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Dec. 19, 2003
Tip-off: 2 p.m. CST
Arena: Hearnes Center (13,611)
TV: Mizzou Sports Network. Dan McLaughlin, play-by-play, Jon Sundvold, analyst
Radio: Tiger Radio Network. Mike Kelly, play-by-play: Gary Link, analyst
Rankings: Mizzou was ranked 10th in the latest AP Poll and 14th in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. UNC-Greensboro is not ranked
Series: First meeting
Coaches:
Missouri: Quin Snyder (Duke '89) 87-50 at MU and overall (5th season).
UNC-Greensboro: Fran McCaffery (Penn '82) 65-62 at UNCG (5th season) and 114-100 overall (8th season).
Tis' the Season For Holiday Hoops
The No. 10/14 University of Missouri basketball squad kicks off a three-game in seven-day stretch on Sunday when they welcome the UNC Greensboro Spartans to the Hearnes Center. Mizzou (3-1 overall, 0-0 in the Big 12) has not played since last Saturday's overtime loss to Gonzaga in the Battle in Seattle while the Spartans (4-4, 0-0 in the Southern Conference) dropped their first game of a five game road swing on Thursday night to Coastal Carolina, 77-72. After playing just four games in 22 days, the Tigers will be hoppin' over the course of the next few weeks as they play five games in the next 13 days.
Sunday's contest will air on the Mizzou Sports Network with tip set for 2 p.m. CST. Dan McLaughlin will provide the play-by-play while former Tiger great Jon Sundvold gives expert analysis. You can also tune in to the game on the radio via the Tiger Radio Network where the voice of the Tigers Mike Kelly and former Tiger great Gary Link call the action. The game can also be heard on the world wide web at the home of Missouri Athletics on the web, www.mutigers.com.
Quick Hits
* Coach Quin Snyder is looking for win number 88 at Mizzou.
* Junior guards Jason Conley and Randy Pulley will both be making their debuts as Tigers on Sunday.
* This will be the first of three contests this season that will be played on a Sunday. Mizzou is 3-8 on Sunday's under Coach Quin Snyder.
* The Tigers are 45-21 under Coach Snyder against non-conference opponents.
* The Tigers have now won 20 games straight against non-ranked non-conference opponents at home.
* Freshman Linas Kleiza led the Big 12 in rebounding by more than two rebounds heading into Friday's action. He is averaging 11.8 boards per contest.
* Senior Rickey Paulding is coming off of his best scoring effort of the year, a 23-point outing against Gonzaga. Paulding has broke the 20-point barrier in two of the Tigers' four games so far this season.
* The Tigers will have played only six games before Christmas after Tuesday's game against Illinois. That is the least amount of games a Tiger squad has played prior to Dec. 25 since the 1987-88 season.
A Look at the Spartans
UNC Greensboro enters Sunday's contest with a 4-4 overall mark after a tough loss to Coastal Carolina on Thursday night. The contest started what will be a challenging road trip for the Spartans, who enter their contest against Mizzou having lost three of their last four.
Forward Jay Joseph leads the UNCG scoring attack averaging 18.3 points per contest. He is coming off of a career game against the Chanticleers in which he scored 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field while also handing out a game-high five assists. Head coach Fran McCaffery is in his fifth year at UNCG, carrying a 65-62 mark at the school.
The Spartans are well familiar with the ways of Mizzou guard Jason Conley, who will make his Tiger debut on Sunday. He played his freshman and part of his sophomore year in the Southern Conference at Virginia Military Institute. He earned Southern Conference MVP Honors his first year at VMI after averaging 29.3 points per contest. In two career games against VMI, Conley is averaging 25.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He had 30 points against the Spartans on Jan. 8 of 2001 and scored 21 on Feb. 16 of 2001.
Facts, Figures and Other Points of Interest Following the GU Contest
? The Tigers fall to 3-1 overall.
? Mizzou was led by junior Rickey Paulding who scored 23 points, pulled down seven boards and handed out five assists. Paulding played in 44 of the possible 45 minutes of the game.
? Freshman Linas Kleiza recorded his third double-double in only four career games with a career-high 16 points while equaling a career-best with 13 rebounds.
? Senior Travon Bryant also had a solid contest scoring 13 points while pulling down seven rebounds. He was 5-of-6 from the field and had two blocks in only 13 minutes.
? Paulding's 23 points moved him into 22nd with 1,279 career points. He now needs only 11 points to move into the Tiger All-Time Top 20.
? Paulding also moved into a tie for 7th on the three-point field goals made charts with 146 career-threes.
? Senior Arthur Johnson scored a season-low eight points while pulling down five rebounds. He now has scored 1,324 points and needs just five points to move into 17th on the all-time Mizzou scoring charts. He also now has 893 career boards. He will more than likely move into fifth on the all-time Mizzou rebounding charts, needing just two boards to move into the top 5.
? The Tigers have now out-rebounded every opponent this year. They had the edge on the boards against the Bulldogs, 48-43 (18-8 on the offensive boards).
? Mizzou committed 17 turnovers and the Bulldogs converted those into 28 points. GU also dominated the paint, outscoring Mizzou, 40-24 inside.
? This marked the first time Mizzou has went to overtime this year, but the second time in their last five games dating back to the NCAA Tournament last year.
? The Tigers will have had seven full days away from competition before they play UNC Greensboro next Sunday at 2 p.m. The Tigers will have a quick turnaround as they the travel to St. Louis to face Illinois on Tuesday, December 23.
The Deuce is Loose
Making his much anticipated debut as a Tiger on Sunday will be No. 2 in your game program, Jason Conley. An unbelievable athlete with great jumping ability, Coop (that's what his team mates call him) has sat out of competition since the beginning of the winter semester last January as is mandatory for Division I transfers. As has already been well documented, Conley led the country in scoring as a freshmen averaging 29.3 points per contest at Virginia Military Institute. He has worked extremely hard since coming to Mizzou to gain weight (up nearly 15 pounds) while also working to become a better defender.
The time for Conley comes on Sunday when the Tigers welcome UNC-Greensboro to Mizzou for a 2 p.m. CST contest in Columbia.
The Weight has Been Lifted By a Pulley
While the writer is by no means an expert in Physics (C- in high school in case you were curious), I do know that a huge weight was lifted off of junior point guard Randy Pulley when he was certified for competition earlier this month. The pass-first guard will provide more depth and talent at the point guard spot rotating with Jimmy McKinney and Spencer Laurie. Built like a middle linebacker, Pulley is especially effective penetrating and pitching the ball and pushing the ball up and down the court.
Sunday will also be the first game that Pulley will suit up for Mizzou. The point guard averaged over 12 points and five assists per game in 2002-03 for Barton County Community College.
The Lithuanian Domination Tour
Coming to a Big 12 town near you in the not-so distant future will be the Lithuanian Domination tour starring National Freshman of the Year candidate Linas Kleiza. While it is a might early to be throwing around award nominations, Kleiza has certainly been impressive in his young four-game career for Mizzou. He is averaging 11.8 points (fourth on the squad) and amazing 11.8 rebounds, which leads the Big 12 ... by more than two rebounds. The power forward from Kaunas, Lithuania has recorded double-doubles three of his first four games as a Tiger and had a career-day against Gonzaga, when he scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in 26 minutes before fouling out late in the contest.
While all of the those numbers and statistics are certainly impressive, the thing that has resonated the most with Linas has been the fact that he is putting up these numbers coming off the bench in only 22.3 minutes per game. Kleiza has also provided a huge emotional lift for the Tigers as he plays with a huge amount of fire and intensity.
The Somewhat Calm before the Storm
As noted in the Quick Hits segment of this gathering of random thoughts and info, the Tigers will have played the fewest game prior to Christmas (6) since the 1987-88 squad. While the games the Tigers have played have been anything but calm (they have been decided by an average of 6.5 points per contest and one of those went to overtime), the Tigers schedule will definitely pick up after Dec. 25 ... right after Dec. 25 ... as Mizzou travels to Memphis on the 27th, welcomes Belmont on the 30th and then faces Iowa on Jan. 3 in Hearnes before beginning a whirlwind Big 12 schedule.
Pontificating about Paulding
Senior Preseason All-American Rickey Paulding is coming off of his best outing of the season, a 23-point outing against Gonzaga last Saturday. The high-flying swingman scored 18 of the 23 in the second half and overtime including a long three with a hand in his face with 11 seconds left to send the contest to the extra period.
Paulding leads Mizzou in scoring, averaging 14.8 points per contest while breaking the 20-point barrier in two of the Tigers' four contests. He earned All-Big 12 second-team honors last season and was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team. He was named to both the Wooden and Naismith Awards this season and also earned a preseason All-American nod from the Associated Press. He ranks 22nd on the all-time Mizzou scoring charts with 1,279 points following his outstanding 23-point effort against Gonzaga.
Paulding was awesome in his hometown going 6-for-12 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free throw line sharing team-high honors with Jimmy McKinney with 21 points on the night against Oakland in Detroit on Nov. 29.
Rick is now tied for seventh on the Mizzou all-time three point field goals made list with 146 career treys. He needs six more threes to pass former Tiger Mark Atkins (93-94, 152 threes).
Big Fellas Putting Up Big Numbers
I don't think I am telling any of the Tigers upcoming opponents anything they don't already know, (not that they or anyone else reads these things anyway!) but the key to the Tigers' success in the early stages this season has been the play of senior big men Arthur Johnson (14.0 ppg., 8.5 rpg.), Travon Bryant (13.0, 7.8) and freshman spark plug Linas Kleiza (11.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg). While it is very early for this sort of note, Kleiza led the Big 12 in rebounding at press time and the Tigers are the only school in the conference to have three players rank in the top 10 in the league in board work.
AJ, Tra and Lenny (thats what his teammates call him) rank two, three and four respectively in scoring for Mizzou and make up just under two thirds of the Tigers rebounding. They scored 46 of the Tigers' 63 points in their win over Indiana and pulled down 32 of their total of 46 rebounds. Johnson and Bryant have each recorded a double-double this year while the new kid in class (Kleiza) has three double-doubles to his credit.
32 Minutes and 45 seconds of Trepidation; 7 Minutes 15 Seconds of Triumph
After struggling mightily through the first 33 minutes of play at Indiana, the Tigers were able to put together a tremendous comeback in the final 7:15 of play. When Indiana sophomore guard Bracey Wright nailed a three with 7:14 left in the contest, the Tigers found themselves down by 14 at 56-42.
The next seven minutes was a crazy ride as Mizzou would go on a 21-2 run from that point on, getting seven points from Linas Kleiza, all six of Jimmy McKinney's points in the contest, six points from Travon Bryant and a layup from Rickey Paulding to give Mizzou a 63-58 win. After allowing IU to shoot 53.8% in the first half, the Tigers allowed the Hoosiers to score only 19 points on 21.7% shooting in the second stanza while holding IU's leading scorer (Wright) to only three points in the second half.
Which Brings Me to My Next Point
The Tigers are still looking for a remedy for their slow starts to games. They have been outscored 140-134 in the opening halves of games this year and are allowing opponents to shoot better than 42 percent from the field.
But heck, if they continue to play the way they have defensively in the second half of games, they may not need a remedy. Mizzou has picked up the pace in a major way averaging 40.5 points per second half while limiting opponents to only 34.3 points per second stanza.
Turnovers in the opening half have also been a concern as Mizzou has averaged 11.5 turnovers per game in the opening half. However, the Tigers has decreased that number dramatically in every game in the second half averaging only 5.5 giveaways in the second stanza.
In Order to Be the Best ...
... you have to beat the best. The Tigers are definitely putting that adage to the test this year with one of the toughest schedules in the country. As of Monday's Associated Press Poll, 10 of the Tigers 2003-04 opponents are ranked in the or receiving votes.
You don't have to look to far down the Tigers schedule to see the toughest stretch (if the entire thing isn't tough enough) begins with the new year when the Tigers face (RV) Iowa at home on Jan. 3, go to Iowa State where they are 0-4 under coach Quin Snyder, welcome defending national champion #19 Syracuse to Hearnes, travel to #8 Oklahoma and face #11 Texas ... all in a 20-day span.
A Quick Check of the Polls
While the only poll that truly matters doesn't come out until the second week in April, its never to early to track how the Tigers are doing in the rankings.
Date USA Today Coaches Associated Press Poll Preseason #6 #5 Nov. 23-30 #6 #5 Dec. 1-7 #5 #4 Dec. 8-14 #4 #3 Dec. 15-21 #14 #10
Lean, Mean and on the Scene
Since coming to Mizzou at over 300 lbs. his freshman year, senior Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Arthur Johnson's weight (which was a svelte 255 at the beginning of this season) has gone down while his numbers have gone up. The explosive big man with feather-soft touch around the basket already owns Mizzou's all-time shot blocking mark with 203 career swats. With his two block effort against Coppin State, he became only the fifth player to record 200 or more career blocks in Big 12 conference history. Here's a quick look at where he needs to go to grab that mark
Big 12 All-Time Blocked Shots Leaders
1. 264 Chris Mihm, UT-1998-00
2. 243 Nick Collison, KU, 1999-03
3. 242 Eric Chenowith, KU, 1997-01
4. 203 Arthur Johnson, MU, 2000-present
5. 202 Venson Hamilton, NU, 1997-99
If all goes according to plan, he will also become the Tigers all-time leading rebounder right around Feb. 2, which just happens to be the Tigers yearly trip to Kansas to face the Jayhawks. Johnson is averaging 8.5 boards per contest following his nine rebound performance against Indiana. He needs just 160 more boards to pass former Tiger great Doug Smith on the chart.
He also currently ranks 18th on the all-time scoring charts with 1,324 points after his eight-point outing against the Bulldogs and has a good shot at moving into the top five on the chart. He will now be chasing No. 17 Curtis Berry (1,328 points) and No. 16 Charles Henke (1,338 points).
Last season, Johnson became only the fourth Tiger since the 1949-50 season to lead the team in rebounding in three straight campaigns and can become the first Mizzou player to lead the squad in boards for four straight years if he can be the leader of the pack once again this year. Stay tuned.
More On AJ
And if you just can't get enough info on the big fella they call "Doc," he is also creeping up on the Big 12 career double-doubles mark. With his season-opening 19-point, 11-rebound effort against Oakland, he recorded his 37th career double-doubles, putting him in a three-way tie for fifth place on the conference charts. A look at that chart follows:
Big 12 All-Time Double-Double Leaders
1. 47 Chris Mihm, UT, 1998-00
2. 46 Venson Hamilton, NU, 1997-99
3. 44 Drew Gooden, KU, 1999-02
4. 40 Raef LaFrentz, KU, 1994-98
5. 37 Arthur Johnson, MU, 2001-Present
37 Stephane Pelle, CU, 1999-03
37 Nick Collison, KU, 1999-03
What Does it Take to Be #1?
St. Louis rapper Nelly, who is a close friend of Tiger sophomore Jimmy McKinney, posed that question in his pop hit a couple of years ago. After taking over the point guard spot midway through the season last year for Mizzou, sophomore Jimmy McKinney (#1 in your program) has made it quite clear that he will do what ever it takes for the Tigers to be #1 come spring time. The multi-tooled guard, whose natural position is more of a shooting guard, is capable of impacting a game in any of several ways.
After leaving the contest with early foul trouble, McKinney was rock solid in the second half against Indiana scoring six points while committing no turnovers. McKinney had a solid outing against Coppin State with 10 points including 4-of-5 shooting from the free throw line. He made his desire to win quite evident against Oakland, sharing team-high honors with senior Rickey Paulding with 21 points (15 of which came in the second half). McKinney was 6-for-12 from the field including 1-of-2 from three, while going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. After struggling through five turnovers in the first half, he was outstanding in the second stanza, committing only one turnover. McKinney finished the night with five assists and three rebounds in a team-best 38 minutes of playing time.
Road Warriors
As already stated earlier in this unbelievably random gathering of text, the Tigers were on the road for their season opener for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Mizzou better get used to living out of its suitcases for the first month or so of the season. Five of the Tigers first seven contests have been or are on the road or at neutral sites including the Busch Braggin' Rights game against Illinois in St. Louis and a trip to the Pyramid to face Memphis. With powerhouses like that lined up and waiting for Mizzou, this truly could be a December to remember.
Happy to Be at Home in the Hearnes
Mizzou began its 31st and final season at the Hearnes Center when it faced Coppin State. The Tigers have experienced great success at the Hearnes registering a 396-68 (.853) record since the 1972-73 season. Five Tiger squads have gone undefeated in the Hearnes Center and 14 teams have lost one game or fewer including last year's squad, which went 14-1 at home. From 1988-90, the Tigers went 31-0 at the Hearnes Center.
Next year, Mizzou will move into a new state-of-the art arena, which will be located just southwest of the Hearnes. The new 15,000-seat building is on schedule for completion on Oct. 1, 2004.
I Did Not Know That. Did You Know That Ed?
Pardon the tribute to Johnny Carson, but did you know that there have been 16 schools that have participated in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments? Five of the 16 are Big 12 schools - Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. The other schools are Duke, Maryland, Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Arizona, Stanford, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Gonzaga.
In a related note, this year's senior class of Arthur Johnson, Rickey Paulding, Josh Kroenke and Travon Bryant have played in the most NCAA Tournament games of any Tigers in school history with eight post-season tilts under their belts.
Head Coach Quin Snyder
With a 2003-2004 team poised to be among the nation's elite, Quin Snyder has proven that success can come quickly with hard work and determination. On the brink of his fifth season as head coach of the Missouri Tigers, Snyder is leading a team that has been ranked as high as number three in the nation in preseason polls. Missouri's 15th head coach, Snyder has enjoyed impressive runs in the NCAA Tournament for four straight years. In fact, the 2002-2003 season was witness to a 22-win campaign that ended with an overtime loss in the NCAA Tournament to eventual Final Four contender, Marquette.
This season, Snyder's squad promises to offer even more excitement, with a powerful returning group, highlighted by the electrifying duo of Rickey Paulding and Arthur Johnson, along with a host of new recruits. Given the excitement Snyder has generated in such a short span of time at the helm, it is not surprising that many people are waiting with anticipation for this season to begin and predicting great things for the Tigers. It is easy to see why expectations are high when you consider all of the following ...
* Missouri returned four starters from last year's team, and in all, returns over 80 percent of its scoring, 98 percent of its blocked shots, and over 90 percent of its rebounding from last season.
* All of last season's impressive junior class, featuring Arthur Johnson, Rickey Paulding, Travon Bryant and Josh Kroenke will be returning for their senior campaign and will join a number of exciting newcomers.
* A fifth straight top-25 recruiting class has been added to the roster this fall.
* Mizzou continues to be a fixture on national and regional television broadcasts. With every game but one on television, Snyder's Tigers continue to create unprecedented exposure for the program.
* The program will be the direct benefactor of a new, state-of-the-art $75 million arena which athletic officials plan to have open in time for the 2004-05 season.
* Snyder signed a contract extension, which will keep him a fixture on the Tiger sidelines through at least the 2005-06 season.
* And while Mizzou's on-court achievements constantly grab the headlines, what takes place in the classroom remains at the top of Snyder's priority list. An academic All-American himself during his playing days at Duke, Snyder is quite proud of the fact that in his four years at MU, seven scholarship players have exhausted their eligibility and all seven have graduated. In addition, this past season saw the men's basketball team achieve the highest GPA in 15 years.