Jan. 5, 2004
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Tip-off: 7 p.m. CST
Arena: Hilton Coliseum (14,092)
TV: Mizzou Sports Network. Chris Gervino, play-by-play; Norm Stewart, analyst
Radio: Tiger Radio Network. Mike Kelly, play-by-play: Gary Link, analyst
Rankings: Missouri picked up 13 votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and six votes in the Associated Press Poll. Iowa State was not ranked in either poll.
Series: Mizzou leads, 138-78: Last Meeting: ISU, 71-55 in Ames on Mar. 5, 2003
Coaches:
Missouri: Quin Snyder (Duke '89) 89-53 at MU and overall (5th season).
Iowa State: Wayne Morgan (St. Lawrence '73) 7-2 at ISU and 98-86 overall (7th season).
Tigers Open Big 12 Portion of Schedule in Ames
The University of Missouri basketball squad looks to improve to 2-0 this season against the state of Iowa on Wednesday when it travels to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State (7-2) at the Hilton Coliseum. The Tigers are coming off of a solid 76-56 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday in Columbia on the strength of 18 points and nine rebounds from freshman phenom Linas Kleiza.
The win over the Hawkeyes broke a three-game losing streak and improved the Tigers record to 5-4 overall with Big 12 conference play beginning this week. The contest with the Cyclones begins a three-game-in-five-day stretch in which Mizzou faces ISU on Wednesday, Texas A&M on Saturday and defending National Champion Syracuse on ESPN's Big Monday. The Tigers have lost four straight in Ames since head coach Quin Snyder took the helm in 1999-2000, but they have won three of the last four contests in the series with the Cyclones.
Wednesday's contest will be broadcast on the Mizzou Sports Network with Chris Gervino on the play-by-play and former Tiger All-American and coaching great Norm Stewart offering his analysis. In a side note, the Tigers are 2-0 this season with Stewart at the broadcast table with wins at Oakland and against Coppin State. The contest can also be heard on the Tiger Radio Network with the dynamic duo of Mike Kelly (the Voice of the Tigers) with the play-by-play and former Tiger great Gary Link offering his unique analysis.
Quick Hits
* This is the Tigers' first Wednesday night game of the year.
* The Tigers have won three of the last four over ISU, but have lost four straight in Ames.
* Mizzou is 3-1 in Big 12 Conference openers under Head Coach Quin Snyder and 4-3 in Big 12 openers since the inception of the league.
*Senior Arthur Johnson rocked the Baylor Bears for a career-high 30 points and 15 boards last year in the Tigers' Big 12 opener in Columbia. The Tigers beat the Bears, 77-69.
* Mizzou is 3-1 at home this year, 2-1 on the road and 0-2 in neutral court battles.
* Mizzou is 4-1 this season on the Mizzou Sports Network.
* After playing five of their first nine games away from home, the Tigers will play four of their next six contests in the Hearnes Center.
* Coach Snyder is looking for win number 90 at Mizzou on Wednesday.
* The Tigers check in with the #59 RPI and the 30th toughest schedule so far this season as of Monday's report.
* The Tigers are 38-28 under Coach Snyder against Big 12 opponents.
* With his first of 10 rebounds against Illinois, senior Arthur Johnson became only the fourth player in Mizzou school history to record at least 1,300 career points and 900 career boards. The other three are Steve Stipanovich (80-83), Doug Smith (88-91) and Derrick Chievous (85-88). He now has 1,389 points (14th on the Mizzou Career scoring list) and 927 rebounds (5th on the Tiger Career rebounding list).
* Seniors Arthur Johnson and Travon Bryant and freshman Linas Kleiza are all looking for their fourth double-doubles of the season.
* Mizzou is outrebounding their opponents by an average of +12.2 rebounds per contest. While it is still early in the season, the largest rebounding margin for a Mizzou squad through an entire season was in 1988-89, when that squad outrebounded its opponents by an average of 7.9 boards per game.
A Look at the Cyclones
The Cyclones enter Wednesday's contest on a two game losing streak. However, both of those losses have come on the road and they are 6-0 in home contests in 2003-04. Freshman guard Curtis Stinson leads four Cyclones who average better than 12.8 points per game or better with a 14.9 ppg. average. He has been extremely efficient so far this season, shooting 51.3 percent from the floor while handing out 39 assists and picking up a team-best 17 steals. Forward Jackson Vroman is averaging a Big 12-best 9.7 rebounds per contest heading into Wednesday's action.
The Cyclones have made the most of their offensive opportunities so far this season, shooting a 49.6 percent from the field, which ranks second in the Big 12. They also feature the Big 12's best free throw shooter in senior Jake Sullivan, who is a perfect 18-of-18 from the stripe. He has also had success behind the three-point arc, hitting a 2.33 three-point field goals per contest, which ranks second in the league.
First year head coach Wayne Morgan got the Cyclones off to a quick start as they won their first seven contests. He carries a career mark of 96-86 into Wednesday night's contest, which is his first Big 12 conference contest as head coach.
Facts, Figures and Other Points of Interest Following the Iowa Game
+ Freshman Thomas Gardner and sophomore Kevin Young made their first starts of the season in place of Josh Kroenke and Arthur Johnson.
+ The MU bench outscored the Hawkeyes' bench, 37-7.
+ The Tigers scored 21 points on 17 offensive rebounds in the contest.
+ MU scored 16 points off of 15 Iowa turnovers.
+ Conversely, the Tigers turned the ball over a season-low eight times against Iowa.
+ Mizzou blocked a season-best nine shots against the Hawkeyes.
+ Freshman Linas Kleiza scored a career-best 18 points and pulled down nine boards marking the second straight game he had put up those numbers (18 points, nine boards against Belmont).
+ Travon Bryant tied a career-high with four blocks.
+ Arthur Johnson moved into 14th on the Missouri scoring charts with 1,389 points.
+ Randy Pulley set a Mizzou career-best with five assists.
+ The 20-point win was the Tigers' largest margin of victory since Dec. 9, 2002 when they defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay, 88-67.
+ The crowd of 13,611 was the Tigers' largest crowd of the season and the seventh sellout in the past 19 games.
+ The Tigers improve to 47-24 against non-conference opponents under head coach Quin Snyder.
+ Head coach Quin Snyder improves to 4-2 against Iowa in his five years at Mizzou. The Tigers are now 55-12 at home under Snyder.
Balancing Act
The Tigers have been extremely balanced on the offensive end of the court so far this year. Five Tigers are averaging between 14.2 and 10.8 points per contest with senior Rickey Paulding taking top honors following the Tigers contest with Iowa. Six different players have led Mizzou in scoring over the course of the first nine games and four different Tigers have led in rebounding.
Blocks, Boards and Ball Handling
Mizzou has been dominant in the low post so far this season. They have registered 48 blocked shots (compared to their opponent's 24) and are outrebounding their opponents by more than 12 boards per contest.
On the flip side, the Tigers continue to work on valuing the basketball. They are averaging a Big 12 worst 16.2 turnovers per contest. However, they did make a marked improvement in their latest home game against Iowa, when they recorded a season-low eight turnovers against the Hawkeyes, two of which came in the final two minutes when Mizzou had the game in hand.
And the Award for Best Supporting Act Goes To ...
... the University of Missouri bench against Iowa on Saturday. The boys off the bench scored 37 of Mizzou's 76 points on 12-of-26 shooting on the day. Paced by Freshman of the Year candidate Linas Kleiza's 18 points and nine boards, the Tiger bench made its biggest impact of the year so far. Senior Josh Kroenke hit two huge threes, junior Randy Pulley handed out a career-best five assists and senior Arthur Johnson blocked two shots in only 13 minutes due to foul trouble.
Return of the Mac
After getting off to a flying start to the season with 21 points against Oakland in Mizzou's season opening win, sophomore Jimmy McKinney averaged only 9.2 points per contest over the next five Tiger contests shooting only 29 percent from the field. However, the fierce competitor has really turned it on in the Tigers' last three contests, averaging 12.0 points per contest and is shooting 40 percent from the field and 35 percent from three while also pulling down 5.6 boards per contest.
The Lithuanian Domination Tour Rolls On
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 nine-game career for Mizzou. He is averaging 11.9 points (fourth on the squad) and amazing 9.1 rebounds, which is third in the Big 12. The power forward from Kaunas, Lithuania has recorded double-doubles in three of his first nine games as a Tiger and has just missed his fourth and fifth double-doubles in the Tigers last two contests when he went for a career best 18 points while pulling down nine boards in both games.
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 21.9 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.
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 (Oklahoma, Kansas, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Texas, Illinois, Texas Tech, Memphis, Oklahoma State and Nebraska) of the Tigers 2003-04 opponents are ranked in the top 25 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) began with the new year when the Tigers faced (RV) Iowa on Saturday, are at Iowa State on Wednesday, where they are 0-4 under coach Quin Snyder, welcome defending national champion #17 Syracuse to Hearnes, travel to #6 Oklahoma and face #18 Texas ... all in a 20-day span.
Thanks for the Memories ... Here's to Many More
The Tigers are playing their final year in the Hearnes Center and will be moving into a state-of-the art arena starting in October of 2004. Mizzou has called Hearnes home for 31 years now and has registered a mark of 397-69 there as of its 76-56 win over Iowa. The 15,000 seat, $75 million new building will feature unbelievable player development facilities (weight room, practice gym, players lounge, film room) and will be the finest on-campus basketball facility in the country.
Tra is Taking Over
Through the Tigers seven contests so far this season, no Tiger has shown as much improvement and explosiveness on both the offensive and defensive ends as senior Travon Bryant. The 6-9 power forward from Long Beach, Calif., has raised his scoring average from 8.9 ppg., last season to 13.0 ppg., through nine games in 2003. His rebounding numbers are also up from 5.8 boards per contest in 02-03 to 7.3 per game this season. He has recorded career-highs in points (19 vs. Illinois), rebounds (12 vs. Illinois) and threes (3-of-4 vs. Illinois) this season and has already recorded three double-doubles year. He is shooting 61.6 percent from the field (45-of-73) and a Big 12 best 64.7% from three (11-of-17).
Travon has worked unbelievably hard to improve on the defensive end as well. He currently ranks sixth on the Mizzou all-time blocks charts with 91 career blocks, a team-high 17 of which have come in the Tigers' first eight contests this year.
Pontificating about Paulding
Senior Preseason All-American Rickey Paulding continues to be one of the fiercest competitors in the Big 12 Conference. His game-high 21-point, 10-board effort against Belmont marked the second double-double of his career, the other coming in a 19-point, 11 rebound effort against Nebraska in last year's Big 12 Tournament opening round.
Paulding leads the squad in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per contest while breaking the 20-point barrier in three of the Tigers' nine 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 16th on the all-time Mizzou scoring charts with 1,348 points following his seven point effort against Iowa.
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 alone in sixth on the Mizzou all-time three point field goals made list with 155 career treys.
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 (13.4 ppg., 7.6 rpg.), Travon Bryant (13.0, 7.3) and freshman spark plug Linas Kleiza (11.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg). While it is very early for this sort of note, Kleiza was third in the league in rebounding at press time.
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, Bryant and Kleiza have all recorded three double-doubles in the year heading into the Iowa State contest.
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.
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 213 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 Leaders1. 264 Chris Mihm, UT-1998-00
2. 243 Nick Collison, KU, 1999-03
3. 242 Eric Chenowith, KU, 1997-01
4. 213 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 the middle of February. Johnson is averaging 7.6 boards per contest following his three rebound performance against Iowa. He needs just 126 more boards to pass former Tiger great Doug Smith on the chart.
He also currently ranks 14th on the all-time scoring charts with 1,389 points after his four-point performance against Iowa and has a good shot at moving into the top five on the chart. He will now be chasing No. 14 Larry Drew (1977-80, 1,401 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 14-point, 12 rebound effort against Memphis, he recorded his 39th career double-double, putting him alone in 5th place on the Big 12 All-Time Double-Double leaders list. A look at that chart follows:
Big 12 All-Time Double-Double Leaders1. 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. 39 Arthur Johnson, MU, 2001-Present
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 397-69 (.852) 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.