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Mizzou Men's Basketball: A Week In Review (Week 1)

After Week 1 of the College Basketball Season, the Tigers stand at 1-1.

By Aaron Marks

Nov 8, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Marcus Allen (4) shoots a layup as Howard Bison guard Bryce Harris (34) defends during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Marcus Allen (4) shoots a layup as Howard Bison guard Bryce Harris (34) defends during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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Week 1 of Mizzou Men’s Basketball was definitely a rollercoaster, to say the least. They opened the season at FedExForum this past Monday, facing off against the Memphis Tigers. The Tigers started off hot, ending the first half up by 10 points. However, the second half was nothing short of a disaster. What was a 10-point lead at the half for Mizzou quickly evaporated as Memphis began to chip away at the lead. After a few turnovers, the margin was trimmed to 4, prompting Coach Dennis Gates to call a timeout. Shortly after, a big three from Tyrese Hunter put Memphis ahead, and they never looked back, as Mizzou fell to 0-1.

What looked good vs. Memphis:

  • Defense looked very active in the first half and Mizzou seemed to capitalize on its double team opportunities
  • Transition offense

What looked bad vs Memphis: 

  • The second half collapse
  • Missed free throws
  • Lack of spacing offensively
  • Press break
  • Lack of ball handlers
  • Foul Trouble in the second half
  • 11 turnovers in the second half alone

Coming off the loss, Mizzou hosted Howard for its home opener. In the first half of that game, the Tigers looked sharp defensively, with their rotations on point nearly all night. Additionally, the Tigers were strong inside the arc, shooting an impressive 21-of-29. However, outside the arc, it was a different story as they went 3-of-22 on 3-point attempts. Tamar Bates was the only Tiger to knock down a 3 in the contest. Despite the 15-point victory, it took 35 minutes for the Tigers to finally put the Bison away.

What looked good vs. Howard:

  • Defensive rotations
  • Free throw shooting much improved
  • Tamar Bates put together a very solid game
  • Transition offense
  • Interior defense 
  • Freshman Annor Boateng and Marcus Allen both saw decent playing time (9 and 12 minutes respectively)

What looked bad vs. Howard:

  • 3 point shooting
  • Offensive scheme doesn’t look look fluid yet
  • Seem to often settle for bad looks (specifically from 3)

Takeaways from the week:

  • Free throw shooting is going to be imperative for this team. On Monday, it cost them the game, while on Friday, it provided a way to score when the offense didn’t perform well.
  • A primary ball handler is needed for this team, and it looks like Marques Warrick and Anthony Robinson II will fill that role for the Tigers.
  • Mizzou played man-to-man defense nearly the whole game against Howard, and they looked really solid. In contrast, against Memphis, Mizzou ran a matchup zone, and their backside rotation looked off.

Current Record: 1-1 (0-0 in SEC play)

Upcoming Games:

Monday: Home vs. Eastern Washington (6pm CST)

Thursday: Home vs. Mississippi Valley State (6:30pm CST)

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