• WHEN/WHERE: 4 p.m. Saturday at Mizzou Arena
University of Missouri
Missouri vs. SIU-Edwardsville basketball preview
November 9
• TV/RADIO: Metro Sports; KMBZ (980 AM, 98.1 FM)
| P | No | SIU-Edwardsville | Ht. | Yr. | PPG* |
| F | 14 | Derian Shaffer | 6-7 | Sr. | 10.0 |
| F | 33 | Mark Yelovich | 6-6 | Sr. | 8.0 |
| G | 1 | Kris Davis | 6-2 | So. | 11.5 |
| G | 2 | Maurice Wiltz | 6-2 | So. | 14.0 |
| G | 4 | Tim Johnson | 6-4 | Jr. | 15.5 |
• ABOUT SIU-EDWARDSVILLE: The Cougars return four starters, including their top three scorers from a team that went 10-17 last season. But it’s worth noting that they did win five of their last eight games, and sixth-year coach Lennox Forrester earned a contract extension. So his team is experienced and headed in the right direction, which means it might be capable of putting up a fight.
| P | No | Missouri | Ht. | Yr. | PPG* |
| F | 21 | Laurence Bowers | 6-8 | Sr. | 12.5 |
| F | 33 | Earnest Ross | 6-5 | Jr. | 16 |
| C | 42 | Alex Oriakhi | 6-9 | Sr. | 7.0 |
| G | 5 | Keion Bell. | 6-4 | Sr. | 20 |
| G | 1 | Phil Pressey | 5-11 | Jr. | 6.0 |
*Preseason statistics
• ABOUT MISSOURI: The No. 15 Tigers open the season ranked in the top 25 for the third consecutive year. Last year’s senior-led group — which went 30-5 and won the Big 12 tournament title — will be hard to top, both in terms of their achievement on the court and their overall unselfishness. But if this year’s team — which is bigger and deeper — finds a way to capture some of that same spirit, the Tigers have a chance to make a deep run in March.
• BOTTOM LINE: Missouri beat SIU-Edwardsville 107-57 the last time the two teams met (during the 2008-09 season). The margin won’t be as great this time around — MU has several players still learning how to play together — but the Tigers should still win handily.
| Terez A. Paylor, tpaylor@kcstar.com
