With Jontay Porter out, where does Missouri look for scoring and rebounding?

By Alex Schiffer

Updated October 25, 2018 4:14 PM

Columbia

Jontay Porter’s season-ending knee injury brought up a ton of questions that the Mizzou basketball team can’t immediately answer. The season is approaching, and the player Cuonzo Martin thought would be the focal point of his offense is now on the sidelines.

Here are some questions and possible options Missouri has to grapple with because of Porter’s injury:

Frontcourt depth

Porter and Jeremiah Tilmon were supposed to be Missouri’s starters down low, a rare combination of 6-foot-11 talent that isn’t seen much in the college game. Now the onus is on Tilmon, who has a history of foul trouble, to stay healthy and on the floor for Missouri.

The Tigers only have nine available scholarship players as of Monday, with K.J. Santos sidelined because of a fractured foot. Mitchell Smith and Reed Nikko will be counted on for major minutes and walk-on and Blue Valley Northwest graduate Parker Braun might be needed as well.

Scoring

Porter had transitioned from a role player to alpha-dog and was expected to take 15 to 20 shots per game as the Tigers’ go-to scorer. Missouri can’t replace him with just one player. Cuonzo Martin has praised freshman Torrence Watson’s ability to get to the basket, but that’s a lot to put on a first-year player who was a top-50 recruit out of high school.

The program is currently waiting on waivers to get transfers Mark Smith and Dru Smith eligible for this season. Getting either one of those players on the floor could help, but a team effort is needed to replace Porter’s scoring. Kevin Puryear will need to contribute as will freshmen Christian Guess and Javon Pickett.

Some fans have compared the situation to Frank Haith’s first team at Missouri, which had one true big in Ricardo Ratliffe and four shooters to space the floor. The problem is this Missouri team doesn’t have nearly the level of shooting, passing and experience of Kim English, Phil Pressey, Michael Dixon and Marcus Denmon.

If Missouri had Kassius Robertson and Jordan Barnett back, a case could be made, but Jordan Geist is the only reliable shooter on this roster after shooting 36 percent from three-point territory last season. The jury is out as to where MU turns when it needs a bucket — and that likely won’t be determined until the games start.

Rebounding

Porter was a walking double-double when he got hot and averaged 6.8 rebounds per game last season. Tilmon only averaged 4.2 boards because of foul trouble. The same argument for Tilmon staying on the floor for depth purposes can be made for rebounding. Missouri needs him to be active on the glass without drawing a whistle.

Puryear, Santos, Braun, Smith and Guess will be looked at to help. Puryear has been a double-double threat in the past. Guess said when he committed in September that he tried to be an aggressive rebounder in high school. That attitude will have to carry over.

Leadership

This is the one area where Missouri will be fine. Porter said at SEC Tipoff last week that he’s tried to lead more by his play, while Puryear and Geist run the locker room. Puryear has seen a lot in his career and the team had a similar injury situation with Michael Porter Jr. last season, except there’s no hope for a comeback with Jontay Porter.

But at least Martin knows who he can count on in the locker room from a leadership standpoint.