Five things to look for in Mizzou’s exhibition game against Central Missouri
The Missouri Tigers are finally playing basketball against a different opponent, not just the same faces every day in practice.
After reports and comments of how competitive and fiery the Tigers’ practices have been, they have a chance to show that on the Mizzou Arena court during Friday’s exhibition game against Central Missouri.
“There’s been a lot of battling going on,” guard Javon Pickett said. “Tomorrow’s the start. ... It feels so good to be able to go to a real game with fans. Taking that aggression out on another team.”
Here are five things to look for in Friday’s game, which tips off at 7 p.m. and will not be televised.
- Who’s starting? While Jeremiah Tilmon, Mark Smith and Dru Smith figure to start, the other two spots are still up in the air for MU coach Cuonzo Martin’s team. Guards Torrence Watson and Pickett figure to be in the mix at the wing, along with Xavier Pinson, who picked up his share of minutes last season. All three are vying for a starting role and each bring back experience after playing as freshmen last year. Freshman Tray Jackson and junior Mitchell Smith are in the mix depending on how Martin uses the forward position or elects to lean more on his guards. But at the same time ...
- Don’t read too much into the rotation. After all, this is just an exhibition game. Maybe the first minutes might show what the Tigers will eventually look like in the regular season. If the Tigers get out to a big lead against Division II Central Missouri, Martin will have a chance to tinker with some rotations and see how some players mesh.
- The other Smith. While Tigers fans know of Mark Smith and his three-point shooting, Dru Smith sat out last season after transferring to Mizzou. His last full season at Evansville, he averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 assists per game. Teammates have already gushed about his passing, including Watson claiming Dru Smith might end up as the SEC’s best passer this year. While it’s far too early for those kinds of proclamations, there’s a lot of hope and potential resting on the 6-foot-3 guard’s shoulders. Dru Smith said he’s excited to show what he brings to the team.
- The depth. While there’s no Porter brother to point at this year, the Tigers should feature a wealth of depth beyond the starters. The guards — from the two Smiths to Pinson, Pickett, Watson and others — will allow Martin to play matchups or whoever has the hot hand. Martin also said Tilmon should get some all-SEC recognition, adding he’s one of the best in the league. Experience dots the roster. There’s a reason Martin seemed stiffed when the SEC media polls picked his team as 13th of 14th. Of course, that all depends on the team’s health, which hasn’t been a guarantee recently. Luckily, right now, everyone’s good to go.
- Freshman excitement. The Tigers brought in three newcomers in their recruiting class, with some type of hope associated with all three. Jackson figures to be the headliner, as the Detroit native was the No. 85 prospect according to 247Sports. Both Mario McKinney and Kobe Brown have gotten good marks, though, and Martin pointed out how all three of them are still learning the college games — and the physical demands that come with it.
Souichi Terada
The Kansas City Star