‘That’s what we gotta hang our hat on:’ Mizzou Tigers defense struggling in SEC play
When the Missouri Tigers struggle on offense — whether it’s the turnovers or missed three-pointers — they always lean on their defense.
It’s what Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin built his program on: A defense to offense principle that thrives on physically grinding past opponents. That foundation was exemplified in Mizzou’s Braggin’ Rights win against Illinois.
But in SEC play, the Tigers’ defense has taken a step back.
In their first four conference games, the Tigers have allowed more than 70 points three times. The one time they held an opponent under that mark was a 69-59 defeat to Tennessee. The four-game stretch comes after they only allowed one opponent in nonconference play to score more than 70 points.
When the Tigers can’t hit shots and can’t rely on that defensive identity, they crumble. That mix of inefficient offense and a porous defense was displayed in Mizzou’s blowout 72-45 loss to Mississippi State.
“We gave them too much comfort offensively,” Martin said of the Bulldogs. “Didn’t have a physical presence. The two bigs did a good job getting baskets around the rim. Then you have guys that hadn’t made shots, make shots, so they got their heads up.”
While the Tigers (9-7, 1-3 SEC) came in averaging 58.9 points allowed per game, the Bulldogs (10-6, 1-3) were unfazed. They efficiently scored 72 points on 54.5% shooting — a season high field goal percentage allowed by the Mizzou defense.
Guard Dru Smith said the Tigers allowed the Bulldogs to get to their spots on the floor too easily. Mississippi State then made those comfortable shots, the exact ones the scouting report warned of. The Bulldogs started 6 of 7 from the floor as they blitzed to an early lead the Tigers didn’t fight back from.
“No matter what the ball’s doing — whether it’s going in, whether it’s not, whether we’re hitting shots — we gotta be locked in,” Smith said. “We can’t let that affect our energy, especially defensively. That’s what we gotta hang our hat on anyways.”
SEC teams have put points up on Mizzou in varying ways. Kentucky and Florida got to the free throw line often, combining for 62 free throw attempts in the two games. Tennessee shot the ball well as the defense allowed season-highs in several categories.
Mississippi State relied on its big men and getting inside the paint. The Bulldogs held a 38-24 advantage in points in the paint. They were also led by forward Reggie Perry, who scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
“It’s real difficult when you let your opponent score that many points,” guard Javon Pickett said. “Then you put yourself in a bad spot. We just gotta go in, watch film, see what we did wrong. Make sure that we just gotta study more.”
When Mizzou defeated Florida, there were worrying trends from the defense. The Gators scored 1.103 points per possession on their way to 75 points, the second-highest total yielded by Mizzou this season. But an explosive offense masked any worries as the Tigers blew out Florida.
Mizzou looks to regroup ahead of their game against Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
“We’re very confident in ourselves,” Pickett said. “For us, we just gotta continue keeping our heads, play hard the whole game. Be aggressive. Making sure that we stay on each other when things aren’t going the best way.”
McKinney transfer portal
Martin had no comment on former Mizzou guard Mario McKinney Jr., who entered the transfer portal Tuesday. McKinney played in seven games for the Tigers, averaging 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. The St. Louis guard was suspended indefinitely by Martin before entering the portal.
“We wish him the best,” Martin said.