Wednesday night will be an exciting one for Tennessee basketball fans. With many intriguing matchups having been canceled early on this season, seeing a top-15 matchup is something worth celebrating. Missouri comes into the game ranked twelfth in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, while the Vols land at number seven. These two schools are the only two SEC teams currently in the top 25, so it may be one of the best measuring sticks Rick Barnes' staff has between now and March. The Tigers have shot up the rankings quickly, having been unranked in the poll just three weeks ago. Missouri's Cuonzo Martin is in his fourth year as the Tigers' head coach. He previously coached at California after his stint as the head coach in Knoxville.
Missouri Offensive Notes:
This isn't a Cuonzo Martin team of years past on the offensive end. Tennessee fans may remember Martin's teams as more of a half court team, but this year's Missouri team isn't afraid to push the pace after missed shots or turnovers. They're scoring at a pace of 75 points per game and are led in scoring by Xavier Pinson at 14.3 points per game. Narrowly trailing Pinson are two fellow guards. Mark Smith and Dru Smith are each averaging over 13 points per game. The Vols will need to guard Mark Smith beyond the arch, as he's shooting nearly 44% on the year from deep. As a team Missouri has struggled from 3-point range. They're shooting just 28% on the season, and my guess is that Rick Barnes would be happy if the Tigers settled for a high number of long-range shots on Wednesday.
When watching the Tigers on tape, guard play stands out on the offensive end. Their big men score, but not so much in a traditional, back to the basket sense. 6'10" forward Jeremiah Tilmon is the leader of the front court for Missouri. He plays on the plus side of 250 pounds, and he's a guy who really uses his size and strength to his advantage. He's not as comfortable catching the ball with his back to the basket as he his catching the ball as he's cutting towards the rim. Through pick and rolls and various cuts, Tilmon thrives at getting the ball as he's moving to the rim. Tennessee will need to cut this off, as he'll be tough to stop if he gets a head of steam. He's just bigger and stronger than most anyone the Vols can throw at him down low. When in a pinch, a cheap foul might be worth saving an easy layup or dunk from Tilmon. He's shooting only 46% from the free throw line this season.
Missouri Defensive Notes:
The Tigers are giving up right around 65 points per game. Tennessee has averaged over 80 points per game, so the matchup is intriguing from this standpoint as well. While his offense may be revamped a bit, this is a typical Cuonzo Martin defense. They're tough, physical and they do a really good job of guarding the ball. Drew Smith has more than twice as many steals as his next closest teammate (11), and if the Vols' guards are lose with the ball he could be a problem. He takes advantage of sloppy ball handling and if he gets possession, he's likely to push the pace to try get an easy transition bucket.
Where can the Vols find scoring opportunities?
Missouri's defense is very good, and easy baskets are hard to come by. However, there are times when their defense can almost be too good for their own good. I know that sounds odd to say but hear me out. Their guards aren't afraid to come out several steps beyond the 3-point line to guard on the ball. Ball pressure is good, but if they guard this far away from the rim against Tennessee, the Vols might be able to have quicker guys like Keon Johnson simply dribble past less-agile defenders for easy entrances into the lane.
Another thing Missouri is really good at is help defense. If an opposing guard beats a Tiger off the dribble, there's often multiple defenders that quickly come over to stop the drive. This is good in a sense. It cuts off the ball and makes the ball handler change what he wants to do. However, as defenders come off their primary man to help defend the drive, often times they end up leaving a shooter open. If Tennessee's guards can find ways to get into the lane, wing players may find chances to get open without the ball on Wednesday. On the other hand, if Missouri's guards can stay in front of the ball and limit inside penetration, the Vols may have to rely on tough shots to score.
The game is set to begin at 9PM and can be seen on the SEC Network.
