRESTLING: No. 8 Wrestling Heads to Oklahoma this weekend to Dual the Sooners and the Cowboys. Per MUTigers.com:

The No. 8-ranked University of Missouri wrestling heads back out on the road, this time to Oklahoma where it will duel with the Oklahoma Sooners Friday, Feb. 3. Following the match in Norman, Okla., the Tigers turn their sights to Stillwater to challenge No. 11 Oklahoma State Sunday, Feb. 5. The contests are set are 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. CT, respectively, with both being streamed on ESPN+.

Read High-Stakes Dual: #9 Missouri Looks to Showcase Full Roster vs #30 Oklahoma (James Hackney, MissouriWrestling.com)

• SOFTBALL: Another day, another honor for Jenna Laird! She was named to the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team, the league announced Thursday. Per MUTigers.com, it’s her second-straight season being selected to the Preseason All-SEC Softball Team, which is voted on by the SEC head coaches.

NBA/G-League Corner

• Jordan Clarkson & Utah Jazz (27-26):

2/1 vs Toronto (W 131-128): 32min | 23pts on 8-17FG (5-12 3PT) | 2 REB | 5 AST | 2 TO | 1 PF | -3

1/28 vs Mavs (W 108-100): 31min | 14pts on 4-13FG (1-4 3PT), 5-6FT | 7 REB | 3 AST | 3 STL | 5 TO | 1 PF | +11

UP NEXT: 2/3 vs ATL @8pm | 2/6 vs Mavs @8pm | 2/8 vs MINN @8pm | 2/10 vs TOR @6:30pm

• Michael Porter, Jr & Denver Nuggets (35-16):

2/2 vs GSW (W 134-117): 27min | 17pts on 6-12FG (5-9 3PT) | 1 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 1 TO | 3 PF | +22

1/31 vs Pels (W 122-113): 30min | 13pts on 5-12FG (3-6 3PT) | 5 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 2 TO | 4 PF | +18

1/28 vs 76ers (W 126-119): 29min | 20pts on 7-11FG (5-9 3PT) | 6 REB | 2 PF |+8

UP NEXT: 2/4 vs ATL @8pm | 2/5 vs MINN @6pm | 2/7 vs MINN @9pm on TNT | 2/9 vs ORL @6pm

• Dru Smith & Long Island Nets (13-3):

1/30 vs. Herd (W 131-116): DNP (sore left knee; last week it was his right!)

1/29 vs. Go-Gos (W 111-98): 20min | 16pts on 5-8FG (4-6 3PT) | 2 REB | 3 STL | 2 TO | 2 PF | +12

UP NEXT: 2/4 vs Cruise @6pm | 2/7 vs Skyforce @6pm on ESPN+ | 2/8 vs Skyforce @6pm on ESPN+

• Jontay Porter & Wisconsin Herd (5-10):

Has not played since 1/25. Out with injury/illness

UP NEXT: 2/3 vs Bulls @7pm | 2/7 vs Warriors @6pm on ESPN+ | 2/10 vs Magic @6pm

• Jeremiah Tilmon & 905 Raptors (6-5):

2/2 vs Charge (W 136-100): 11 min | 8pts on 2-2FG, 2-2FT | 6 REB | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PF | +10

UP NEXT: 2/4 vs Charge @1pm | 2/6 vs Celtics @6:30pm | 2/8 vs Celtics @10am |

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

**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 21 games, Pickett is averaging 23.4mpg (⇧) and 10.4ppg (⇩). He’s got a 48.2% (⇩), 33.3PT% (⇩), and 81.7% FT% (⇩), to go with 5.1rpg (⇩), 1.5apg (⇩), and 0.5 steals (=).

Best recent game (1/27 vs Davidson): 25 min | 14 pts | 53.8% FG | 4 REB | 2 AST

• Sean Durugordon (Austin Peay): In 23 games, Sean is averaging 28.9mpg (⇧) and 13ppg (=). He’s got a 40.6 FG% (⇩) and 31PT% (⇩) and 77.3 FT% (⇩), to go with 6rpg (⇧), 1apg (=), 0.3 blocks (=), and 0.7 steals (⇧).

Best recent game (1/28 vs Jax St): 29 min | 13 pts | 7 REB | 1 STL

• Boogie Coleman (Ball State): In 22 games, Boogie is averaging 33.9mpg (⇧) and 15.2ppg (⇧). He’s got a 39.3 FG% (⇩), 38.1 3PT% (⇧), and 49.4 FT% (⇩). He’s averaging 4.9rpg (=), 0.4 blocks (⇩), 3.4apg (=).

Best recent game (1/31 vs BGSU): 39 min | 19 pts | 50 FG% | 6 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL (He’s had 19-27 points in 4 of last 5 games! GO BOOG!)

• DaJuan Gordon (NM State): In 21 games, DaJuan is averaging 26.6mpg (⇩) and 9ppg (⇧), to go with 5.2rpg (⇩), 1.4 steals (=) and 0.9 apg (=). He’s shooting 37.6 FG% (⇧) and 28.4 3PT% (⇧).

Best recent game (2/1 vs SFA): 25 min | 15 pts | 71.4% FG | 5 REB

• Xavier Pinson (NM State): In 22 games, X is averaging 31.1mpg (=) and 13ppg (⇩), to go with 4.5 APG (=), 2.9rpg (⇩), 0.1 blocks (⇩) and 1.5 steals (⇧). He’s shooting 38.6 FG% (⇩) and 33.3 PT% (⇩) while also shooting 86.7% FT (⇩).

Best recent game (1/28 vs UVU): 34 min | 17 pts | 4 AST | 4 STL (X scored double-digits in 4/5 games)

• Amari Davis (Wright State): In 23 games, Amari is averaging 23.5mpg (⇩) and 9.1ppg (⇩), to go with 3.5rpg (⇩), 1.1apg (⇩), and 0.9 steals (=). He’s shooting 44.7 FG% (=) and 77.6 FT% (⇩).

Best recent game (1/28 vs GB): 18 min | 5 pts | 2 REB | 1 STL

• Torrence Watson (Elon): In 18 games, Torrence is averaging 24.6mpg (⇧) and 9.3ppg (=), to go with 5.3rpg (⇧), and 1.5apg (⇧). He’s shooting 33.1 FG% (⇧) and 27.6% 3PT (⇧) and 80 FT% (⇩).

Best recent game (1/26 vs HOF): 28 min | 12 pts | 11 REB | 3 AST

• Parker Braun (Santa Clara): In 23 games, PB is averaging 31.2mpg (⇩) and 8.2ppg (⇩) to go with 6.6rpg (⇩) 1 blocks (⇩), 0.4 steals (⇩) and 2apg (⇧). He’s got a 56.3FG% (⇩) and 26.1 3PT% (⇩).
• LaDazhia Williams (LSU): In 19 games, LDW is averaging 24.9mpg (⇧) and 8.8ppg (⇩), to go with 6.1rpg (⇧), 0.8 apg (=), 1.2 steals (⇩) and 0.9 blocks (⇩). She’s also got a 54.3 FG% (⇩) but only a 45.5 FT% (⇧).

Best recent game (1/30 vs TENN): 38 min | 6 pts | 53% FG | 8 REB | 1 AST

• Izzy Higginbottom (Ark St): In 18 games, Izzy is averaging 30.8mpg (=) and 13.5 ppg (⇩), to go with 3.5apg (⇧), 2.6rpg (=), 1.7 steals (⇩) and 0.1 blocks (=). She’s shooting 36.2FG% (⇩) and 25.9 3PT% (⇩) to go with 86 FT% (⇧).

Best recent game (1/28 vs Marshall): 34 min | 18 pts | 3 REB | 2 AST

Role Players (15 min or less a game):

• Aijha Blackwell (Baylor): Coming off injury, AB hadn’t played in a month so she’s a role player ATM. 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% (=). She last played on 1/22.
• Anton Brookshire (Iona): 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 (⇧).

Best recent game (1/29 vs QUIN): 12 min | 7 pts | 4 REB | 2 AST | 1 BLK

• Jordan Wilmore (NW State): In 20 games, Big Jordan is averaging 10.4mpg (⇩) and 0.8ppg (⇩), to go with 2.1rpg (⇩), 0.6 blocks (=) and 0.4steals (⇧). He’s got a 36.8 FG% (⇧).
• Ed Chang (Idaho State): 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% (⇩).

Non-factors (rarely playing):

• Kiya Dorroh (Col State): Averaging less than 5mpg and 2.1ppg as of 1/5 (last game played)
• Yaya Keita (Oklahoma): Hasn’t played since 12/6 and only appeared in 2 games

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