Mizzou basketball has this edge as the Tigers open practice in the COVID-19 era
The Missouri Tigers have one of the oldest men’s basketball teams in the country, armed with battle-tested upperclassmen in MU coach Cuonzo Martin’s fourth year.
That’s an advantage, Martin said, with the season opener six weeks away. Experience in 2020-21 is arguably more important as things can change on the fly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tigers took the court Wednesday for their first official practice of the season — 216 days since their 2019-20 season was canceled early because of the pandemic. MU held a 15-16 record entering the SEC Tournament.
“You gain experience over time,” Martin said Wednesday after practice. “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re experienced. But I think our guys are experienced. They’ve seen a lot. They’ve been through a lot just in injuries alone and making adjustments. They’ve seen it all.”
The start to the season comes with its own set of questions. MU won’t play Kansas at the T-Mobile Center to renew the Border War rivalry. Martin said they’re still working through logistics of a tournament in Orlando, which should be wrapped up by this week. Other facets of their nonconference schedule are still in the works.
There are a slew of new rules coming off the court, too. The NCAA Division I Council reportedly voted in favor of giving winter athletes another year of eligibility, similar to fall players. The name, image and likeness decision is around the corner in January 2021. There will also be a one-time transfer rule that will likely be passed in the spring.
That leaves Martin and his program with their heads on a “swivel,” he said, navigating how those changes could impact the sport’s landscape.
“We just have to make the necessary adjustment as coaches and staff when we get to April and May, if you have seniors that want to return,” Martin said. “You have some that are going to live their lives, some that want to return, some that want to now work toward their master’s. That’s only an individual basis.”
The on-court Mizzou product should feature Martin’s most talented team since his first year in Columbia, when the Tigers qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Martin said some players have had COVID-19 over the past few months, but they’re healthy and practicing.
This team features seniors Dru Smith, Jeremiah Tilmon and Mark Smith and mixes in juniors Xavier Pinson and Javon Pickett. Add transfers Drew Buggs and Ed Chang, along with key depth pieces Mitchell Smith and Parker Braun, and that adds up to a wealth of returning production.
“We just understand that obviously it’s bigger than us, it’s bigger than basketball,” Dru Smith said of playing while COVID-19 is spreading. “We’re just trying to make sure that we’re doing everything we can in here in the arena to stay safe and still get the work that we need, still prepare for the season that looks like it’s coming up.”
Mizzou’s final roster came together once Tilmon, Mitchell Smith and Pinson announced they were coming back. The trio tested the NBA Draft waters, getting feedback and areas of improvement to potentially play at the pro level one day.
Tilmon said he got specific advice from the NBA: run the floor more, crash the glass for rebounds and hit the trail three-pointer. That’s been a point of emphasis for him in past seasons as he looks to incorporate some range into his game.
“I just got a lot of work in with a lot of different people,” Pinson said about the NBA looks. “I really didn’t use the process of getting my feet wet with the NBA the right way because of COVID. But I did do all of the things that I could possible to get information about the league and see what I had to do to take the next steps.”
While the Tigers aim to get back to March Madness, Martin looked to specific areas of improvement: Knock down open three-pointers, play defense without fouling and to limit turnovers. Martin specifically pointed out the fouls, adding it stunted the Tigers of any momentum when they allowed opponents to the free-throw line at one of the worst marks in the nation.
The Tigers also battled injuries through Martin’s first three years, with Tilmon missing a bulk of the SEC season because of a stress fracture.
That’s in the past, but Martin said that could be a potential positive in terms of experience. He said that’s allowed his players to adjust to suddenly being down a playmaker — a crucial area when COVID-19 could hamper teams and players at any time.
“They’re resilient enough, whatever the next thing is, we’ll deal with that,” Martin said. “We don’t have guys that complain and make excuses. We play the hand we’re dealt and let the chips fall where they may.”