Once Missouri basketball’s strength, Tigers’ depth tested amid injuries
Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin and the Tigers knew their rotation was likely shortened against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday.
Mizzou forward Jeremiah Tilmon and guard Mark Smith were both game time decisions — crucial players and two of the Tigers’ three leading scorers. They’re both vital to what Mizzou does on both sides of the ball.
Tilmon has sat out since the SEC opener against Kentucky with a stress fracture in his left foot. But Mark Smith’s injury was recent, suffering a lower back issue that kept him out of the second half of the Georgia win. Martin said both are considered “day to day” going forward.
When guard Xavier Pinson and forward Mitchell Smith battled foul trouble against the Gamecocks, the impact was magnified. At one point, walk-on Evan Yerkes subbed onto the court for 29 seconds in the first half despite largely playing only garbage time minutes throughout the season.
What was once Mizzou’s greatest strength — its depth — was severely tested in its 76-54 loss to South Carolina. Little went right for the Tigers (10-11, 2-6 SEC) in a slog of an offensive effort and blowout to the Gamecocks (13-8, 5-3).
“We were moving too fast with not a lot of focus in the first half,” Martin said. “We dug ourselves a hole and we fought to get out of that hole.”
While Martin said the Tigers’ bench pieces are all able to make shots, those shots didn’t fall on Saturday. It was another chapter in what’s been a trying season on offense for the Tigers, though the characters were tweaked this time.
Pinson was forced into the starting lineup in Mark Smith’s absence. While Pinson scored 12 points and led the team, it was on an inefficient 3-for-11 performance, including 0 for 7 on two-pointers. There was a lot more of Pinson and Dru Smith together on the floor as well, both ball handlers pushed into action.
“I really like (Pinson) coming off the bench,” Martin said. “It’s a little different for him at the point guard position, not as a starter. You move Dru over. It’s just a little different. But we have to make that adjustment.”
There were some shreds of positives, including freshman Tray Jackson, who scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds.
The 6-foot-8 forward played a season-high 16 minutes, showcasing his athleticism that fans were excited about when he signed with Mizzou. But there were also the growing pains, including a couple bad turnovers like stepping on the sideline in preparation for a drive.
“He was solid,” Martin said of Jackson. “It’s a valuable game to learn from. Athletic team, experienced team. It’s great for him. I think he has to continue to improve his stamina to be able to play longer minutes. But he’s a guy that has the scorer’s mentality.”
But Saturday’s game came down to how Mizzou’s depth pieces played in a road environment fresh off an impressive comeback win over Georgia. South Carolina ultimately overpowered the shorthanded Tigers. Mizzou now hopes both Mark Smith and Tilmon are able to go for its next game against Texas A&M at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
“We have a lot of players that can come in, like next man up,” guard Javon Pickett said. “Everybody can come in the game and be ready. Just because Mark didn’t play this game, we can’t let that have a hold on us. We gotta continue to go out there and play that type of game.”