Dec. 6, 1999
PDF Formatted Notes
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Winners of five straight games, the Missouri Tigers (5-1) get a chance to make a statement Tuesday night when they play host to the 14th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (4-0). The game is the second of a rugged December schedule that will see Quin Snyder's crew take on Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa and Saint Louis.
Missouri is coming off a 63-60 win over a solid SMU squad on Dec. 1st. The Tigers trailed by six points with five minutes remaining, but late-game heroics by senior Jeff Hafer gave MU the win.
Indiana began the year unranked, but quickly caught the attention of the pollsters by reeling off wins at Texas Tech, vs. #4 Temple and Notre Dame, before posting an 83-75 win over Kentucky on Saturday.
Game #7 - Missouri (5-1) vs. Indiana (4-0)
Dec. 7, 1999 - Columbia, Mo.
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: Mizzou Sports Network (Brian Neuner, play-by-play/Jon Sundvold, color). Please see page seven of this release for a listing of statewide affiliates.
RANKINGS: MU is not ranked (RV in ESPN/USA poll)/Indiana is ranked #23 (A.P.) & #14 (ESPN/USA Today).
SERIES: IU leads, 8-6. MU has won two straight, and is 4-2 in Columbia in the series.
COACHES:
Missouri: Quin Snyder (Duke '89), 5-1 at MU (1st season), 5-1 overall (1st season).
Indiana: Bob Knight (Ohio St. '62), 645-231 at IU (29th season), 747-281 overall (35th season). Knight is 0-1 vs. MU.
OFFICIALS: Will be announced prior to tipoff.
MISSOURI TIGERS (5-1)
(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. | 9.2 / 6.3 |
| C | 33 | Tajudeen Soyoye | 6-9 | 236 | Jr. | Lagos, Nigeria | 10.5 / 8.2 |
| G | 5 | Keyon Dooling* | 6-3 | 184 | So. | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | 12.7 / 2.0 |
| G | 12 | Brian Grawer** | 6-0 | 165 | Jr. | St. Louis, Mo. | 6.8 / 3.3 |
| G | 4 | Clarence Gilbert* | 6-2 | 197 | So. | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | 8.7 / 3.7 |
#14 INDIANA HOOSIERS (4-0)
(Probable Starting Lineup/Just an SID's best guess)
| P | NO | NAME | HT | WT | YR | HOMETOWN | PPG/RPG |
| F | 44 | Lynn Washington* | 6-7 | 230 | Sr. | San Jose, Calif. | 7.5 / 5.5 |
| F | 50 | Jeffrey Newton | 6-9 | 215 | Fr. | Atlanta, Ga. | 6.3 / 3.3 |
| C | 35 | Kirk Haston* | 6-10 | 230 | So. | Lobleville, Tenn. | 11.0 / 9.3 |
| G | 11 | Dane Fife* | 6-4 | 190 | So. | Clarkston, Mich. | 6.0 / 3.3 |
| G | 25 | A.J. Guyton*** | 6-1 | 175 | Sr. | Peoria, Ill. | 21.3 / 3.5 |
MIZZOU-INDIANA SERIES HISTORY
Missouri and Indiana will meet for the 15th time when they clash on Tuesday night, but it will mark only the second meeting since 1969. Twelve of the 14 meetings between the two schools came from 1954 through 1969.
The last time MU and Indiana played was in the first round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament, when the Tigers claimed a 65-60 win in the West Regional at Boise, Id.
Missouri leads the Hoosiers 4-2 in games played in Columbia, but the last time IU visited here was just over 30 years ago. MU claimed a 109-96 win at Brewer Fieldhouse on Dec. 6, 1969.
Indiana coach Bob Knight is 0-1 in his career vs. Missouri, with the 1995 NCAA Tournament game coming as the only meeting.
SNYDER-KNIGHT ARE NO STRANGERS
While Tiger Head Coach Quin Snyder and Indiana ringleader Bob Knight will be facing eachother for the first time as coaches, they've been on opposite sidelines 3 times previously - with Snyder as a player and assistant coach at Duke.
Knight is 2-1 in those meetings, winning an 88-82 game in the Sweet 16 round of the 1987 NCAA Tournament when Snyder was a freshman guard for Mike Krzyzewski.
The other two meetings came with Snyder as an assistant coach, and the meetings were split: Duke won a 70-64 game in Nov. '95 in the Great Alaska Shootout, and Indiana claimed an 85-69 win in Nov. '96 in the Chase Preseason NIT.
Snyder is an indirect descendant of the Bob Knight coaching family tree. Knight coached Krzyzewski at Army, and then had Krzyzewski serve as a graduate assistant on the 1975 Indiana squad that went 31-1 and a perfect 18-0 in the Big Ten.
THE QUIN-TISENNTIALS
The 15th head coach in Missouri basketball history, Quin Snyder is 5-1 in his first season as a head coach. He notched his first career win Nov. 13th 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 different 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.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| MIZZOU | INDIANA | |
| 5-1 | Overall Record | 4-0 |
| 0-0 | Big 12 Record | n/a |
| W 5 | Current Win-Loss Streak | W 4 |
| .412 | Field Goal Percentage | .442 |
| .422 | Opponent FG Percentage | .354 |
| .379 | 3-PT FG Percentage | .351 |
| .333 | Opponent 3-PT FG Percentage | .303 |
| 9.7 | 3-PT FGs Made Per Game | 5.0 |
| 25.5 | 3-PT FGs Attempted Per Game | 14.3 |
| .678 | Free Throw Percentage | .670 |
| 37.2 | Rebound Average | 40.3 |
| +2.0 | Rebound Margin | -0.5 |
| 14.3 | Turnovers Per Game | 13.5 |
| 16.2 | Opponents Turnovers Per Game | 17.5 |
| 70.0 | Points Per Game | 74.8 |
| 60.2 | Opponents Points Per Game | 64.5 |
| +9.8 | Average Margin | +10.3 |
FINDING THE MARK
In the first three games of the year, Missouri experienced some serious shooting woes, as the Tigers connected on just 34.4 percent of its shots from the floor.
But in the last three outings, the Tigers have found the range, as MU has shot a combined 46.8% from the floor, hitting 87-of-186 attempts.
Included in that output is a deadly attack from behind the three-point line. The Tigers have hit 33 threes in their last three games, in 77 attempts, good for a success rate of 42.9%.
TIGER FACT-OF-THE-GAME
MU is coming off a season-low 6-of-17 performance from 3-pt. land. The game prior to that, the Tigers had a season-best 15-of-31 threes made.
SERIES HISTORY
INDIANA(Hoosiers lead, 8-6)
| 1- 4-29 | L, 29-42 | at Bloomington |
| 12- 6-54 | W, 64-61 | at Bloomington |
| 12-17-55 | L, 78-81 | at Columbia |
| 12-14-57 | W, 78-73 | at Columbia |
| 12-13-58 | L, 72-87 | at Bloomington |
| 12- 7-59 | W, 79-76 | at Columbia |
| 12-12-60 | L, 55-66 | at Bloomington |
| 12-10-62 | W, 52-51 | at Columbia |
| 12-14-63 | L, 76-100 | at Bloomington |
| 12- 5-66 | L, 65-77 | at Bloomington |
| 12- 4-67 | L, 69-78 | at Columbia |
| 12- 7-68 | L, 51-58 | at Bloomington |
| 12- 6-69 | W, 109-96 | at Columbia |
| 3-17-95 | W, 65-60* | at Boise |
* NCAA West Region
at Columbia: MU leads, 4-2
at Bloomington: IU leads, 6-1
at Neutral Sites: MU leads, 1-0
TIGER COMEBACKS
Missouri has rallied from deficits three times this season to register wins under Quin Snyder. Here's a look at those games:
| Date | Opp. | Deficit (Time) | Final Score |
| 11-13 | Princeton | 9 pts. (13:06, 1st) | 51-48 |
| 11-21 | UNCA | 10 pts. (1:26, 1st) | 75-69 |
| 12-1 | SMU | 6 pts. (5:58, 2nd) | 63-60 |
DEFENSE COMING AROUND
Missouri's first three opponents shot a combined 49.6% from the floor (69-of-139), but the Tigers have since put the clamps down.
MU is coming off a 63-60 win against SMU in which they held the Mustangs to just 34.9% shooting. SMU guard Stephen Woods scored 24 points on the night, but the Tiger defense did a great job against Mustangs' top two scorers - Willie Davis and Jeryl Sasser - holding them to a combined 8-of-29 (27.6%) from the floor.
In MU's last three games, the Tiger defense has limited opponents to a field goal percentage of just 36.8% (70-of-190) - including an opponent season-low mark of 34.5% percent two games ago vs. Morgan State.
NEW FACES LEADING THE CHARGE
In Missouri's last four games, Tiger newcomers have led the charge, helping MU to consecutive wins over UNC-Asheville, Western Carolina, Morgan State and SMU.
Tiger newcomers Kareem Rush, Tajudeen Soyoye and Josh Kroenke have led Missouri in scoring in each of the past four games.
Last week vs. SMU, it was freshman Kareem Rush who led the team with 13 points. Additionally, junior college transfer Tajudeen Soyoye added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Previously vs. Morgan State, MU's top three scorers were freshman Josh Kroenke (18 points), Rush (14) and Soyoye (13).
Kroenke nailed 5-of-7 three pointers against the Bears, marking the second straight game in which he connected on five long-range bombs.
Three games ago vs. Western Carolina, it was junior college transfer Tajudeen Soyoye who led the Tigers with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It marked the first career double-double for the Lagos, Nigeria native. He hit 8-of-11 field goals on the day, and grabbed seven offensive rebounds.
Also in that same game, freshman Josh Kroenke was a key, as he scored 15 points off the bench, on 5-of-8 three-point field goals. The points were his first as a Tiger.
Prior to that, vs. UNCA, it was freshman Kareem Rush who led the way with a career-high 16 points. He was MU's top scorer on the day, and helped the Tigers erase a 10-point deficit in the first half.
DIALING 10-10-333
With all the different long distance phone calling plans one has to choose from, the Missouri Tigers have decided to make their own - 10-10-333. What we're trying to say with that lame attempt at a segue, is that the Tigers are gunning early and often from long distance this year - and the results have been quite good.
Missouri is actually entering the Indiana game off its lowest three-point total of the young season. The Tigers were held to 6-of-17 three pointers vs. SMU. Both numbers were season-low totals.
Just prior to that, however, MU turned in a record-tying performance from three-point land, as the Tigers hit 15 three pointers (in 31 attempts) against Morgan State. The 15 threes made tied an MU single-game record, previously accomplished in 1997 vs. Wake Forest and in 1998 vs. Kansas State.
Seven different Tigers dialed long distance vs. Morgan State, including freshman Josh Kroenke, who came off the bench to nail five treys for the second straight game.
In its last three games, the Tigers have hit 33-of-77 three pointers, which is a salty 42.9 percent mark.
Through six games, Missouri has hit 58-of-153 three pointers, both totals of which lead the Big 12 Conference thus far.
Two Tigers: junior Johnnie Parker and freshman Kareem Rush, are the only Tigers to hit a three-point field goal in each game thus far, entering Tuesday's Indiana contest.
Season records to keep an eye on include 214 three-pointers made and 580 treys attempted, both by the 1997-98 squad. Through six games, the Tigers are on pace to make 280 three pointers in 740 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.
ACHIEVING A BALANCE
Unlike an SID's checkbook register, Missouri has looked very balanced on the offensive end in its last four outings.
While Keyon Dooling is clearly the leader of this team, the Tigers at times have been caught standing and watching to see what the playmaker will do next. He was the only Tiger to score in double figures through MU's first two games other than Johnnie Parker, who notched 11 points in the season opener vs. Wisconsin.
But, much to the delight of Quin Snyder, Missouri showed a balanced scoring attack even though Dooling has been off his offensive game (5-of-32 FGs in last three games).
Three Tigers scored in double figures last week vs. SMU, and in the three previous games, at least four Tigers have done the deed, including a season-high five double figure scorers against UNC-Asheville.
Against Western Carolina, only eight Tigers played, but all eight scored at least five points.
FREEBIES FALL ONCE AGAIN
Missouri opened the season by hitting 24-of-29 free throws (82.8%) in its first two games, offsetting the Tigers' shooting troubles from the floor.
But in games number 3-4-5, while the Tigers found the range from the floor, Missouri struggled from the foul line, as they connected on just 45-of-77 freebies in wins over UNCA, Western Carolina and Morgan State (58.4%).
Missouri regained the touch from the foul line its last time out, vs. SMU, as the Tigers connected on 13-of-15 foul shots (86.7%).
No matter how they shoot from the line, a positive remains that the Tigers are getting to the foul line much more frequently than their opponents thus far.
Through six games, the Tigers have made more free throws (82) than their foes have even attempted (81). MU is attempting an average of 20.2 free throws per game, while opponents are toeing the line just 13.5 times an outing.
RUSH MAKING AN EARLY IMPRESSION
Okay, it might be a little early to begin the hype for Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Year honors already, but when the time comes, rest assured that Tiger rookie Kareem Rush will figure into the mix.
There's no question that Rush has made a big impact early on in his Tiger career. He's led Missouri in scoring two times already, and one other game led the team in rebounding.
In MU's six games, Rush is averaging 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Both averages are 3rd-best on the squad entering the Indiana contest. He's coming off a game in which he led Mizzou with 13 points against SMU. Prior to that, he had a 14-point performance in MU's win over Morgan State.
He had a career-high 16 point game vs. UNCA. He hit 3 three-pointers on the night, and helped keep the Tigers in a game in which they trailed by 10 points at one point.
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.
Because he's a smooth lefty who hails from Kansas City, Rush draws natural comparisons to former Tiger all-American Anthony Peeler. Though it's early, Rush's number compare to Peeler in his freshman year. Here's a quick look at how other prominent Tigers fared as freshmen:
| Tiger | Fresh. Year | Pts. | Rebs. |
| Steve Stipanovich | 1979-80 | 14.4 | 6.4 |
| Derrick Chievous | 1984-85 | 13.1 | 5.3 |
| Kelly Thames | 1993-94 | 12.2 | 7.1 |
| Jevon Crudup | 1990-91 | 12.0 | 7.1 |
| Nathan Buntin | 1986-87 | 11.8 | 4.9 |
| Doug Smith | 1987-88 | 11.3 | 6.6 |
| Kareem Rush | 1999-00 | 10.2 | 4.3 |
| Anthony Peeler | 1988-89 | 10.1 | 3.7 |
| Melvin Booker | 1990-91 | 8.3 | 2.2 |
| Curtis Berry | 1977-78 | 6.8 | 4.7 |
| Larry Drew | 1976-77 | 6.9 | 2.8 |
| Jon Sundvold | 1979-80 | 6.3 | 1.7 |
DOOLING SEARCHING FOR THE TOUCH
Electrifying guard Keyon Dooling began the year as a house on fire, but has been grinding a bit on the offensive end of late.
He's battling a shooting slump that's hampered his scoring in the last three games, but he's still finding ways to make MU successful. After averaging 18.7 points in the Tigers' first three games, he's been held to a 6.7 average the last three times out, and has made just 5-of-32 field goals (15.6%) in that same stretch. He's dished out a team-best 13 assists in the last three games, however, and his direction has helped guide the Tigers to three straight effective offensive performances.
He was held to eight points last time out vs. SMU, on just 1-of-10 shooting. But the one field goal made every highlight reel, as he beat the Mustangs' Jeryl Sasser to the basket for a thunderous jam. He contributed to the Tigers' comeback win in other ways, however, as Dooling had four assists, five rebounds, three steals and hit 6-of-8 free throws, including a pair of game clinchers with under 20 seconds left in the game.
Dooling helped fuel a Tiger comeback vs. UNCA, as he scored all 15 of his points in the second half, erasing a 10-point Bulldog lead. Dooling was held scoreless in the first half, as he could play only 9 minutes due to foul trouble.
Dooling led Missouri to victory against Princeton on Nov. 13th, 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.
MU FREE THROWS
IN LAST FOUR MINUTES
| Tiger | FT | FTA | PCT. |
| Gilbert | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| Parker | 3 | 4 | .750 |
| Dooling | 8 | 14 | .571 |
| Hafer | 2 | 4 | .500 |
| Schumacher | 2 | 4 | .500 |
| Stevenson | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Soyoye | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Rush | 0 | 4 | .000 |
| Total | 22 | 40 | .550 |
IN LAST TWO MINUTES
| Tiger | FT | FTA | PCT. |
| Parker | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Gilbert | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| Dooling | 6 | 10 | .600 |
| Soyoye | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Hafer | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Schumacher | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Stevenson | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Rush | 0 | 4 | .000 |
| Total | 17 | 30 | .567 |
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 | 22.9% | 33.3% | 37.9% | 6.0% |
| Rebounds | 15.7% | 20.2% | 48.0% | 6.3% |
| Assists | 9.1% | 40.9% | 35.2% | 14.8% |
| Turnovers | 15.1% | 37.2% | 39.5% | 7.0% |
OPPONENT
INDIVIDUAL
SEASON HIGHS
| Pts: | 24, Stephen Woods, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| FG: | 9, Stephen Woods, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| FGA: | 18, Two tied with |
| 3FG: | 6, Stephen Woods, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| 3FGA: | 12, Stephen Woods, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| FT: | 4, Two tied with |
| FTA: | 7, Willie Davis, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| Reb.: | 12, Jeryl Sasser, SMU, 12-1-99 |
| Asst: | 7, Mark Vershaw, Wisconsin, 11-12-99 |
| Blocks: | 3, Michael Canady, Morgan St., 11-27-99 |
| Steals: | 3, Jarvis Hayes, W. Carolina, 11-21-99 |
HAFER KEYS WIN WITH LATE HEROICS
Not many people other than a senior could enter the final five minutes of a tight game in which he had zero points and four fouls and take control. But that's exactly what Tiger senior Jeff Hafer accomplished last Wednesday vs. SMU, when he almost single-handedly willed Missouri to a come-from-behind win.
Missouri trailed by six with five minutes left, and Hafer came in, despite being held scoreless and shackled with four fouls.
But he responded like the senior leader his teammates look to him for, as he had a hand in seven of MU's final nine points, as they came back for a 63-60 win.
Hafer began by knocking down a three-pointer with 3:10 left that tied the game at 57-57. Then, with 1:40 left, he stole the ball and fed T.J. Soyoye for a dunk that gave MU the lead for good, at 59-57. Finally, on MU's next possession, he got free on a drive to the basket for a layup which provided the eventual winning points.
Hafer has come off the bench in all of MU's six games thus far. He's shown that he's accepted his role as a key reserve, and has given the Tigers a much-needed spark coming off the bench in the last four games.
On the defensive end, he's endeared himself to Coach Quin Snyder, as he's taken three charges during the last two games - a play which Snyder has declared as his favorite act of teammwork.
Hafer came off the bench and helped guide MU to its comeback win vs. UNCA. He scored 10 points (the first of his senior season), and added 4 steals, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 21 minutes of play.
He made a key play late in the game vs. UNCA that helped seal MU's win. With 3:09 left in the game, and MU clinging to a 67-62 lead, Hafer made a steal, and raced down the court for a crowd-pleasing slam while getting fouled. His free throw capped a three-point play which gave MU 70-62 lead, the Tigers' biggest of the night.
MU RECORD WHEN
| 1999-2000 | |
| Ahead at half | 3-0 |
| Behind at half | 2-1 |
| FG% of .450 or more | 2-0 |
| FG% less than .450 | 3-1 |
| Better FG% than opp. | 3-0 |
| Worse FG% than opp. | 2-1 |
| Opp. shoots less than .450 | 3-0 |
| 3FG% of .400 or more | 2-0 |
| 3FG% less than .400 | 3-1 |
| Try more than 20 3FGs | 4-1 |
| Try 20 or less 3FGs | 1-0 |
| Try more FTs than opp. | 4-0 |
| Try less FTs than opp. | 1-1 |
| Bench outscores opp. bench | 3-0 |
| Opp. bench outscores MU bench | 2-1 |
| Outrebound opp. | 3-0 |
| Tied or outrebounded | 2-1 |
| More TOs than opp. | 2-1 |
| Same or fewer TOs | 3-0 |
| Make 10 or more TOs | 4-1 |
| Make less than 10 TOs | 1-0 |
| Score less than 50 pts. | 0-0 |
| Score 50-59 pts. | 1-1 |
| Score 60-69 pts. | 1-0 |
| Score 70-79 pts. | 1-0 |
| Score 80 or more pts. | 2-0 |
| Allow less than 50 pts. | 1-0 |
| Allow 50-59 pts. | 1-0 |
| Allow 60-69 pts. | 3-1 |
| Allow 70-79 pts. | 0-0 |
| Allow 80 or more pts. | 0-0 |
| Overtime | 0-0 |
| Vs. AP Top 25 | 0-0 |
| Home Games | 4-0 |
| Road Games | 0-0 |
| Neutral Site Games | 1-1 |
| Day Games | 2-0 |
| Night Games | 3-1 |
| On Monday | 0-0 |
| On Tuesday | 0-0 |
| On Wednesday | 1-0 |
| On Thursday | 0-0 |
| On Friday | 1-1 |
| On Saturday | 2-0 |
| On Sunday | 1-0 |
| 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 | 2-0 |
| 6-10 pts. | 1-0 |
| 11-19 pts. | 1-1 |
| 20 or more pts. | 1-0 |
DOUBLE TROUBLE
While his name leaves broadcasters and public address announcers in cold sweats, junior center Tajudeen Soyoye has been creating even more distress for Tiger opponents on the court of late.
After a slow start offensively, MU's "Nigerian Nightmare" is catching fire. He's scored in double figures four straight games, entering Tuesday's battle with Indiana. He's averaging 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in the last three games, and has shot 75.0 percent from the floor (18-of-24). He's coming off a 10-point, eight rebound performance last week vs. SMU.
Soyoye tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds in MU's 85-68 win over Western Carolina. It marked the Lagos, Nigeria native's first career double-double at MU.
Soyoye hit 8-of-11 field goals on the day, and snagged seven offensive rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
Soyoye enters the Indiana game as MU's second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg) and is the team's top rebounder (8.2 rpg). He's also shooting a team-best 60.0% from the floor through six contests.
STEADY AS SHE GOES FOR PARKER
Junior forward Johnnie Parker might not have the flashiest numbers around, but the job he has done thus far for the Tigers has been invaluable.
Through six games, the St. Louis native is averaging a career-high 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds, the latter of which is the 2nd-best total on the team. He currently leads the team with a stellar three-point shooting percentage of 64.3% (9-of-14). He's one of just two Tigers who have hit at least one three-pointer in every game this year (Kareem Rush is the other).
Parker's coming off a 10-point, six-rebound, game vs. SMU last Wednesday. That marked the third game in which he's tallied double figures in scoring.
He had a career-high 13 points in MU's win over Western Carolina on Nov. 21st, and began the year with 11 points against Wisconsin, including a career-best 3-of-6 three pointers.
THE RETURN OF GRAWER POWER
Junior guard Brian Grawer says he's never experienced the kind of shooting slump such as the one that saw him shoot just 20.7% (6-of-29) in MU's first four games of the year.
But if his last two outings, are any indication, the St. Louis native appears to be regaining the form that saw him rank third in the nation last year in three-point field goal percentage (49.6%).
Grawer is coming off an eight-point, six-rebound effort vs. SMU last week. He hit 3-of-4 field goals on the night, including a perfect 2-of-2 from three-point land. Prior to that, Grawer went for a season-best 10-point game vs. Morgan State. He hit 4-of-5 field goals on the day, including both of his three-point attempts. That gives him 7-of-9 field goals, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, in his last two games.
For the season, Grawer is now shooting 34.2 percent from the floor, and is averaging 6.8 points a game. He averaged 9.6 points a game last season as a sophomore, and shot 48.1 percent for the year.
kroenke erupts
Freshman guard Josh Kroenke came of age in a two-game stretch recently, as the Columbia, Mo. native averaged 16.5 points in wins over Western Carolina and Morgan State.
Kroenke, who was held scoreless in MU's first three games of the year, exploded for 33 points in those two games. He led Missouri with a career-high 18 point outing vs. Morgan State, in which he nailed 5-of-7 three pointers.
Previously vs. Western Carolina, he came out gunning, and lit up the Catamounts for 15 points in just 13 minutes of play, on 5-of-8 three pointers. He came off the bench and gave MU a spark when they were struggling offensively.
All told, Kroenke hit 11-of-17 shots in the two-game stretch (64.7%) including 10-of-15 three-point field goals (66.7%).
His last time out, vs. SMU, Kroenke was held to two points in just nine minutes of play, but he added three rebounds to the Tiger cause.
gilbert taking charge
While it's well-known that he's not shy about putting up most shots, sophomore guard Clarence Gilbert has also proven that he can contribute to the Tiger cause with his tenacious defense and his rebounding.
On Nov. 21st vs. Western Carolina, Gilbert, at just 6-foot-2 inches tall, grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, in addition to tying a career-high with 13 points. That marked the sparkplug's first career double-double.
Through six games, Gilbert is MU's fifth-leading scorer, averaging 8.7 points a game. He was held to a season-low four points last time out vs. SMU, and went without a made three-point field goal for the first time this season. Despite his lack of offense, Gilbert proved quite valuable as he held SMU's star guard Jeryl Sasser scoreless until 15 minutes were left in the game. Sasser, who entered the game averaging 19 points a game, was held to 10 on the night, on just 4-of-18 field goals.
Gilbert has scored in double figures in two of his last four games, and is currently third on the squad with 16 assists.
.12-GAGE JOINS THE SQUAD
The Missouri roster grew by one recently, when freshman Justin Gage joined the team.
Gage is a quarterback for the Mizzou football team, and played in three games this season for the Tigers as a true freshman. He threw for 138 yards in those three games, and tossed two touchdowns against Texas A&M on Nov. 13th in Columbia.
Gage was a standout player in basketball for Jefferson City High School, as well as being an all-state quarterback for the Jays.
He sat in street clothes on MU's bench for the first time vs. Morgan State, and began practicing with the squad the next day. He suited up for the first time last week vs. SMU, but did not see any action.
MSN TELEVISION
AFFILIATES
Following are the statewide television affiliates for the Mizzou Sports Network's broadcast of the Missouri-Indiana game on Dec. 7:
| Columbia | KOMU-TV |
| Joplin | KGCS-TV |
| Kansas City | Metro Sports |
| Kirksville | Cable One |
| St. Joseph | St. Joseph Cablevision |
| St. Louis | KPLR-TV |
| Springfield | KBLE-36 (2-hour delay) |
MU MILESTONES
TIGER SIDEBARS
Four Tigers - seniors Jeff Hafer, Mark Wampler and juniors Brian Grawer and Tajudeen Soyoye - visited a Columbia restaurant on Thanksgiving Day and helped distribute food to the needy and homeless.
Junior guard Brian Grawer helps coach the boys fifth-grade basketball team at Columbia's Mill Creek Elementary School on Thursday nights.
Freshman guard Josh Kroenke was a ballboy for the Missouri basketball team as a grade-schooler in Columbia.
Missouri held a canned food drive earlier in the season in conjunction with the Thanksgiving holiday, and fans donated over 1,000 cans of food for the area homeless.
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."
TIGER QUICK NOTES
Sophomore forward Matt Rowan left the University of Missouri men's basketball team, and will transfer from MU at the following of the fall semester, as announced Nov. 16th by Head Coach Quin Snyder.
Rowan, a Liberty, Mo. native, did not play in either of Missouri's games at the 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."
A quick check of the MU record book shows that Missouri had never before won a game when shooting worse than 30.0%. The Tigers managed a 51-48 win over Princeton on Nov. 13th 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.
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.
THE QUIN SNYDER SHOW
Starting the weekend of January 8, Tiger fans can join Quin Snyder for 13 weekends of exciting Tiger basketball. Beginning with rugged Big 12 Conference play right through the excitement of the NCAA Tournament, viewers will be able to meet Tiger players, review action-packed highlights and receive Coach Snyder's analysis of each week's games.
Watch the Quin Snyder Show on the following network affiliates across the state of Missouri:
| City | Station | DAY/TIME |
| C. Girardeau | KBSI-TV | Sun.@10 p.m. |
| Columbia | KOMU-TV | Sat.@12:30 p.m. |
| Joplin | KGCS-TV | Thur.@6:30 p.m. |
| Kansas City | KMCI-TV | Sat.@12 p.m. |
| Kansas City | Metro Sports | Mon. @ 7 p.m. |
| Kirksville | KYOU-TV | Sun.@11:30 p.m. |
| St. Louis | KPLR-TV | Sun.@9:30 a.m. |
| St. Joseph | KQTV | Sat.@TBA |
| Springfield | KYTV | Sat.@12 p.m. |
MISC. STATS
Starting Lineups (Record)| 1.Parker/Soyoye/Dooling/Grawer/Gilbert | 5-1 |
Jerseys Worn (Record)
| White Jerseys | 4-0 |
| Black Jerseys | 1-1 |
Games Led MU In Scoring*
| Keyon Dooling | 2 |
| Kareem Rush | 2 |
| Josh Kroenke | 1 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 1 |
Games Led MU in Rebounds*
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 4 |
| Johnnie Parker | 1 |
| Kareem Rush | 1 |
Games Led MU in Assists*
| Keyon Dooling | 3 |
| Clarence Gilbert | 2 |
| Brian Grawer | 2 |
| Jeff Hafer | 1 |
| Johnnie Parker | 1 |
(*-Includes games when two or more tied for team lead)
Double-Figure Scoring Games
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 4 |
| Keyon Dooling | 3 |
| Johnnie Parker | 3 |
| Kareem Rush | 3 |
| Clarence Gilbert | 2 |
| Josh Kroenke | 2 |
| Jeff Hafer | 1 |
| Brian Grawer | 1 |
20-Point Games
| Keyon Dooling | 1 |
Double-Figure Rebound Games
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 2 |
| Clarence Gilbert | 1 |
| Kareem Rush | 1 |
Double-Double Games
| Clarence Gilbert | 1 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 1 |
Dunks
| Keyon Dooling | 2 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 2 |
| Jeff Hafer | 2 |
| Johnnie Parker | 1 |
| Kareem Rush | 1 |
Charges Taken
| Jeff Hafer | 2 |
| Pat Schumacher | 2 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 1 |
Conventional 3-PT Plays
| Clarence Gilbert | 1 |
| Josh Kroenke | 1 |
| Johnnie Parker | 1 |
| Kareem Rush | 1 |
| Pat Schumacher | 1 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 1 |
(Un)Conventional 4-PT Plays
| Keyon Dooling | 1 |
Jump Balls Controlled/Lost*
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 4 / 2 |
Bench Scoring
| Missouri | 133-of-420 |
| (22.2 points per game) | |
| Opponents | 79-of-361 |
| (13.2 points per game) |
MU's First Substitution
| Jeff Hafer | 5 |
| Kareem Rush | 3 |
| Josh Kroenke | 2 |
Scored MU's First Points
| Johnnie Parker | 3 |
| Tajudeen Soyoye | 2 |
| Brian Grawer | 1 |
How MU Scored First Points
| Three-Pointer | 3 |
| Layin | 2 |
| Free Throw | 1 |
How Opp. Scored First Points
| Jumper | 4 |
| Three-Pointer | 1 |
| Tip-In | 1 |
MU's Biggest Scoring Run
13-0, vs. Morgan St., 11-27-99
Opp.'s Biggest Scoring Run
12-0, vs. Princeton & W. Carolina
MU's Biggest Lead
41 (91-50) vs. Morgan St., 11-27-99
MU's Biggest Halftime Lead
14 (40-26) vs. Morgan St., 11-27-99
MU's Biggest Deficit
14 (66-52), vs. Wisconsin, 11-12-99
MU's Biggest Deficit Overcome to Win
10 (39-29), vs. UNC-Asheville, 11-19-99
MU's Biggest Lead Surrendered in Loss
8 (14-6), vs. Wisconsin, 11-12-99
MU's Biggest Halftime Deficit
9 (42-33), vs. UNC-Asheville, 11-19-99