MBB Preview: The Tigers are going dancing against the Miami Hurricanes

When | 9:10 p.m. CT

Where | Enterprise Arena; Columbia, MO

TV | TruTV

Radio | Tiger Radio Network

ESPN triumph probability | 44.9% chance

G: T.O. Barrett (SO, 8.9 PPG)

G: Jayden Stone (GR, 13.2 PPG)

F: Trent Pierce (JR, 10.6 PPG)

F: Mark Mitchell (SR, 18.3 PPG)

C: Shawn Phillips Jr. (SR, 7.7 PPG)

Notable Sixth Man: Anthony Robinson II (JR, 8.8 PPG)

F: Malik Reneau (SR, 18.8 PPG)

F: Shelton Henderson (FR, 13.7 PPG)

C: Ernest Udeh Jr. (SR, 6.9 PPG)

G: Dante Allen (FR, 6.4 PPG)

G: Tre Donaldson (SR, 16.5 PPG)

Notable Sixth Man: Tru Washington (JR, 12.1 PPG)

Note: these starting lineups are projected.

Oh boy, do we person a batch to unpack heading into Friday night’s matchup.

In 2023, nan past clip nan Hurricanes made a March Madness appearance, Miami worked each nan measurement to it’s first ever Final Four. Since then, it’d been a unsmooth thrust for nan Canes. After nan highs of nan NCAA tourney they quickly rolled backmost down nan elevation and secured nan worst grounds successful programme history past season.

However, first twelvemonth Head Coach Jai Lucas has transformed nan Canes erstwhile again to bring them backmost to nan top tourney successful assemblage sports. By transform, I’m talking complete rebuild. Arkansas type rebuild. No players from nan Miami squad past twelvemonth returned truthful Lucas had large shoes to capable successful twelvemonth one. But first really did Lucas get to Miami?

A beautiful bully resume if I tin opportunity truthful myself. Quick tidbit, Lucas coached Mitchell erstwhile he was astatine Duke. Also connected his unit is Charlton “C.Y.” Young. Yes, nan aforesaid C.Y. who served arsenic an subordinate caput coach connected Gates’ unit astatine Mizzou complete nan past 3 years. Phew, talk astir a crippled that will clasp meaning connected some sides.

Ok Rory, acknowledgment for filling america successful connected nan staff, but possibly we should attraction connected nan players who will beryllium connected nan court?

Leading nan Canes connected nan level is Malik Reneau who averages 18.8 points per game. He’s beautiful lethal from anyplace connected nan floor. He sits 4th connected his squad hitting 54.9 percent of his section goals while knocking down 35.3 percent of his three’s. Before transferring to Miami, he spent his past 3 seasons astatine Indiana (this seems for illustration a shot calamity for him).

Three much players who find themselves pinch a double digit mean are Tre Donaldson, Shelton Henderson and Tru Washington. Donaldson, who has spent his profession astatine some Auburn and Michigan, is adjacent successful statement pinch 16.5 points per game. At nan commencement of ACC play, nan defender was hailed for his heroics to support nan squad undefeated to commencement play. Henderson, a freshman from Texas, logs conscionable nether 14 points a crippled and nabs astir 5 rebounds disconnected nan solid each game. Washington, nan sixth man of nan team, sits 2nd connected nan Canes pinch astatine slightest 10 games played pinch a beyond nan arc shooting percent of 36.5 percent helping him to 12 points a game.

Also among nan starters is Ernest Udeh Jr., a elder from Florida pinch 6.9 points per game, but nan almost seven-footer excels connected nan glass. With 9.4 rebounds a game, his mean was third-best crossed nan ACC, sitting only down Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Rounding retired nan group is freshman Dante Allen. Hitting 6.4 points a game, nan defender is second-best connected nan squad pinch 5.8 assists a crippled arsenic well.

As an offense, nan Canes mean 81.9 points per crippled while allowing its opponents to only negociate astir 71.2. According to KenPom, they beryllium astatine 33rd successful violative standing and 38th connected nan protect broadside of things.

Over nan people of nan season, they tallied a 6-6 grounds successful Quad 1 pinch wins complete Louisville, North Carolina and NC State. It’s besides cardinal to constituent retired that they ne'er faced Duke and 2 of those losses were against Virginia. In Quad 2, nan Canes went 6-2 and 13-0 complete Quad 3 and 4.

These 2 teams play a really akin style of basketball. Lots of occurrence successful nan paint, not excessively galore 3 points attempted and unsmooth times astatine nan kindness stripe.

As a overgarment dense squad to rack up nan points, you tin beryllium judge they look to drawback boards arsenic well. The Canes vanished 2nd successful its convention successful violative rebounding and they will look to abstracted themselves early successful that metric. If nan Tigers can’t support up connected nan glass, nan chances of triumph will tick distant arsenic does nan minutes.

Now, if Mizzou tin sound down extracurricular shots and agelong Miami’s defense, it whitethorn neutralize nan greater threats of nan Cane’s game. However, if it turns into a crippled of 2nd chance points, it will beryllium each Miami.

All twelvemonth I’ve liked to driblet nan word ‘you can’t thatch height’. Time to show everyone why team’s were frightened of that broadside of Mizzou.

Man, has it been a slayer arsenic of late. It’s easy to gaffe into nan would’ve, could’ve, should’ve pinch Mizzou, particularly aft nan SEC tourney crippled against nan Kentucky Wildcats.

The large bluish were capable to seizure 17 points disconnected Mizzou’s 15 turnovers. Gates was speedy to statement successful nan postgame presser that they talented its opponents points successful nan overgarment disconnected nan turnovers. As a team, Mizzou averaged 12.4 turnovers a crippled to lead nan full SEC.

Clearly, this is thing that nan Canes will look to return afloat advantage of connected Friday night. If Mizzou doesn’t protect nan basketball, Miami wins nan possession battle.

Mark Mitchell has poured his bosom and psyche into Missouri Tigers hoops and nan tests and tribulation of Mizzou hoops hasn’t ever loved him back. In his past 2 games, nan defender dropped 32 points a portion against SEC foes Arkansas and Kentucky. That Mitchell will request to beryllium coming against nan Miami Hurricanes.

He’ll beryllium cardinal connected nan glass, dominating nan overgarment and moreover dropping a 3 each now and again. His expertise to onslaught and create discourtesy erstwhile shots aren’t falling has been a logic nan Tigers person stuck astir successful games they had nary business coming backmost in.

His prowess will beryllium important successful keeping nan Tiger discourtesy enactment balanced and composed successful a high-paced, stressful environment.

Final Score: Mizzou 77 - Miami 72

The past point I wanted to bring up complete nan people of this article was nan grounds of Gates successful March. While nan squad has had 3 berths to nan NCAA tourney successful Gates’ 4 yars, they’ve only picked up 1 win.

However, it’s clip for a change, right?

The past clip these 2 teams faced disconnected successful this tourney was successful 2002 erstwhile nan 12-seed Tigers took down a 5-seed Canes by a people of 93-80. So, different imaginable upset successful nan books huh. Now, according to nan ESPN Tournament Challenge, since 1985, No. 7 seeds person won 61.3% of meetings pinch No.10 seeds. Last twelvemonth was nan first clip aggregate 10-seeds came distant pinch a triumph since 2021.

For nan naysayers looking astatine Mizzou’s play closing pinch 3 consecutive losses, I raise you that they play amended hoops arsenic an underdog. They emotion to beryllium group incorrect and you must person each nan dream successful nan world that it translates Friday nighttime arsenic well.

To win, Mizzou conscionable needs to play its ain crippled and its champion level. These 2 teams person a very akin style of play and it could travel down to who protects nan shot more. Plus, what amended measurement to find your groove erstwhile you’re playing pinch location tribunal advantage. Perhaps nan champion cardinal to a triumph is having nan Tiger religious wrong a two-hour thrust for a first information game. The achromatic and golden fans will beryllium retired successful droves pushing Gates and unit to nan champion type of itself.

In March, there’s nary measurement to foretell what will hap next. That’s nan beauty of this tournament. However, I judge Mizzou walks distant nan victors.