The Missouri Tigers (7-1, 6-0 at home) have been on a hot streak, consistently dominating their competition and scoring over 100 points on multiple ocassions.
Their first real test since the opening-game loss at Memphis came Tuesday night against Cal, in a game where Mizzou was down by 16 at the half.
Head coach Dennis Gates made all the right adjustments, and Mizzou opened the second half with an 8-0 run, eventually winning the thriller against the Golden Bears.
That’s a great win for Gates and the rest of the team, especially considering they were without their leading scorer, Caleb Grill, who is also out for Sunday’s clash with a lingering neck/spinal injury.
Though the win is huge, Mizzou must look ahead to just its second Power Four conference game of the season, against none other than its biggest rivals. The Jayhawks are currently ranked No. 1, but are coming off a loss to Creighton.
Despite the loss, Kansas has been nothing short of dominant to start the 2024-25 campaign. Prior to their loss to the Bluejays, they notched wins against Howard, No. 20 UNC, Michigan State, Oakland, UNCW, Furman, and No. 9 Duke.
The past matchups have proven to be a struggle for Mizzou, as they’ve lost 9 of the last 10 games against the Jayhawks and haven’t picked up a win over their rival since early 2012, nearly 13 years ago.
Last December, these teams faced off at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The Tigers trailed throughout the contest, and though a late surge cut the lead to single digits, they ultimately fell 73-64.
The main player to watch is definitely 5th-year Hunter Dickinson, playing in his second season in Lawrence after three outstanding years with the Michigan Wolverines.
The 7-foot-2, 265-pound monster leads the top-ranked Jayhawks in minutes, points, rebounds, and blocks. While his stats have dipped from previous years, his efficiency has remained consistent across the board.
The 2023-24 All-American and Big 12 First Teamer has averaged 14.5 points per game, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and over a block and a steal per night, all while limiting his turnovers to just 1.5 per game and his fouls to under 2 per game.
KJ ➡️ Hunt for the OOP 👀#PayHeed x @H_Dickinson24 pic.twitter.com/RDCEamicmJ
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 20, 2024
Along with Dickinson, another 5th-year player, Dajuan Harris Jr., is a huge threat defensively. Originally from Columbia, Missouri, this game clearly means more to him than most.
Harris is right up there with Dickinson in terms of minutes, having shown the ability to lead an elite squad over the past four seasons. Since his freshman season in 2020-21, Harris has started 117 of 118 games.
Similar to Dickinson, he’s a great scorer inside but doesn’t pose a threat from beyond the arc, averaging 47% from the field and 85% from the free-throw line, but well under 30% from deep, while taking under three per game.
Beyond that, Harris is good for double-digit points each night, along with multiple rebounds. Where he really excels is in his ability to pass and defend any type of offensive player. He averages 6 assists and 2 steals per game, and he heavily limits the shooting percentage of the players he defends.
That’s our PG 🔥#RockChalk x @DajuanH10 pic.twitter.com/IaJQxiMsvi
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) December 2, 2024
A lot rides on this clash between two of the best rivals in sports, and it will be settled Sunday, Dec. 8, at noon CST.