@MizzouHoops Begins SEC Play After Strong Run Through Nonconference Slate

Wednesday, January 3

Columbia, S.C.

8 PM CT

University of Missouri

South Carolina

@MizzouHoops Begins SEC Play After Strong Run Through Nonconference Slate

1/2/2018 1:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Tigers at South Carolina tips off at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday, live on ESPN2

Mizzou Men's Basketball (10-3, 0-0) begins Southeastern Conference play at South Carolina (9-4, 0-1) on Wednesday, Jan. 3, with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2 from Colonial Life Arena.

Mizzou at South Carolina
Jan. 3, 8 p.m. CT
ESPN2

Game Notes

Upcoming Promotions

Mizzou's next home contest on Saturday, Jan. 6, vs. Florida (Noon CT) is the Tigers' annual Blackout Game. Fans are encouraged to wear predominantly Black (with only a little Gold) as they cheer on Mizzou.

Story Lines

The Black & Gold completed its most successful nonconference schedule since the 2013-14 season (12-1), winning 10 games against three losses.
The Tigers are 2-3 in SEC openers. In his nine previous seasons of leading Missouri State, Tennessee and California, head coach Cuonzo Martin has compiled a 6-3 record in conference openers.
Mizzou graduate senior guard Kassius Robertson became the first Tiger to score 20 points or more in back-to-back games since midway through last season's conference schedule with his 22 points vs. Illinois (Dec. 23). Robertson recorded 23 points in Mizzou's previous game (Stephen F. Austin, Dec. 19).
The last Tiger to go for at least 20 points in back-to-back games was then-junior forward Jordan Barnett, who accomplished the feat with 23 points at Texas A&M (Feb. 8, 2017) and against Vanderbilt (Feb. 11, 2017).
Barnett is averaging 18.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game over the Tigers' last eight games. In that time frame, Barnett is converting 51.0 percent of his field goal attempts (49-96 FG) and 47.2 percent of his three-pointers (25-53 3PT).
Mizzou's 123 three-pointers rank as the most in program history through 13 games, ahead of the 1999-2000 season's 119 through 13 games. Mizzou sank 116 triples in 13 games in 2009-10.
Freshman forward Jontay Porter, William & Mary's Nathan Knight and Mount St. Mary's Chris Wray are the only three players in the nation averaging 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 assists per game.

Scouting South Carolina

Mizzou and South Carolina will meet on Wednesday as the Tigers open Southeastern Conference play for the season. South Carolina leads to all-time series between the two schools, 4-3.
Under sixth-year head coach Frank Martin, South Carolina has posted a record of 9-4 to start the season. Most recently, South Carolina dropped its conference-opener against Ole Miss, falling 74-69 in Oxford, Mississippi, on Dec. 31.
Junior forward Chris Silva and graduate guard Frank Booker lead the Gamecocks in scoring at 13.4 and 11.8 points per game, respectively.
As a team, South Carolina averages 72.3 points per game and allows 64.2 points per game. The Gamecocks have shot 42.7 percent from the field thus far in the 2017-18 season.

Notes From #BragginRights

Mizzou outrebounded the Fighting Illini, 41-33, for the 12th time in 13 games the Tigers have outrebounded their opponent.
The Tigers shot 81.0 percent (17-of-21) from the free throw line, the fourth time this season Mizzou has shot at least 80 percent from the charity stripe.
Graduate senior guard Kassius Robertson led the Tigers in scoring for the fifth time this season with 22 points (7-of-18 FG, 3-of-12 3PT, 5-of-7 FT). Robertson gave the Tigers a big boost in the second half, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the game's final 20 minutes.
With 19 points (5-of-12 FG, 2-of-6 3PT, 7-of-7 FT) and 10 rebounds, senior forward Jordan Barnett recorded his fourth career double-double and second in the last three games.

More Story Lines

Senior forward Jordan Barnett's three double-doubles thus far in 2017-18 rank tied for fifth-most in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia's Yante Maten and Vanderbilt's Jeff Roberson lead the league with six double-doubles each.
Junior forward Kevin Puryear ranks in the SEC's Top 10 for active career points (864, 8th) and rebounds (399, 10th).
Junior guard Terrence Phillips ranks in the SEC's Top 10 for active career assists (276, 3rd) and steals (86, 6th).
Freshman guard Blake Harris is one of just three players in the nation averaging at least 3.0 assists per game while playing fewer than 15.0 minutes per game.
Head coach Cuonzo Martin's squad outrebounded its opponents in 12-of-13 nonconference games this season. Mizzou ranks second in the SEC in rebounding margin (+9.4).
Mizzou is 7-0 at home to start the season -- its best home start since the 2013-14 season when the Tigers won their first eight.
Junior guard Jordan Geist has hit 46.9 percent (15-of-32) of his three-pointers to start the 2017-18 season, an increase from his 28.6 percent success rate from the entire 2016-17 season.
Ball movement is on the up-tick for the Tigers this season, as Mizzou has averaged 15.8 assists per game -- an improvement over the 12.1 dimes averaged last season.

Barnett Has Some Bounce

Senior forward Jordan Barnett has been on his game for the Tigers for more than a month, averaging 18.8 points and 7.9 rebounds over Mizzou's last eight games.
Barnett has recorded three of his four career double-doubles during that stretch.
Barnett ranks tied for 11th nationally and second in the Southeastern Conference in free throw percentage, sinking 92.5 percent (37-40 FT).