Slow starts become season-long trend for Mizzou basketball after second straight loss
In the opening minutes Tuesday, it looked just like night before for the Missouri Tigers. The Oklahoma Sooners were red-hot early, the Tigers down double digits — the same opening script from MU’s loss to Butler.
Slow starts have become a theme for Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin’s team, which fell to 4-3 after two defeats and a fourth-place finish in the Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center. The 77-66 loss to 6-1 Oklahoma on Tuesday was just the latest example of the Tigers struggling out of the gate.
“We really need to communicate better defensively and make some adjustments,” guard Mark Smith said. “We just talked about it in our locker room. We really got to find a way to get the first five to seven minutes, coming out a lot better.”
While Butler stymied any chance of a comeback on Monday, Mizzou strung together runs against Oklahoma. The Tigers, once down 18 points to the Sooners in the first half, cut it to a one-point deficit with 10 minutes left in the game.
The comeback bid was because of Smith and forward Jeremiah Tilmon. Mizzou’s leading scorers coming into the tournament combined for four points vs. Butler. After overcoming their own personal slow starts, they willed Mizzou back into the game Tuesday. Smith scored 18 points while Tilmon added 13, the inside-outside game working well between the two.
But the Tigers couldn’t get over the hump once they got close. With the game still undecided, Oklahoma used an 8-0 run to squash any chance of a Mizzou win.
“It was a tough sequence,” Smith said. “We just had some key turnovers and they made some big shots. It kind of swung the momentum back their way. We just try to keep fighting.”
Martin said his players would get amped up from the pro-Mizzou crowd, feeding off the energy. It then led to the wrong guy making the wrong play, leading to a missed shot or turnover.
“You have to still be aggressive and you have to be confident on the floor,” Martin said. “But the right guys have to be in position to make plays.”
The slow starts aren’t against only power conference opponents like Oklahoma, Butler or even Xavier, where Mizzou was down 15 in the first half.
In victories over Wofford and Northern Kentucky, Mizzou started off sluggish. The only difference is quality of opponent. When the talent levels are equal, it’s difficult for the Tigers to overcome a large deficit and win.
Facing Butler and Oklahoma, Martin’s vaunted defense also struggled early. The Sooners made their first eight field goal attempts before Mizzou settled down.
The Tigers allowed a season-high 77 points to Oklahoma. No team had scored more than 63 points against Mizzou before Tuesday night.
“It’s a matter of not doing it because it’s what we talk about, but doing it because of our pride and understand what it brings to the table,” Martin said. “Then we have the chance to be successful. Then you have to keep understanding that when we defend, these are the results of playing great defense. You have to do it consistently.”
The Tigers return to practice on Friday, a short break during Thanksgiving. Then they play host to Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Mizzou Arena.
“This loss is paining everybody in the right way,” Smith said. “To come back and get better. … I think everyone’s coming back in the right way.”