Nov. 18, 1999
TIPOFF: 7:00 p.m. (central)
ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,300).
RADIO: Tiger Network (Mike Kelly, play-by-play/Gary Link, color). Carried on more than 50 stations statewide, and on the Internet at www.gamecruiser.com
TV: None.
RANKINGS: Neither team is currently ranked.
SERIES: MU leads, 1-0. The only previous meeting was a 99-56 MU win in Columbia on Jan 3, 1993.
COACHES:
Missouri: Quin Snyder (Duke ?89), 1-1 at MU (1st season), 1-1 overall (1st season).
UNCA: Eddie Biedenbach (North Carolina State ?68), 48-37 at UNCA (4th season), 77-88 overall (7th season).
OFFICIALS: Will be announced prior to tipoff.
TIGERS FACE UNC-ASHEVILLE IN LAST HOME OPENER OF THE CENTURY
The Missouri Tigers (1-1 overall) open the 1999-2000 home season this Friday evening when they host the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs (0-0) at the Hearnes Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers and Head Coach Quin Snyder are coming off a split last weekend in a pair of games at the NABC Classic in Syracuse, N.Y. Missouri opened the Snyder era with a 66-55 defeat at the hands of Wisconsin, but rebounded the next night to give Snyder his first career win, with a 51-48 victory over Princeton.
Friday?s game will serve as the season opener for UNCA, which returns seven players from a team which went 11-18 last year under Head Coach Eddie Biedenbach.
MISSOURI TIGERS (1-1)
(Probable Starting Lineup/Just an SID?s best guess)
P NO NAME HT WT YR HOMETOWN PPG/RPG F 31 Johnnie Parker** 6-6 221 Jr. St. Louis, Mo. 9.0/5.0 C 33 Tajudeen Soyoye 6-9 236 Jr. Lagos, Nigeria 4.5/8.0 G 5 Keyon Dooling* 6-3 184 So. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 20.5/1.0 G 12 Brian Grawer** 6-0 165 Jr. St. Louis, Mo. 5.5/4.0 G 4 Clarence Gilbert* 6-2 197 So. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 7.0/2.0
UNC-ASHEVILLE BULLDOGS (0-0)
(Probable Starting Lineup/Just an SID?s best guess)
P NO NAME HT WT YR HOMETOWN PPG/RPG F 21 John Risinger* 6-5 175 Jr. Evansville, Ind. 10.6/3.3 F 50 Matt Osikowicz*** 6-7 205 Sr. Merritt Island, Fla. 8.3/3.9 C 40 Adam Earnhardt** 7-0 230 Jr. Baker, Fla. 6.3/4.6 G 10 Andre Smith 6-2 165 Fr. Miami, Fla. n/a/n/a G 11 Brett Carey 6-2 200 Jr. Lincolnton, N.C. n/a/n/a
THE QUIN-TISENNTIALS
The 15th head coach in Missouri basketball history, Quin Snyder is 1-1 in his first season as a head coach. He notched his first career win last Saturday vs. Princeton, when the Tigers grabbed a 51-48 victory in the NABC Classic in Syracuse, N.Y.
An exciting new era began at Missouri this past April, when Snyder was introduced as men?s head basketball coach by Director of Athletics Michael Alden.
Snyder, an assistant coach at Duke University the past four years, is just the fifth diferent head coach at Missouri since 1926.
Snyder?s mission is to take the Tiger program to the next level. And if that next level represents the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, Snyder will be a repeat visitor. In 10 years at Duke, he took part in five Final Fours ? three as a player (1986, 88, 89) and two more as a coach (1994, 99). For those of you keeping score at home, that?s exactly five more Final Fours than Mizzou has qualified for in its previous 93 years.
Snyder had served as Duke?s associate head coach the past two seasons, and was entrusted with numerous on-court coaching responsibilities, as well as recruiting duties for the Blue Devils by Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski. He was widely credited with recruiting the group of student-athletes (including 1999 national player-of-the-year Elton Brand) at Duke who compiled a 37-2 record last year and finished as NCAA runners-up.
Snyder and his wife, Helen, were married on Sept. 24th of this year. Snyder celebrated his 33rd birthday on Oct. 30th.
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING COACH SNYDER, PLEASE REFER TO THE 1999-2000 MISSOURI BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE.
TIGERS IN HOME OPENERS
In 93 previous seasons, Missouri is 81-12 (.871) in home openers. The Tigers have won 25 straight home openers, dating back to a 95-81 win over Wisconsin-Oshkosh (by gosh) in 1974.
The last time Missouri did not come away with a win in a home lidlifter was in 1973, when the Tigers dropped a 77-73 decision at the hands of SMU, despite the efforts of current Tiger broadcaster Gary Link, who led MU with 21 points.
TALE OF THE TAPE
MIZZOU UNCA 1-1 Overall Record 1-1* 0-0 Big 12 Record n/a W 1 Current Win-Loss Streak W 1 .320 Field Goal Percentage .411 .478 Opponent FG Percentage .435 .375 3-PT FG Percentage .286 .341 Opponent 3-PT FG Percentage .385 9.0 3-PT FGs Made Per Game 4.0 24.0 3-PT FGs Attempted Per Game 14.0 .828 Free Throw Percentage .686 33.5 Rebound Average 42.5 +3.5 Rebound Margin +0.5 12.5 Turnovers Per Game 15.5 11.5 Opponents Turnovers Per Game 16.0 53.0 Points Per Game 79.5 57.0 Opponents Points Per Game 81.0 -4.0 Average Margin -1.5
*NOTE - UNCA?s numbers represent their pre-season games.
GET THE LID OFF THAT BASKET
When the Tigers take the court against UNC-Asheville Friday, they?ll be looking to pry the lid off the basket which so rudely held MU to a 32.0 field goal percentage in the NABC Classic.
The Tigers still managed a split against Wisconsin and Princeton despite being colder than (insert your own joke here). Missouri took 100 shots in the two contests, and missed 68 of them. What?s a bit hard to figure is the fact that MU was a respectable 18-of-48 (37.5%) from three-point range, but went just 14-of-52 (26.9%) from inside the stripe.
An amazing fact reads this way: Against Princeton, Keyon Dooling was 8-of-15 from the floor (53.3%). Take his numbers out of MU?s totals, and the rest of his teammates shot just 7-of-36 on the night (19.4%).
HISTORICAL NOTE FOLLOWING ? PLEASE PAY ATTENTION:
A quick check of the MU record book shows that Missouri has never won a game when shooting worse than 30.0% in a game. The Tigers managed a 51-48 win over Princeton last Saturday despite shooting just 29.4%. The previous low shooting night during a Tiger win was back on Feb. 8, 1995, when MU shot just 30.0%, but beat Iowa State, 59-56 in Columbia.
FREEBIES FALLING NICELY
While the Tigers were ice cold from the floor over the past weekend, they proved to be quite salty at the foul line, as they connected on 24-of-29 free throws in two games, good for a percentage of 82.8%.
Included in the numbers was a 12-of-14 performance vs. Princeton. MU hit 6-of-7 free throws in the game?s final two minutes to help seal Quin Snyder?s first victory.
MU-UNCA SERIES HISTORY
There?s not much of a rivalry between the Tigers and Bulldogs, as they?ve met only once previously. That meeting took place on Jan. 3, 1993, and resulted in a 99-56 win for Missouri, which happened to be Norm Stewart?s 600th career win.
The day proved to be traumatic for SID Chad Moller, however, as his beloved Houston Oilers pulled off the greatest choke job in the history of professional sports, blowing a 35-3 lead in NFL Playoffs, and losing to Buffalo, 38-35.
DIALING LONG DISTANCE
With the likes of long-range gunners Brian Grawer, Clarence Gilbert and Keyon Dooling, look for the Tigers to be a strong perimeter team in 1999-2000.
Quin Snyder?s crew showed it has the ability to score from long distance in Mizzou?s two games, as they connected on 37.5% of their attempts (18-of-48). The Tigers made nine treys each vs. Wisconsin and Princeton.
The MU record for made treys in a game is 15 (2-2-97 vs. Wake Forest & 2-28-98 vs.Kansas State), while the most attempts in a game is 36 (2-28-98 vs. Kansas State).
Season records to keep an eye on include 214 three-pointers made and 580 treys attempted, both by the 1997-98 squad. Through two games, the Tigers are on pace to make 261 three pointers in 696 attempts.
Last year, Missouri made 38.0 percent of its three point attempts (180-of-474), and averaged 6.2 made threes per game and 16.4 attempts per game.
Individually, Brian Grawer was third in the NCAA last year in three point accuracy, as he nailed 64-of-129 attempts from beyond the arch, good for a 49.6% success rate. Included in that total was a perfect 6-of-6 performance at home against Iowa State, which set a single-game accuracy record for the Tigers.
HITTING THE GLASS
Despite being outsized, the Tigers held their own quite nicely in rebounding last weekend, as MU totaled 67 rebounds in the two NABC contests, compared to their opponents? 60.
Included in that total was an impressive 21-to-9 advantage on the offensive glass. Princeton was held to just three offensive rebounds in MU?s 51-48 win last Saturday.
That?s something the smallish Tigers will need to continue as they will likely continue to face bigger teams throughout the year.
MU?S KEY: KEYON DOOLING
If the early season is any indication of things to come, keep an eye on electrifying sophomore guard Keyon Dooling, who clearly is the key to MU?s fortunes.
Dooling led Missouri to victory against Princeton last Saturday, as he scored 25 of MU?s 51 points on the night (that?s 49.0 percent of the team?s scoring). The 25 points was a career high for the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native.
Dooling entered the season determined to be more of a scoring threat from the outside this season, and early on, he?s showing he can get it done. He hit 5-of-6 three pointers against Princeton, both totals marking personal bests. He?s hit 7-of-10 threes to open the season (journalism majors, that?s good for 70%), and now in two games has one less three pointer than all of last season, when he hit 8-of-28 threes (28.6%) in 28 games.
In two exhibition outings, Dooling ? the runner-up for Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Year honors last season ? averaged 25.0 points, 6.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds, and shot 58.3 percent from the floor. He also hit 4-of-9 three pointers, and was a near-perfect 18-of-19 (94.7%) from the foul line.
As the primary point guard in MU?s three-pronged guard attack, Dooling seems primed to have a big year in Quin Snyder?s system, which features an up-tempo style of play along with a pressure defense designed to create offensive opportunities.
Last year as a freshman, Dooling averaged 8.7 points and 3.0 assists in 28 games for the Tigers. He averaged 10.7 points a game in Big 12 play, and had a seven-game stretch in which he averaged 16.0 points, 4.3 assists and shot 54.9% from the floor.
PARKER GETTING IT DONE
Junior forward Johnnie Parker started both games for MU in the NABC Classic, and he left the tournament as MU?s second-leading scorer. He averaged 9.0 points in Mizzou?s two games, and averaged 5.0 rebounds.
While the Tigers were struggling from the floor, Parker managed a respectable 46.2% from the floor (6-of-13), and hit a solid 4-of-7 three-point attempts (57.1%).
A RUSH TO JUDGMENT
No, it?s not a cheesy made-for-TV movie about O.J. Simpson or Monica Lewinsky, althought we?d like to see one that combines the two!
We?re talking about Tiger freshman forward Kareem Rush, who played quite well in his collegiate debut in Syracuse last weekend.
In MU?s two games, Rush averaged 6.5 points and 6.0 rebounds. Not eye-popping numbers, but there was no doubting that he played a key role.
In MU?s win against Princeton, Rush gave Quin Snyder 31 key minutes. He managed just five points (on 1-of-8 shooting), but came up huge on the boards, as he grabbed a game-high 10 caroms, including the game-saving rebound after Princeton?s last-second attempt was no good. He also added two assists and a blocked shot on the night.
Against Wisconsin, he came off the bench to contribute eight points in 16 minutes of play.
His minutes were even more valuable to a Tiger lineup which even less deep than normal, due to Jeff Hafer?s bout with the flu.
Rush sprained his right ankle this Tuesday in practice, but is expected to play Friday vs. UNC-Asheville. The sprain isn?t considered serious, but it might keep him below 100 percent for the game.
TIGERS SIGN THREE PREP BLUE-
CHIPPERS DURING EARLY PERIOD
MU Head Coach Quin Snyder has signed three high school standouts in what is quickly becoming one of the nation?s top recruiting classes.
During the early signing period, which ran from Nov. 10-17, Snyder inked prep stars Rickey Paulding, Arthur Johnson and Wesley Stokes to national letters of intent.
Paulding and Johnson hail from Detroit, Mich., while Stokes is from Long Beach, Calif.
Here?s a look at each of them:
RICKEY PAULDING
Paulding, a 6-foot-5 guard from Detroit Renaissance High School, is considered one of the nation?s top 30 prep prospects, and has been selected to the pre-season all-American team by Street & Smith Magazine . He averaged 25.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots per game last season at Renaissance High, and was selected to Michigan?s all-state team in 1999. His point total led the extremely competitive Detroit Public School League last year. In addition to his success on the court, Paulding has enjoyed much success in the classroom as well, having fully met NCAA standards, and boasting an exceptional academic record at one of the countries? top academic high schools.
Paulding selected Missouri over Michigan State, Ohio State and Miami, Fla.
ARTHUR JOHNSON
Johnson, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Detroit Pershing High School, is considered a top 30 national prospect by many recruiting services. He?s one of the top big men in the country, and is coming off a season in which he averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds per game as a junior. He led his Pershing team to a top-five ranking in the state last year, and earned all-state honors for his efforts.
Johnson selected Missouri over Miami, Fla., Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State. His high school coach is Arnold Neville.
WESLEY STOKES
Stokes, a 5-foot-10 point guard out of Long Beach Poly, is considered the top-rated point guard prospect in the West, and is a top-50 national recruit. Stokes averaged 16 points, eight assists and four steals per game last year as a junior, and garnered much attention after some superb play in various summer all-star camps.
Stokes selected Missouri over Southern California, San Diego State, Texas and Massachusetts. His high school coach is Ron Palmer, who directed Long Beach Poly to a 24-7 record last season, and the quarterfinals of the Southern California Regionals. They are a pre-season favorite to win the Southern Section Division I-AA championship, which would be their second in the past four years.
"We?re obviously very excited to have such good kids want to join our program," said Quin Snyder. "We get better with all three of them, in different ways."
A GUARD-ED VIEWPOINT
Take a look at MU?s roster for the 1999-2000 season, and you?d think the Tigers could do well in a 6-foot-6 and under league. That?s because only two Tigers on the roster stand taller than 6-foot-9.
The lack of size means that Tiger guards will play a heavy role in determining success this season.
Quin Snyder has started three guards in each of MU?s two previous games, and will likely deploy a three-guard attack for much of the season. And the results from the Tigers two early games shows that the guard-heavy lineup can be quite effective.
MU?s starting guard trio of Keyon Dooling, Brian Grawer and Clarence Gilbert scored 62.3% of MU?s points in the two contests, as they combined for 66 points.
TIGER QUICK NOTES
Sophomore forward Matt Rowan has left the University of Missouri men?s basketball team, and will transfer from MU at the following of the fall semester, as announced today by Head Coach Quin Snyder.
Rowan, a Liberty, Mo. native, did not play in either of Missouri?s games at last week?s NABC Classic in Syracuse, N.Y. The 6-foot-7 forward saw limited action last season as a freshman, averaging 0.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 17 games. He averaged 4.9 minutes played in those contests.
Rowan will remain on scholarship through the end of the fall semester, after which time he will be released from his commitment. By releasing him at the end of the semester, Rowan will be allowed to pursue a number of options. He will be eligible to play immediately at any Division II school, and would have to sit out until the end of the first semester of the 2000-2001 season if he was to choose another Division I program.
"We wish Matt the very best, and we?ll do whatever we can to help him with his future plans," said Coach Snyder. "He?s made a personal decision that he wants to be in a program where he?ll be able to make more of a contribution, and we certainly understand and respect his decision."
The Tigers are 1-0 when Sean Kelley of KFRU Radio does play-by-play for the Tiger Radio Network. Mike "The Voice" Kelly is 0-1 this season when calling the action. Sean guided the Tigers to their first win this season when against Princeton, when Mike was called away to MU?s football game vs. Texas A&M last weekend. Could this be another Wally Pipp/Lou Gehrig situation? Stay tuned.
The first point scored in the Quin Snyder era came on a free throw from T.J. Soyoye. Johnnie Parker Hit the first field goal (a three-pointer), got the first steal and blocked shot. Soyoye grabbed the first rebound, and Jeff Hafer was the first sub. Keyon Dooling clinched the first win for Snyder with a pair of free throws late in the game vs. Princeton.
An impressive handful of visitors have come calling in the early season to check out Quin Snyder and his Tigers. Three weeks ago, Doug Collins, current NBA analyst for NBC Sports, and a former NBA head coach and all-star player, visited Tiger camp. He saw the Tigers three days during his visit, and addressed the Tiger team following one practice.
Also paying a visit to Columbia a few weeks ago was former Duke and Vanderbilt standout Billy McCaffrey. He saw practices on Monday and Tuesday before heading out of town.
Earlier this summer, current Detroit Pistons Head Coach Alvin Gentry paid a visit to Columbia. Gentry coached with MU associate head coach John Hammond at Detroit.
PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE
KENGE Stevenson KEN-jee KEYON Dooling KEY-awn Mark WAMPLER WHOMP-ler Brian GRAWER Rhymes with "Power" Josh KROENKE KRON-kee Jeff HAFER HAY-fer TAJUDEEN SOYOYE TODD-ju-dean SOY-yoy-yay Pat SCHUMACHER SHOE-mock-er Igor KOKOSKOV COKE-o-ska-v
TIGER FACT-OF-THE-GAME
Sophomore guard Keyon Dooling made seven three-point field goals in the NABC Classic last weekend (in 10 attempts). He made eight three-pointers all of last season in 28 games.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. UNCA-ASHEVILLE
(Tigers Lead, 1-0)
1-3-93 W, 99-56 at Columbia
MU MILESTONES
- Jeff Hafer needs 1 point to reach 500 for his career
- Brian Grawer needs 14 three-point field goals to move into 8th place on the MU career three-point field goal chart
MU FREE THROWS IN LAST FOUR MINUTES
Tiger FT FTA PCT. Gilbert 2 2 1.000 Dooling 3 4 .750 Soyoye 1 2 .500 Total 6 8 .750
IN LAST TWO MINUTES
Tiger FT FTA PCT. Dooling 2 2 1.000 Gilbert 2 2 1.000 Soyoye 1 2 .500 Total 5 6 .833
MU CLASS LINES
Here?s a quick look at how MU?s production breaks down among the player?s experience:
Category FR SO JR SR Points 12.3% 51.9% 35.9% 0% Rebounds 23.3% 13.3% 56.7% 6.7% Assists 9.1% 45.5% 36.4% 9.1% Turnovers 8.0% 44.0% 40.0% 8.0%
MU RECORD WHEN 1999-2000
Ahead at half 0-0 Behind at half 1-1 FG% of .450 or more 0-0 FG% less than .450 1-1 Better FG% than opp. 0-0 Worse FG% than opp. 1-1 Opp. shoots less than .450 0-0 3FG% of .440 or more 0-0 3FG% less than .400 1-1 Try more than 12 3FGs 1-1 Try 12 or less 3FGs 0-0 Try more FTs than opp. 1-0 Try less FTs than opp. 0-1 Bench outscores opp. bench 0-0 Opp. bench outscores MU bench 1-1 Outrebound opp. 1-0 Tied or outrebounded 0-1 More TOs than opp. 0-1 Same or fewer TOs 1-0 Make 10 or more TOs 1-1 Make less than 10 TOs 0-0 Score less than 50 pts. 0-0 Score 50-59 pts. 1-1 Score 60-69 pts. 0-0 Score 70-79 pts. 0-0 Score 80 or more pts. 0-0 Allow less than 50 pts. 1-0 Allow 50-59 pts. 0-0 Allow 60-69 pts. 0-1 Allow 70-79 pts. 0-0 Allow 80 or more pts. 0-0 Overtime 0-0 Vs. AP Top 25 0-0 Home Games 0-0 Road Games 0-0 Neutral Site Games 1-1 Day Games 0-0 Night Games 1-1 On Monday 0-0 On Tuesday 0-0 On Wednesday 0-0 On Thursday 0-0 On Friday 0-1 On Saturday 1-0 On Sunday 0-0 On Mizzou Sports Network 1-1 On CBS 0-0 On ESPN 0-0 On ESPN-Plus 0-0 On ABC 0-0
GAMES DECIDED BY...
5 pts. or less 1-0 6-10 pts. 0-0 11-19 pts. 0-1 20 or more pts. 0-0