Here’s what has led to Xavier Pinson’s scoring outburst as Mizzou basketball stays hot
There were the flashes, the glimpses of the playmaker Missouri guard Xavier Pinson was becoming during the season.
There was the poster dunk against Florida. There was the Braggin’ Rights win over Illinois, when Pinson scored 14 points. There was the second half against Georgia, where Pinson was crucial in a 20-point comeback victory.
When a then-freshman Pinson started 12 of the final 14 games last year, fans hoped he was poised to take the next step this season.
After some bumps and injuries forced Pinson into the starting lineup, the Chicago native has arrived. Pinson has dazzled the past four games, the exclamation point a 32-point performance to defeat Ole Miss.
“I never get too low, never get too big-headed or anything,” Pinson said. “I just try to stay humble and keep working. I feel like they put their trust into me, I trust them 100%. I just feel like I’ll keep working them and my coaches and keep trying to get even better.”
While Pinson has powered Mizzou to wins in three of the past four games, he’s improved in nearly facet of his game. From a basic level, he’s shooting 54.9% on field goals over the stretch compared to 35.1% in his first 22 games.
In digging further, Pinson’s impact is showcased in one stat: field goal percentage at the rim. According to Hoop-Math.com, Pinson has seen a major increase over the last stretch.
While the 6-foot-2 guard is considered to play above the rim often — showcased by his athleticism — he’s struggled finishing near the basket. Pinson’s field goal percentage at the rim was 44.4%, a worrisome mark for a player known to be a driver. Even when he attacked defenses, he couldn’t finish the job.
Over the past four games, that number jumped to 63.6%. While it’s a small sample size, it shows how Pinson has been so dangerous off the dribble. He has always been unafraid to attack the basket, but instead of shots clanging off the rim, they’re finding the bottom of the net.
Once Pinson’s three-point shots are sinking, it’s nearly “impossible” to guard him, Dru Smith noted. It means defenders need to respect Pinson’s jump shot. But that leads to an open driving lane, Pinson said, as different facets of his game feed off each other.
“Just seeing the confidence he’s playing with is very impressive,” Smith said. “We’re all proud of him. We all knew he had this in him, we really did. It’s just great to see it come out, see all his hard work paying off.”
While Pinson has starred the past few games, it also came down to opportunity. He’s playing and shooting more, seeing an increase in minutes per game (21.2 to 32.3) and field goal attempts (7.0 to 12.8).
Pinson is on the court more because guard Mark Smith went down because of a lower back injury. Despite Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin preferring Pinson to come off the bench, Mark Smith’s injury forced Pinson to the starting lineup.
Once the Tigers shifted their game plan to boost Pinson’s attack-first style, that has carried a red-hot Mizzou team to three wins in four games.
“He’s obviously put the work in,” Martin said of Pinson. “Just gotta keep him moving, attacking, playing in space. But he’s also making shots, that’s the preparation and the work that he’s put in. … He’s never a guy that lacks confidence, but he’s playing with a high level of confidence.”