Promotions

• Halftime Act: Red Panda.

Storylines

• Mizzou and Alabama meet for the 13th time in their program histories. Last season, Mizzou picked up its first win over the Crimson Tide since Jan. 18, 2014. The 69-60 victory for the Tigers was their first ever win in Tuscaloosa. 
• Mizzou entered last season's matchup with Alabama riding a 3-game losing streak and the key road victory over the Tide jumpstarted a 5-game win streak that arguably made the difference in the Tigers' earning an NCAA Tournament at-large berth. 
• Head coach Cuonzo Martin is 3-3 all-time in his career vs. Alabama.
• Mizzou recently finished an undefeated month of December for the first time since 2011-12, for the third time this century and for just the eighth time since 1930.
• Mizzou has held opponents to 69 or fewer points 30 times in the Martin era, which amounts to 63.8 percent of the games with him at the helm. When the Tigers have done so this season, they are 9-0.
• Mizzou is attacking the glass this season. It has outrebounded its opponent 11 times in 14 games to begin the season. The Tigers have done that 33 times in 47 games during the Martin era. Mizzou is limiting opponents to 32.0 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the SEC. 
• Mizzou leads the SEC in 3-point field goal percentage and ranks 16th nationally in that category, shooting 39.4 from beyond the arc. From 2012-17, Mizzou shot 32.4 percent from 3-point range. In the Martin era, Mizzou is shooting 38.7 percent from deep. Mizzou has made 92 triples over the last nine games, shooting 41.8 percent from beyond the arc in that span. Sophomore Mark Smith is the top 3-point shooter in the SEC (47.3 percent). 
• In Martin's first season at the helm at Mizzou, the Tigers won four road games in league play, the most in a campaign by a Mizzou team since 2011-12.

Pickett Providing a Spark

• Freshman Javon Pickett has started and scored in all 14 games in his first campaign, providing energy on both ends to spark Mizzou.
• Pickett is coming off the best performance of his career, scoring 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting at South Carolina. He drained a career-high three 3-pointers and converted all four his free throw attempts while collecting a career-best two steals.
• Mizzou is 3-1 when Pickett reaches double figures.
• Pickett is shooting 52.6 percent in league play, which ranks 10th among all SEC players and third among SEC freshmen. 
• Pickett has snatched multiple offensive rebounds from the guard position in seven different games this season.

Smith One of Nation's Best 3-Point Shooters

• Mark Smith has been a vital addition to the Tigers' roster after receiving a waiver for immediate eligibility from the NCAA.
• He scored a career-high 22 points vs. Morehead State, draining four 3-pointers and added 14 at South Carolina on Sunday. 
• Smith has 166 points, 74 rebounds and 51 triples in 14 games. He notched 179 points, 42 rebounds and 16 triples all of last season at Illinois. 
• He is ripping the nets at a 47.3 percent clip from beyond the arc after shooting 23.2 percent from 3-point range as a freshman. That leads the SEC and ranks 12th nationally through 14 games. He is tied for first nationally among Power 5 players. Smith ranks sixth in the league in 3-pointers made per game with 2.5.
• Smith had never made multiple triples 10 times in 14 contests. Smith has hit at least one triple in his last 15 games.
• Smith leads Mizzou with 63 defensive rebounds. He grabbed 24 in 31 games last season. 
• Before this season, Smith hadn't reached double figures since scoring 11 points against Mizzou on Dec. 23, 2017. He's done so eight times this season.
• Through 13 games, Smith's 47.3 percent clip from 3-point range would be the fifth-best in a single-season in program history.
• Smith is one of five players in the SEC who haven't missed a free throw yet in league play (min. 5 att.).