March 3, 2009
Columbia, Mo. -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Mizzou Basketball News and Notes 2008-09
University of Missouri Tigers (24-5, 11-3) vs.
University of Oklahoma Sooners (26-3, 12-2)
2008-09 Regular Season Game 30 - March 4, 2009 - Columbia, Mo.
Tip-off: 8 p.m. CST
Arena: Mizzou Arena - Columbia, Mo. (15,061)
TV: Big 12 Network - (Mitch Holthus play-by-play; Jon Sundvold analyst)
Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly play-by-play; Gary Link analyst)
Rankings: Mizzou: 15/12, Oklahoma: 4/5 in Associated Press / USA Today Coaches polls
Series: Oklahoma leads 111-93 overall; in Columbia the Tigers lead 59-31
Coaches:
Missouri: Mike Anderson (Tulsa '82); 147-74 overall (7th season); 58-33 at Mizzou (3rd)
Oklahoma: Jeff Capel (Duke, '97) 144-71 overall (7th season); 65-30 at OU (3rd)
For Openers
> Mizzou Arena hosts a pair of Top 15 programs on Wednesday night, as Missouri and Oklahoma battle for second place in the Big 12 Conference on Senior Night in Columbia ... Missouri is a perfect 17-0 at home this season and looks for a school record 18th home win this year ... The Tigers are also looking for their fourth win over a ranked team and are 3-1 vs. Top 25 programs ... No. 4/5 Oklahoma is back at full strength with the return of Blake Griffin and Juan Pattillo to the club ... OU has not lost a game this season with both Griffin and Pattillo active and healthy.
> Did you know, Missouri's last win over a Top 5 team came against the Oklahoma Sooners on Feb. 26, 2003, and a win over OU would be Missouri's highest-ranked win in the history of Mizzou Arena?
> Missouri has won 18 consecutive home games dating back to a double-overtime win against Iowa State last season ... Those 18 straight home wins are a Mizzou Arena record and is the nation's sixth longest home court winning streak.
> Missouri has simply been dominant at home this season and is averaging an incredible 87.8 points per game at Mizzou Arena in running their home record to 17-0 in 2008-09 ... The Tigers boast a 26.1 ppg margin of victory at home this season, which is the largest home court scoring margin in the country ... Missouri has won six of its seven Big 12 home games by double figures this year and has 15-of-17 home wins by at least 11 points, including 12 wins of 21+ tallies.
> It certainly has been quite the turnaround for Missouri Basketball this year, as the Tigers have already improved eight games from last season's 16-16 record ... The eight-win improvement is Missouri's best under third-year head coach Mike Anderson and is the best in the Big 12 this season, despite the Tigers being projected seventh in the preseason standings ... The Tigers went from 12 wins in 2005-06 to 18 wins in Anderson's first season of 2006-07 ... The eight-win improvement is the most at MU since 1993-94, when the Tigers went from 19 wins in 1992-93, to 28 wins the next year.
> Missouri will try to pick up another quality win to enhance its postseason resume ... The Tigers are 5-3 vs. the RPI Top 50 this year, including RPI Top 50 road wins at Oklahoma State and No. 16 Texas ... The club is also 3-1 vs. ranked teams this year, defeating No. 19 USC in Puerto Rico, No. 16 Kansas and No. 16 Texas.
> The Tigers rank among the nation's leaders in several statistical categories heading into Wednesday's game ... Mizzou is No. 6 nationally in scoring at 82.0 ppg, No. 1 in assists per game at 19.0, No. 2 in steals per game at 10.9, No. 2 nationally in assist/turnover ratio at 1.5 and No. 3 in scoring margin at 15.8 ... Another fun stat: Missouri is No. 5 nationally with 62.9 FG attempts per game and the Tigers have already made 190 more FGs than their opponents through 29 games thanks to the nation's No. 2-ranked turnover margin (+6.8).
Mizzou Quick-Hitters
> Missouri and Oklahoma are battling for second place in the Big 12 Conference on Wednesday and both clubs still have an outside shot at a share of the league crown.
> Senior Night has been good to the Tigers over the years, especially inside Mizzou Arena ... MU is 4-0 on Senior Night in its new building and is 63-39 all-time in the final regular-season home game of the year.
> It's always important to leave things better than you found them and seniors Matt Lawrence and Leo Lyons have helped double Missouri's win total from their freshmen campaigns ... In 2005-06, Missouri went 12-16, but now the Tigers are 24-5 just three years later ... MU was the No. 11 seed that season and now the Tigers are within a game of second place, thanks to the help of fellow seniors DeMarre Carroll and Mike Anderson, Jr.
> Do you think Wednesday is going to be special for the Mike Anderson family? His son, Mike Jr. and nephew DeMarre Carroll will both be going through senior night ceremonies and both Tigers are already Spring 2008 grads of MU and currently in graduate programs.
> Missouri is hosting a No. 4/5 Oklahoma squad on Wednesday, which is the highest ranked team to come into Mizzou Arena, since No. 3 Kansas last year.
> Missouri has played well against ranked teams this season and is 3-1 vs. Top 25 foes, although Oklahoma is its highest-ranked opponent of the year thus far.
> A victory over OU would give the Tigers four Top 25 wins this year, which would be the most since the 2001-02 club defeated six ranked teams.
> The Tigers are looking for their 19th consecutive home court win, which dates back to last season ...During its perfect home season this year, Mizzou is outscoring its foes by an average margin of 26.1 points per game (87.8-to-61.7).
> That scoring margin at home is No. 1 in America ... Memphis is second at 23.6 and North Carolina is third at 20.8 ppg.
> The Tigers have been especially dominating at home in Big 12 play thus far ... Mizzou is 7-0 in league play at home and average a 21.3 ppg margin of victory, with 6-of-7 of its wins coming by double figures.
> Mizzou's 11-3 start in Big 12 play is its best in school history ... The last time Missouri started 11-3 or better in league play was the undefeated Big Eight Championship year of 1993-94.
> The Tigers are off to their best start overall (24-5) since that 1993-94 season as well ... A win on Wednesday would push Missouri's record to 25-5 and MU's current total of 24 wins is its winningest season under Mike Anderson.
> In fact, Mike Anderson's .637 winning percentage through three seasons (thus far) makes him the winningest coach in Missouri history during that “first three year stretch” ... Quin Snyder is second with a .620 winning clip through his first-three years.
> With his club's resurgence this season, CBS analyst Seth Davis listed Mike Anderson as one of his Top 10 candidates for National Coach of the Year.
> Anderson was also named a finalist for the prestigious Henry Iba National Coach of the Year Award, presented by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
> Missouri is coming off an undefeated February, which was just its fourth undefeated February in school history ... The Tigers went 6-0 in the second month after going 7-0 in February in 1993-94, 6-0 in 1939-40 and 8-0 in 1920-21.
> A huge factor in Missouri's success this season has been its defense and MU has a school record 315 steals through 29 games.
> In fact, Missouri is averaging 10.9 steals per game which ties the 1998-99 Nebraska team for the most in Big 12 history.
> This 2008-09 Tiger squad is the first in school history to have 500 assists, 300 steals and 100 blocked shots.
> As you can tell, the Tigers have been a much-improved offensive team at home this year ... In running their record to 17-0 (this season), the Tigers are averaging 87.8 points and shooting 48.6 percent from the floor and 38.0 percent from three-point range.
> A huge key for the Tigers continues to be the play of their bench ... On the season, Missouri's reserves are averaging 29.6 points per game.
> The catalyst for Missouri's improved scoring punch off the pine is its five player freshman class ... So far this season that group is averaging 22.3 points.
> With those great bench-scoring totals, the Tigers have had a school-record 11 different players reach double figures this season, surpassing the 10 players that reached double figures in 1961-62, 1974-75, 1994-95 and 2007-08.
> It's not just scoring where the Tigers are balanced ... Missouri has 10 different players averaging nearly 10 minutes a game on the year, including five newcomers.
> Sticking with the balance theme, Missouri has had a school-record tying 10 different players dish out at least 20 assists this season ... The 1987-88 Tigers also had 10 players with 20 dimes on the year, which is truly an incredible stat ... Last year's Tiger team, which was one of the most “unselfish” in school history, had eight players accomplish that feat.
> Mizzou has dished 552 total assists this year, which ranks No. 5 in school history and is just one dime shy of No. 4 ... With 16 more assists this year's club will move into No. 3.
> Missouri has had four or more players reach double figures in the same game 12 times already this season and have had six players do it three in the same game, including twice in Big 12 play vs. Colorado and Oklahoma State.
> A major reason for Mizzou's large scoring totals is because the club has taken 202 more field goal attempts than its opponents this season and has made 190 more FG's ... Mizzou made 119 more FG's than its opponents throughout the entire 2007-08 season, so 190 more FGs through just 29 games is a HUGE differential.
> With that scoring surge, Missouri has topped the 80-point plateau 17 times in 29 games this season and is 17-0 on the year when scoring at least 80 points ... Missouri has topped 80 points 41 times in the Mike Anderson era (90 games) ... To put that scoring in perspective, the Tigers topped 80 points just 37 times (in total 160 games) the five seasons before his arrival.
> One thing Tiger fans are enjoying this season is points off turnovers ... Missouri is forcing 19.4 turnovers per game and is averaging 22.6 points off those opponent miscues each night.
> Missouri is scoring an impressive 30 percent of its points this season off turnovers (22.6-of-82.0).
> Another impressive stat regarding Missouri's defense is that the Tigers force a turnover on 27 percent of their defensive possessions ... That means opponents are turning it over a little more than once every four possessions vs. the Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball.
Tiger Tidbits (Individual Notes)
> Senior forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons were named Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention picks prior to the start of the 2008-09 season and looked poised to make postseason All-Big 12 honors at the end of the season as well.
> Carroll is the only player in the Big 12 to rank among the Top 10 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and steals and he was named a Mid-Season First Team All-Big 12 pick by ESPN's Fran Fraschilla.
> In league play Carroll has seen his scoring/rebounding numbers improve to 17.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, thanks to a career high 31 tallies at Iowa State on Feb. 7 and a 20.0 ppg scoring average over his last ten outings.
> Carroll's 8.1 rebounds per game in league action is the most for a Tiger since Arthur Johnson's 9.3 rpg 2002-03.
> The 31 points were the most on the road in a Big 12 game for a Tiger since Clarence Gilbert poured in 40 at Colorado in 2002.
> Carroll also joined Leo Lyons as 30-point scorers this season ... The last Tiger teammates to drop 30 in the same season were Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding in 2003-04.
> The last time Missouri had two forwards score 30+ points in the same season was 1984-85 when Derrick Chievous scored 32 vs. Arizona in Hawaii and Malcolm Thomas dropped in 33 vs. Oklahoma at home.
> Carroll has topped 20 points in five of his last 10 outings, including 21.8 ppg in his last five home games.
> Carroll topped the 1,000-point plateau vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and now has 1,373 career tallies at the Division I level, 460 of which came during his first two seasons at Vanderbilt ... Lyons has 1,099 career points and became the 38th member of Missouri's 1,000-point club following his career high 30-point night vs. Baylor.
> The ever consistent Carroll has reached double figures in 26-of-29 games this season and either Carroll or Lyons have led Mizzou in scoring 23 times this year.
> Carroll has five double-doubles on the year including back-to-back double-doubles with 21-points and 14-boards against Kansas State and 16 points, 11 boards at Kansas ... Carroll has 10 other games this season with either eight or nine rebounds, so he's narrowly missed on a number of other double-doubles opportunities.
> The Junk Yard Dog also leads all Big 12 forwards with 47 steals thanks to a career high five thefts vs. Coppin State ... Carroll also ranks among the Big 12's leaders in scoring (6th), steals (5th), field goal percentage (3rd) and rebounding (8th).
> Over his last 31 regular-season games Leo Lyons has eight 20-point outings and has reached double figures in 28-of-31 contests.
> Lyons has actually reached double figures in 17 of his last 18 Big 12 regular-season games thanks to his tremendous free throw shooting ... Since the start of Big 12 play Lyons is No. 5 in the Big 12 at the foul line at 83.7 percent.
> The Kansas City, Kan., native enjoyed a memorable night vs. Baylor, as he hit 8-of-11 field goals and 14-of-15 free throws en route to a career high 30 points.
> Lyons is coming off a great game at Kansas on Sunday, where he led MU with 20 points, six boards and three assists in Lawrence.
> Matt Lawrence is starting to heat up from the perimeter and has hit multiple three-pointers in 14 of his last 24 outings.
> In fact, over his last 16 games Lawrence is shooting 45 percent from bonus distance, hitting 38-of-83 treys.
> The news gets even better for Lawrence at home, where he is shooting nearly 47 percent (22-of-48) over his last nine home contests.
> Lawrence has also been shooting it well away from home recently, as the 6-foot-7 sniper is 15-of-30 (.500) from bonus distance in his last five road games.
> The St. Louis native is already No. 3 in career three-point makes at MU with 222.
> Despite being a prolific shooter, Lawrence has 26 steals, 26 assists and just 11 turnovers on the season.
> Zaire Taylor is Mr. Clutch for the Tigers, with game-winners at No. 16 Texas on Feb. 4 and the game-winner vs. No. 16 Kansas on Feb. 9.
> Taylor hit a driving lay-up at UT and was fouled with 5.5 seconds left and his 10-foot jumper with 1.3 seconds left lifted MU to a 62-60 win over Kansas and was the No. 1 play on ESPN's Top 10 Plays of the Day.
> Taylor has reached the 100 assist plateau this season, highlighted by a seven-assist, six-steal, one turnover day at Colorado.
> His 2.8-to-1 assist/turnover ratio ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 11 nationally.
> Since Big 12 play began, Taylor has dished 53 dimes and has just 19 turnovers (2.8-to-1).
> Despite being an active point guard, Taylor has a positive assist/turnover ratio in 25-of-29 games this year and has 5+ assists 11 times on the season, including a season high seven assists vs. K-State and at Colorado.
> Taylor enjoyed a season-high tying 17 points in that win at No. 16 Texas ... The Staten Island, N.Y. product also scored 17 points in the win at Georgia and helped lead Mizzou to the home win over Iowa State by scoring 15 points and grabbing five boards.
> Taylor was named the nation's Preseason No. 2 impact transfer in all of college basketball by Rivals.com ... DeMarre Carroll was the preseason No. 1 on that same Rivals.com list last season and didn't disappoint by winning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors.
> Junior guard J.T. Tiller is a strong candidate for the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year and was named to Fran Fraschilla's Big 12 All-Defensive Team.
> Tiller was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the Austin American-Statesman.
> The Marietta, Ga., native ranks No. 24 nationally with a 2.4 assist/turnover ratio this season.
> Tiller is relentless on defense and turned in one of the great defensive efforts this season vs. Baylor, when he helped hold Curtis Jerrells to a then-season low five points and nine turnovers ... Jerrells entered the game leading the Bears in scoring at 17.4 ppg ... He also helped hold Texas All-American candidate A.J. Abrams to just 11 points and held Kansas' Sherron Collins to just nine points and six turnovers, nine points below his season average (18.0 ppg).
> Over his last seven games Tiller has 42 assists and just seven turnovers, for an incredible 6-to-1 ratio.
> Tiller is one of Mizzou's most well-rounded players and recorded a then-career high six steals vs. Xavier ... The six thefts tied a tournament record and is No. 7 in Missouri single-game school history.
> Tiller later moved to No. 2 on that list with seven steals vs. Texas Tech, which equals Rickey Paulding for the most ever by a Tiger in a Big 12 game.
> Tiller has had multiple steals in 15-of-29 games and is second in the Big 12 with 1.9 steals a night.
> Of Tiller's 21 career double-figure scoring games, 11 have come either on the road or on a neutral-court site, including 4-of-8 road games this season, counting a season high 15 points and seven rebounds at Oklahoma State and 10 points and five assists at Texas.
> Missouri Basketball is coming off a busy, but productive summer that saw all-13 Tigers remain on campus for workouts and classes ... Some members of the squad also had internships in town, including Tiller, who spent the summer as an intern at AFLAC.
> Perhaps the biggest improvement for Missouri this year is the play of its bench and that bench is being led by a host of young players.
> Freshman guard Marcus Denmon opened his Missouri career with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the Tiger win over Prairie View A&M on Nov. 15 ... That was the highest scoring effort by a Tiger freshman in a debut since Kelly Thames scored 19 against Central Missouri State on Nov. 27, 1993.
> His 16 points vs. Iowa State was a career high for the KC native and he followed that up with 14 tallies in the win over Texas Tech, 11 of which came in the final 20 minutes.
> Did you know that in his first game at Mizzou Arena Denmon actually cheered AGAINST Missouri? But you can't blame him, his brother Martane Freeman was playing for the Colorado Buffaloes, so we'll let that one slide.
> Freshman newcomer Kimmie English knows Mizzou Arena just about as well as the Arena managers and operators ... English made news this summer for sleeping overnight in the team's locker room and will often shoot in the club's 24-Hour practice gym in the early-morning hours.
> The dedication is paying off for English, who has started 13 consecutive games and scored a career high 16 points vs. California in the Tiger's big win, before chipping in 16 more in the win at Iowa State.
> English has now reached double figures three times in Big 12 play, including those 16 tallies at Iowa State where he tossed in 4-of-5 treys, while adding four assists.
> Junior Keith Ramsey has played improved basketball over the past few weeks, especially on the defensive end en route to earning five starts in league play.
> The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native has blocked at least one shot in 16 of his last 21 games and has 19 blocks in his last 16 contests overall.
> Ramsey provided Missouri with a huge lift off the bench vs. Nebraska, blocking three shots vs. the Cornhuskers, while grabbing four boards and coming up with a steal.
> Ramsey scored 10 points vs. Iowa State, which included 2-of-2 shooting from three-point range, before registering a career high 12 tallies at Oklahoma State.
> For his efforts against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, Ramsey was named the Big 12's Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 26.
> Ramsey ignited Missouri's road win at Georgia, with a pair of blocked shots, two assists, two steals and four points.
> Laurence Bowers, another of Missouri's exciting freshmen and scored a career high 16 points in the win over Colorado.
> Bowers hit a Missouri season-best 7-of-8 field goals, while dishing two assists, ripping two steals and blocking a shot.
> Bowers tied that career high with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting vs. Kansas State in just 15 minutes ... He also added six boards and a blocked shot in the Tiger win.
> Bowers ranks among Missouri's leaders in dunks this season (9), including a pair of alley-oop slams vs. Coppin State ... Bowers' second dunk was listed #1 on ESPN's Top 10 Plays of the Day on Jan. 6 ... We recommend you check it out ... Note that Bowers is right-handed, but caught the pass with his left hand and then flushed it all in the same motion.
About The Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma (26-3, 12-2 Big 12) comes to Columbia following a 78-63 win at Texas Tech on Saturday and enjoyed the return of sophomore forward Blake Griffin ... Griffin is the front-runner for virtually every National Player of the Year award and is averaging 21.9 points and 14.0 rebounds per game this season ... Griffin is shooting an incredible 62.6 percent from the floor, but has struggled from the foul line at times hitting 59.3 percent of his charity shots ... Griffin has one of the nation's better supporting casts as well, highlighted by freshman Willie Warren ... The shooting guard averages 15.1 points per game and is hitting 38 percent of his three-point attempts ... Tony Crocker is also a three-point specialist, hitting 52 treys on the year, while senior point guard Austin Johnson is one of the Big 12's most underrated players, with 8.5 points and 121 total assists.
Tigers Shooting For First Undefeated Home Season at Mizzou Arena
It hasn't happened since the 1993-94 season, but Missouri Basketball will go looking for an undefeated home campaign on Wednesday vs. Oklahoma.
> MU is 17-0 at home this season and its 18-game winning streak is the nation's sixth longest active streak.
> Mizzou has had five undefeated home seasons since 1972-73 (first season at Hearnes) and an 18th home win this season would be the most in school history, surpassing the 17-1 mark the Tigers had at home in 1982-83.
Year Home Record
1974-75 12-0
1980-81 14-0
1988-89 16-0
1989-90 15-0
1993-94 15-0
Vote Taylor-Tiller 2009
The backcourt tandem of Zaire Taylor and J.T. Tiller ranks among the most versatile guard duos in Missouri history ... The pair has combined for 98 steals this season and are the only teammates in America to rank among the Top 25 nationally in assist/turnover ratio.
> Both Taylor and Tiller have each dished 100 assists this season, and Taylor's 2.8-to-1 assist/turnover mark ranks No. 11 nationally, while Tiller (2.4-to-1) ranks No. 24.
> In addition, both players are on the verge of swiping 50 steals apiece this season and could become the first Tiger backcourt teammates to have 50+ steals in the same season since Mike Sandbothe (50) and Lynn Hardy (76) in 1986-87 ... Sandbothe and Hardy also did it in 1985-86 and are the only teammates (thus far) to accomplish the rare feat.
> In fact, Missouri is close to having three players with 50+ steals this season ... DeMarre Carroll has 47 thefts on the year and as a team, Missouri has never had three players top 50+ steals in the same season.
No Bigger Surprise Than Mizzou
Coaches around the Big 12 pegged Missouri seventh in the league's preseason poll, but tonight's showdown with Oklahoma is for second place in the Big 12 Conference.
> Mizzou can finish no worse than third in the league ledger, which would be the program's highest finish in Big 12 action since the 1998-99 campaign.
> No Big 12 team has been a bigger surprise than Mizzou as the Tigers are currently four spots higher in the current Big 12 standings than were previously predicted, despite adding a league-high tying seven newcomers to their current roster.
Coach of the Year Consideration Growing For Missouri's Mike Anderson
Coach of the Year consideration is growing for Mizzou's Mike Anderson following the number of firsts he has directed his Missouri club to this season:
> Has a team picked seventh in the Big 12's preseason poll within a game of second place.
> The 2008-09 Tigers are the first to be ranked in the Top 25 since the 2003-04 team.
> Are the first to win at Texas since the 1998-99 team.
> Are the first to win back-to-back games in Stillwater since the 1988 team.
> Are the first to defeat ranked teams at home, on the road and on a neutral court since the 2001-02 team.
> Are the first to win 20 games since the 2002-03 team.
> Are the first to win 11+ games in the Big 12 since 1998-99.
> Are the first to win on the road at an SEC school since the 1989-90 team.
> Are the first Missouri team ever to start 11-3 in Big 12 play.
> Are the first to start 4-0 vs. the Big 12 “South”.
> Are the first to sweep Iowa State since the 1998-99 season.
> Are the first ever to play as and defeat a ranked team inside Mizzou Arena.
> Has led Missouri to 24 regular-season victories, which is the second most in school history.
> Has improved eight games on Missouri's win total from last season, which is the third biggest turnaround among BCS programs in America.
Tigers Among Biggest Turnarounds Among Big Six Conferences
Head Coach Mike Anderson has directed one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball this season ... Although two games still remain in the 2008-09 regular season, the Tigers have improved eight wins (from 16 to 24) on their 2007-08 win total, which makes this year's club the fourth biggest turnaround among high-major teams this season.
07-08 08-09
Team Conf. Wins Wins Inc.
1. LSU SEC 13 24 11
2. Illinois Big Ten 13 22 9
Michigan Big Ten 9 18 9
4. Missouri Big 12 16 24 8
Northwestern Big Ten 8 16 8
6. S. Carolina SEC 13 20 7
Oregon St. Pac-10 6 13 7
Bost. College ACC 13 20 7
9. Oklahoma Big 12 21 26 5
Cincinnati Big East 13 18 5
Tigers Regular-Season Wins Nearing Record Levels
Missouri won its 24th regular-season game on Feb. 25 vs. Kansas State and now the Tigers will look for win No. 25 vs. Oklahoma on Wednesday ... The 24 regular-season wins are the most since 1989-90 and are the second most in school history before the post-season conference or NCAA tournaments.
Rk. Year R.S. Total Wins
1. 1989-90 26 26
2. 2008-09 24 ??
1988-89 24 29
1993-94 24 28
1982-83 24 26
1975-76 24 26
6. 1981-82 23 27
7. 1979-80 22 25
Defend The Rim
Missouri's incredible steal and turnover totals make most of the defensive headlines, but did you know that the 2008-09 Tigers have the most blocked shots since the 2003-04 club, which was led by Arthur Johnson and Travon Bryant?
> Missouri has 118 “swats” this season, which is the seventh most in school history and the Tigers need just 10 more blocked shots this season to move into the single-season Top 5 ... Keith Ramsey (27), DeMarre Carroll (21) and Leo Lyons (21) lead the way, but 10 different Tigers have multiple blocks this year.
Tiller, Carroll Earn Early Fraschilla Awards
J.T. Tiller and DeMarre Carroll received some nice mid-season props from ESPN's Fran Fraschilla, as Tiller was named to his Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Carroll was named an All-Big 12 First Team pick.
> Carroll has been dominating in Big 12 action, leading the Tigers with 17.5 points and 8.1 rebounds through 14 league games ... The forward scored a career high 31 points at Iowa State and has scored 21 point or more in five of his last nine outings.
> Tiller has been a devastating defender all year and has held Kansas' Sherron Collins, Texas' A.J. Abrams and Baylor's Curtis Jerrells a combined 27.3 points below their scoring average in three games.
Mizzou's J.Y.D Ruling The Lane
He plays the game with such passion and ferocity that Missouri senior forward DeMarre Carroll has earned the moniker Junk Yard Dog ... Considered by some to be undersized in the rough-and-tumble Big 12, Carroll has starred in the league due to his blue-collar style of play and was named to Fran Fraschilla's Mid-Season All-Big 12 First Team after averaging 17.1 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.
> The Birmingham, Ala., native has reached double figures in 26-of-29 games this season, including a career high 31 points in a key Big 12 road win at Iowa State, 29 points and 11 rebounds vs. No. 19 USC, 27 points in a win over Texas Tech and 25 in the win against Baylor.
> J.Y.D. also ranks eighth in the Big 12 with five double-doubles.
> Carroll is one of the Big 12's most well-rounded players, ranking No. 6 in scoring, No. 8 in rebounding, No. 3 in field goal percentage (.570), No. 5 in steals (1.6) and No. 6 in offensive rebounding (2.6) ... Carroll is the only player in the Big 12 to rank among the Top 10 in scoring, boards and steals in the Big 12.