Missouri had nine Tigers combine for 13 steals in Wednesday night's 92-63 win over the Colorado Buffaloes. This brought their season total to an NCAA-leading 314, an average of 11.2 per game. In the 14-year history of the Big 12, four teams have recorded 300 steals in a season (Kansas seven times, Missouri three times, Nebraska twice, and Oklahoma). Only the '06-'07 Tigers (10.1), '08-'09 Tigers (10.2) and '98-'99 Cornhuskers (10.9) averaged double-digit steals. While equaling that achievement appears to be in sight for this year's squad, it's not going to be easy. Towards the end of the season as underclassmen have adjusted to their opposition and games tend to carry more weight, teams focus on controlling the ball better. Last year in postseason play (three Big 12 and four NCAA tournament games), the Tigers were well under their season number, recording a 7.6-steal-per-game average in the seven games, which is a reflection of the quality competition the Tigers faced late in the season, not the effectiveness of their defense. With Wednesday's 13 steals, the Tigers two year total (702) currently ranks 3rd all-time in the conference behind Kansas' 2006-08 (706) and 2001-03 (730) totals. But does this success on defense translate to wins? In the history of the Big 12 the school that has led the league in steals averages a third place finish in the conference. The lowest being 2000-01 Baylor's eighth place finish, while five times the leader in steals has won the conference.
In the four years Mike Anderson has coached Missouri, the Tigers have amassed 1,263 steals (302, 259, 388, 314). The best four-year total in Big 12 history currently belongs to the Tigers' border rival. From 2005-09, the Jayhawks racked up 1,268 steals (323, 350, 356, 239). With three regular-season games and postseason play looming, it is safe to assume Mizzou, under Mike Anderson's "Fastest 40 Minutes" philosophy, will become the most successful thieves the Big 12 has seen.
Beginning today, the
front page of mutigers.com has been changed in an effort to promote donations to the American Red Cross relief effort in Haiti, which has been devastated by a series of earthquakes.
Mizzou fans are encouraged to donate before and after the Women's basketball game against Baylor at 1pm and the Men's game against Nebraska at 5pm at Mizzou Arena.
For fans that cannot attend either game, the University of Missouri encourages fans to
donate directly to the American Red Cross, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by texting "HAITI" to 90999
(
$10 will be charged to your phone bill).
Hello Tiger Fans from Mizzou Arena. All is quiet on the main arena floor at 5 p.m., but Kimmie English has just arrived to get prepared for tonight's game against Savannah State.
There is a rumor it's snowing outside, but it's plenty warm inside Mizzou Arena. If all else fails, Kimmie said he would relinquish his locker room sleeping quarters if fans need a place to stay (he was kidding of course).
Missouri is looking to run its home court winning streak to 29 games tonight vs. the Savannah State Tigers. The visitors have been on the road for quite some time. They played a game at Western Illinois (loss) and drove straight to Columbia from Macomb, Ill., after the game.
In other news, Missouri's RPI is up to 70. In addition to its current winning streak, the Tigers got some help from Georgia who earned a rivalry win against #17 Georgia Tech on Tuesday evening in Athens.
There are three other games around the Big 12 tonight. Kansas hosts former Missouri NCAA Tournament foe Cornell at home and Iowa State hosts the Duke Blue Devils at the United Center in Chicago. Baylor vs. Morgan State in Waco, Texas, rounds out tonight's Big 12 schedule.
