Wednesday, December 30
Columbia, Mo.
8 PM
University of Missouri
vs
#7 Tennessee
No. 12 Mizzou Set for SEC-Opening Showdown with No. 7 Tennessee
12/29/2020 10:48:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Tipoff at Mizzou Arena is set for 8 p.m. on the SEC Network
| No. 12 Mizzou Men's Hoops Set for Showdown with No. 7 Tennessee in SEC Opener | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME (CT) | WATCH | SAFETY GUIDELINES |
| No. 7 Tennessee | Columbia, Mo. | Wednesday, Dec. 30 | 8 PM | SEC Network | Safety Central |
Mizzou Basketball Game Notes
STORYLINES
- Mizzou returns from the holiday break for its SEC opener on Wednesday vs. No. 7 Tennessee after improving to 6-0 with its win over Bradley a week ago tonight, 54-53. Mizzou seeks its 17th 7-0 start in its 115-year history, and first since a 10-0 get-a-way to the 2013-14 campaign.
- Mizzou is one of just 26 remaining unbeaten teams nationally and one of 13 squads in that group to play at least six games. Mizzou has upended No. 21 Oregon, No. 6 Illinois and Wichita State on the road, becoming the nation's only undefeated team with two wins over ranked opponents and a true road win on its resume.
- The last time a Mizzou team racked up at least two Top 25 wins & a true road victory during nonconference play came during the 2011-12 campaign that saw the Tigers finish with 30 victories & a Big 12 Tournament Championship
- Mizzou shot 25.4 percent from the field in its win over Bradley, snapping a 10-game losing streak when shooting less than 30 percent from the field dating to a 51-48 victory over Princeton on Nov. 13, 2000, when it shot just 29.4 percent. The Dec. 22 performance vs. Bradley marked the lowest Mizzou FG percentage in any game since a 24.6 percent effort against Texas A&M, Feb. 27, 2017.
- Wednesday's match-up is the first in Mizzou Arena when both Mizzou and its opponent enter the game nationally-ranked since Feb. 9, 2013, when No. 21 Mizzou beat No. 23 Ole Miss, 98-79. The Tigers are 19-17 vs. ranked opponents all-time at Mizzou Arena, including 5-4 under Cuonzo Martin.
- Mizzou is 7-9 all-time vs. Tennessee, with the Volunteers winning the last three matchups. Mizzou is 5-3 in the series in Columbia. Tennessee has never opened SEC play against the Tigers.
- Mizzou is 3-5 all-time in SEC openers, but has dropped its last two such games.
- After its historic start, Mizzou checked in at No. 12 in the AP Top 25 poll on Dec. 28, its highest ranking since Jan. 7, 2013 (No. 10). When Mizzou cracked the Top 25 on Dec. 14, it marked the first time the Tigers had been ranked during the Martin era and the first time since the 2013-14 campaign. Mizzou was ranked as high as No. 7 during the 2012-13 campaign.
- Mizzou and Tennessee's No. 12 vs. No. 7 matchup is the Tigers' first contest between two Top 12 teams since No. 12 Mizzou downed No. 10 Illinois on Dec. 22, 2012.
- A win would give Mizzou three wins over AP Top 25 teams before January for the first time since 1989-90 when the Tigers knocked off No. 12 Louisville, No. 7 North Carolina and No. 7 Arkansas.
- Mizzou has won seven straight dating back to its season-ending win over Alabama a year ago, which is the longest streak in the Martin era and Mizzou's longest since the 10-game streak to start the 2013-14 season. Mizzou has now fashioned four win streaks of five or more games in the last four seasons.
- Mizzou is looking to improve to 20-2 in December during the Cuonzo Martin era.
MORE ON THE HOT START
- In 115 seasons, Mizzou has already secured just its 23rd 6-0 start in program history. A seventh win would give the Tigers their 17th 7-0 start. A look at Mizzou's best starts in program history:
1981-82—19-0
1919-20—17-0
1920-21—17-0
2011-12—14-0
1917-18—13-0
1921-22—13-0
1972-73—12-0
1991-92—11-0
1979-80—10-0
2013-14—10-0
1989-90—9-0
2001-02—9-0
1915-16—8-0
1918-19—8-0
2006-07—8-0
1982-83—7-0
- The Tigers are being recognized nationally for a hot start. Thus far, Martin was named National Coach of the Week, Mizzou was named National Team of the Week and Mark Smith and Dru Smith earned back-to-back SEC Player of the Week awards. The squad nabbed two straight SEC weekly honors for the first time since Feb. 2018.
- According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index, the Tigers boast the nation's second-best NCAA Tournament resume more than a month into the 2020-21 campaign.
- Mizzou celebrated Christmas undefeated for the first time since 2011-12.
TILLY
- Senior Jeremiah Tilmon secured his seventh career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. Bradley. He made the game-winning 3-point play with 1.0 second left, converting a tough bucket and draining a free throw to push the Tigers to a 1-point win. It was the first game-winning bucket of his career, including high school and childhood.
- Through six games, Tilmon leads Mizzou in rebounding (7.8) and field goal percentage (.563). His rebounding average is a career-high thus far.
- He launched the 2020-21 campaign with a career-high 12 boards and eight points on 4-of-5 shooting vs. Oral Roberts. Tilmon then dominated the paint vs. No. 21 Oregon, scoring 11 points and snagging nine boards. He tallied eight points and nine boards vs. Liberty. He's grabbed 6+ boards in seven of the last eight games, averaging 7.5 in that span.
- Tilmon's 7.8 rebounds per game ranks eighth among all SEC players out of the gate. In his 15 career games with at least eight rebounds, Mizzou is 13-2.
- Tilmon has 80 career blocks, ranking 10th all-time in program history. He's recorded at least one in 15 of his last 21 games.
- Tilmon is one of the nation's most efficient scorers, shooting 56.0 percent for his career, which ranks fourth all-time at Mizzou and 29th nationally among all active players. He shot 58.9 percent a season ago from the floor.
Players Mentioned
Inside Mizzou Athletics - Getting to Know New Men's Hoops Assistant Steve Wright
Friday, June 13
Mizzou Storytellers - Laurence Bowers
Tuesday, June 10
Tigers Sign Jayden Stone
Thursday, May 22
Tigers Sign Shawn Phillips Jr.
Wednesday, May 14
