Missouri Tigers
Big 12 (30-4, 14-4)
Missouri’s last season in the Big 12 did not look too promising prior to the 2011-2012 campaign. First they lost their coach, but it turns out they found another good one in Frank Haith. Coach Haith has built off of the previous regimes up and down style and added some of his own wrinkles, but this is a team that will get up and down the floor and score in bunches. But part of the reason they have to do that is because of a season ending injury to forward Laurence Bowers prior to the season even starting.
Big Wins: 11/21 vs Notre Dame (87-58), 1/21 at Baylor (89-88), 2/4 Kansas (74-71)
Bad Losses: 1/7 at Kansas State (59-75), 1/25 at Oklahoma State (72-79), 2/21 Kansas State (68-78)
Coach: Frank Haith (1 season at Missouri)
Why They Can Surprise:
Missouri pretty much has to start four guards, but they could start five with the talent they have. Marcus Denmon is the most prolific scorer of the bunch. The 6-3 senior is a great shooter from everywhere on the floor, but he will also attack the basket and get to the charity stripe…where he again shoots extremely well. Kim English is the big 6-6 guard that allows the Tigers to run a four guard offense without getting beat up too bad on the boards. Like Denmon, English is an amazingly consistent long range shooter and will use his size and quickness to attack the basket. Michael Dixon will come in off of the bench, but he is a double figure scorer who is pretty much a slightly less effective version of Denmon on the offensive end. Matt Pressey and Phil Pressey are the other usual starters on the perimeter. Matt is more of a glue guy and will leave the scoring to everybody else, but brother Phil is a fine scorer and, more importantly, a superb point guard. It is Phil who sets up the offense and spearheads the defensive effort.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The one man surrounded by four guards is 6-8 senior Ricardo Ratliffe. He is a very good interior scorer and his offensive presence in the paint opens up looks for all of the guards. He also benefits from opposing teams being afraid to double team him, leaving one of the dangerous guards open. That is why Ratliffe is one of the most efficient shooters in the nation. Ratliffe does a good job on the glass, but Missouri will get outrebounded by bigger, stronger teams. Steve Moore is an experienced big body who will spell Ratliffe and spend a little time by his side. He is not much of a scorer, but Moore is a decent shot blocker. Unfortunately, the team as a whole will not block a lot of shots and their defensive effort has to start, and pretty much finish, on the perimeter. The Tigers have played, and beat, plenty of teams with a lot more size. This is a group that beat Baylor twice and the Bears are full of size in the frontcourt. Missouri can find ways to use their speed and athleticism advantage and beat bigger teams and they will have to do it again in the NCAA Tournament.
Probable Starters:
Phil Pressey, Sophomore, Guard, 10.0 ppg, 6.3 apg, 2.1 apg
Matt Pressey, Senior, Guard, 6.2 ppg, 1.6 apg
Marcus Denmon, Senior, Guard, 17.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 5.1 rpg
Kim English, Senior, Guard, 14.9 ppg, 1.6 apg, 4.2 rpg
Ricardo Ratliffe, Senior, Forward, 13.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Michael Dixon, Junior, Guard, 13.3 ppg, 3.3 apg
Steve Moore, Senior, Center, 3.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 79.7 (8th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 65.3 (123, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 49.9 (3, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 44.3 (230, 10)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.2 (25, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 39.2 (18, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 76.5 (7, 1)
Rebound Margin: 0.8 (163, 8)
Assists Per Game: 16.1 (11, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.5 (7, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
Missouri 2011 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Cincinnati
Missouri 2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Clemson
Missouri 2010 NCAA Round of 32 loss to West Virginia
Missouri 2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Cornell
Missouri 2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over Marquette
Missouri 2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Memphis
Missouri 2009 NCAA Regional Final loss to Connecticut
Missouri 2005 NIT First Round loss to DePaul
Missouri 2004 NIT First Round loss to Michigan
*all team stats through 3/4
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
