Mizzou Basketball Game Notes

• Game Notes

STORYLINES

• Mizzou takes on Alabama for the 14th time in the series history with the Crimson Tide. The Tigers are looking for their second win in the last eight meetings with Alabama.
• In its last trip to Tuscaloosa, Mizzou won its first road game at Alabama in program history, downing the Tide, 69-60. A win on Saturday would give the Tigers two wins in their last three games vs. Alabama for just the second time since joining the SEC.
• Mizzou finished the 2018-19 campaign ranked 12th in the league in turnover margin (-1.9) and 13th in steals per game (4.7). With Dru Smith leading the charge 16 games into the 2019-20 season, Mizzou ranks fourth in both turnover margin (+1.2) and steals per game (7.8). The Tigers lead the league in conference play in steals per game with 8.3 thefts per contest.
• The Tigers are +84 in bench points in the last eight games and +140 overall this season. Mizzou has outscored 13 of its 16 opponents in bench production this season. 
• After an impressive 91-75 win over Florida, Mizzou is seeking a bounce-back after falling on the road at Mississippi State on Tuesday. Last Saturday marked just the sixth time the Gators have allowed 90+ points in a game since 2010, and the most they've allowed in regulation since Auburn scored 95 on Feb. 14, 2017. The Tigers shot a torrid 61.5 percent (32-of-52) from the field and 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from 3-point range vs. Florida - both season-highs. It was Mizzou's best shooting performance from the field in a league game since March 1, 2014 vs. Mississippi State (62.3), and the best shooting performance from beyond the arc in a league game since Feb. 28, 2013 vs. South Carolina (66.7). 
• Only two opponents have shot above 61 percent against Florida since 2010, Mizzou and Ohio State,  making Mizzou the only SEC team to accomplish that feat in that span.
• Mizzou ranks 13th nationally and leads the SEC in scoring defense, holding opponents to 59.7 points per game. Entering this season, just three Mizzou teams in program history have held opponents to fewer than 60 points per game during a campaign. The current 59.7 opponents points per game pace is the lowest since the 1951-52 team held opponents to 53.2 points per outing. The last time a Mizzou squad allowed fewer than 60 points per game was 1981-92 (59.8 opponent PPG). 
• Mizzou is allowing only 19.6 field goal makes per game, which ranks fourth nationally, trailing only Liberty, San Diego State and defending national champion Virginia. Ten of Mizzou's 16 opponents have made 20 or fewer field goals.

ALABAMA NATIVE FRESHMAN KOBE BROWN SETTLING IN

• Kobe Brown, a freshman from Huntsville, Ala., has been a mainstay in the Mizzou lineup in his debut season. He has started all 16 games on the season, averaging 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
• On Tuesday night at Mississippi State, Brown led Mizzou with a career-high 14 points and added four rebounds. It marked the first time reaching double figure since he chipped in 10 points in a 71-56 win over Northern Kentucky. He has scored six or more points on eight occasions. The forward has recorded at least five rebounds in four games this season.
• Brown's field goal percentage of 43.0 percent (36-of-85) ranks sixth among freshmen in the SEC with at least 80 attempts on the year. He shot 3-of-6 en route to nine points in a career-high 26 minutes vs. Florida.
• In the SEC era, Mizzou has only had four true freshmen start the first 16 games of the season (Brown this season, Kevin Puryear in 2015-16, Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr. in 2016-17, and Javon Pickett in 2018-19). 

NIKKO: THE NATURE GUY

• Mizzou's lone senior Reed Nikko appeared in his 108th career game last Tuesday vs. Mississippi State. Since 2010, he is just the third Mizzou player to reach 105 games played, alongside Kevin Puryear and Ryan Rosburg. Barring injury, Nikko is on pace to play in at least 124 career games, which would put him tied for 15th all-time at Mizzou.
• Nikko has appeared in 102 of Mizzou's last 103 games since his freshman campaign. 
• The senior had started just three games entering his final campaign. With fellow big man Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr., nursing an injury, Nikko has started Mizzou's last four contests, scoring 27 of his 42 points this season in that stretch. Nikko is shooting a team-best 77.3 percent from  the floor.
• Nikko is well known for his unique major. He is a fisheries and wildlife major who plans to be a fisheries biologist after college. His passion is helping nature preserves. Nikko is nearly always out hiking, fishing or bird watching on Columbia's trails during the offseason when he isn't on the court. His love for the outdoors was influenced by his late father, who also pushed for Nikko to pursue college basketball, which landed him at Mizzou. 

DEFENSE

• Under Cuonzo Martin, Mizzou has established an elite defensive mentality. During Martin's coaching career, all 11 of his teams at four different schools held opponents to a scoring average under 70 points per game. Mizzou's 2019-20 team is allowing just 59.7 points per contest, which is on pace to be the best defensive team Martin has ever had - with the next closest being his 2013-14 Tennessee team that reached the Sweet 16 (61.7 opponent points per game). The 2019-20 team is on pace to be the eighth Martin-coached team to hold opponents to fewer than 66 points per game for a season.
• Mizzou has 10+ steals three times in the last six games after tallying 11 vs. Florida. Before last Saturday, Mizzou had three games with 10+ steals in its previous 64 games. 
• The Tigers have tallied at least seven steals in seven of their last eight games. Dru Smith leads the league in steals per game with 2.3 swipes per contest. Smith already has 37 thefts this season. The Tigers' steals leader in 2018-19 - Jordan Geist - finished 32 games with 34 total steals.
• Since Dec. 7, Mizzou has forced 139 turnovers (17.4 turnovers per game). All eight opponents during that span have coughed it up at least 13 times. Mizzou has forced 87 turnovers in the last five games alone. Mizzou has won the turnover battle in six of the last eight games.