COLUMBIA | When last we saw Missouri as a ranked team, the program&#8217;s fall had commenced.</p><p>On Jan. 3, 2004, the Tigers were No. 23 in the Associated Press poll, having already surrendered 20 spots in three weeks. The rest of the season was a bitter concoction of injuries, suspensions and terrible chemistry all under the cloud of the Ricky Clemons saga.</p><p>That team missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years, and Mizzou has not returned.</p><p>But with Saturday&#8217;s 78-44 victory over Stetson, the upwardly mobile Tigers just may find themselves among the rated with Nos. 22-24 losing this week and Missouri three places out of the top 25. A number next to the name would add flavor to Tuesday&#8217;s showdown with Illinois that suddenly looks like one of the better pre-Christmas encounters.</p><p>More than that, Missouri has the look of a team that intends to participate beyond mid-March. First-year coach Mike Anderson has these Tigers playing that well.</p><p>First year?</p><p>In a way, yes.</p><p>It&#8217;s taken Anderson three years in Columbia to assemble a team he can coach, to collect a group that wants to be coached.</p><p>&#8220;They understand their roles, and I look forward to coaching them every single day,&#8221; Anderson said.</p><p>This may be the first time since replacing Quin Snyder that Anderson could say that. He seemed more flustered baby-sitter than coach with the earlier editions.</p><p>But now Missouri is the right mix of veterans in seniors DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence, pass-first guards J.T. Tiller and Zaire Taylor and talented newcomers.</p><p>Carroll and Lyons give the Tigers something many major programs don&#8217;t have: senior front-liners a notch below the NBA level. They can play away from the basket, drawing the other bigs, and change the nature of a game.</p><p>That didn&#8217;t happen Saturday, in what mostly was a defensive lockdown effort. Missouri forced Stetson into one-of-17 three-point shooting, although as Hatters coach Derek Waugh noted, &#8220;we&#8217;re not a good shooting team, anyway.&#8221;</p><p>Missouri slopped around offensively much of the first half and led comfortably 27-18, which was better than the first-half performance against this program two years ago. In Anderson&#8217;s third game as Mizzou&#8217;s coach, Stetson led by two at halftime.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a different Missouri team,&#8221; Waugh said. &#8220;He&#8217;s more comfortable with what he has now. It fits his style, his personality.&#8221;</p><p>Anderson isn&#8217;t giving his players that &#8220;what are you doing?&#8221; gaze. This season has included more moments like the one he shared with freshman Kim English, among the team&#8217;s best shooters.</p><p>About 12 minutes remained and the game was safe when English launched an off-balance, guarded three.</p><p>The shot brought Anderson to his feet, and he looked down the bench as if to substitute, but knowing the next whistle would bring a media timeout, did nothing. When the team approached, he intercepted English for a gentle, one-sided conversation that ended with a back slap.</p><p>On the next possession, English twice passed up deep threes, put it on the floor and drove hard, drawing contact. English got the either-or foul, but the point had registered and a young player learned.</p><p>There is much more to learn about this team. Can Anderson continue a 10- or 11-man rotation? That&#8217;s usually too many, although the one thing we know about Missouri through 10 games is it&#8217;s remarkably unselfish.</p><p>Who will create at crunch time? Top Big 12 teams have talent that can break down a defense. The Tigers have good passers.</p><p>More immediately, can they get over the Illinois hump? The losing streak is eight.</p><p>We&#8217;ll know all this in a matter of days and weeks. What Lawrence knows is this team is 9-1, just like Anderson&#8217;s first team. But the record was all they had in common.</p><p>&#8220;This is the best team I&#8217;ve played on,&#8221; he said.