Missouri-LSU men’s basketball preview
LSU at Missouri
P | No. | Missouri | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 3 | Johnathan Williams III | 6-9 | So. | 13.5 |
F | 23 | Jakeenan Gant | 6-8 | Fr. | 7.3 |
C | 45 | Keanau Post | 6-11 | Sr. | 2.5 |
G | 14 | Keith Shamburger | 5-11 | Sr. | 8.2 |
G | 15 | Wes Clark | 6-0 | So. | 8.6 |
P | No. | LSU | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 1 | Jarell Martin | 6-10 | So. | 18.2 |
F | 21 | Aaron Epps | 6-9 | Fr. | 1.3 |
F | 25 | Jordan Mickey | 6-8 | So. | 16.3 |
G | 4 | Keith Hornsby | 6-4 | Jr. | 12.2 |
G | 5 | Josh Gray | 6-1 | Jr. | 9.8 |
▪ WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m. Thursday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia
▪ TV/RADIO: ESPN2; KMBZ (980 AM)
▪ ABOUT MISSOURI (6-7, 0-0 SEC): Missouri lugs a sub-.500 record into conference play for the first time since 1978-79, when the Tigers went 4-5 during nonconference play before finishing eighth at the final Big Eight Holiday Tournament in Kansas City. Missouri will be without junior guard Deuce Bello, who is suspended because of academic issues, for a third straight game. The Tigers also likely will be without freshman guard and second-leading scorer Montaque Gill-Caesar (back spasms). MU must rebound well against an LSU squad with a plus-6.4 rebounding margin, third best in the SEC.
▪ ABOUT LSU (11-2, 0-0 SEC): Coach Johnny Jones’ squad boasts one of the top frontcourt duos in the nation with sophomores Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey. Martin leads the SEC in scoring at 18.2 points per game and ranks third with 8.9 rebounds per game, while Mickey ranks fifth in scoring at 16.3 points and second with 10.3 rebounds per game. Mickey, who is one of two SEC players averaging a double-double along with Auburn’s Cinmeon Bowers, also leads the conference with 3.6 blocks per game.
| Tod Palmer, tpalmer@kcstar.com
This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Missouri-LSU men’s basketball preview."