Missouri knows first-hand, no opponent should be taken lightly.
That’s the reality for the Tigers after a 73-72 loss at home to previously winless Jackson State. Missouri will try to regroup Wednesday against South Carolina State in Columbia, Mo.
The Tigers (3-2) turned the ball over 18 times against Jackson State. They rotated through 13 players and never sustained an offensive rhythm.
Forward Jesus Carralero Martin had six assists for Missouri in the defeat, but the other 12 players combined for just 13.
“I think our guys are going to use this as a lesson to be able to move forward,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. “And we have an opportunity Wednesday to do that. We’re gonna watch the film, we’re gonna learn from it, we’ll practice and do the things that we need to do leading up to it and we’ll prepare.”
The Tigers will try to apply lessons against the Bulldogs (2-3) at Mizzou Arena. Gates will be relying on guards Sean East II (14.0 points per game) and Nick Honor (12.8) and forward Noah Carter (12.0, 6.4 rebounds per game) to lead the way.
The Bulldogs are in the midst of a six-game road stretch and coming off a 90-70 loss at Tulsa.
South Carolina State leans on its guards — freshman Mitchel Taylor (12.0 points, 4.0 assists per game) and junior Omar Croskey (10.4 ppg) — but is also deep and capable of playing big.
The Bulldogs played 10 players in every game this season with 11 players averaging double-figure minutes. With four players on the roster at 6-foot-10 or taller, including Drayton Jones, who averages 5.8 rebounds per game, South Carolina State can play big or go to a small ball set.
“When you play guys who can defend, you can just switch everything,” South Carolina State coach Erik Martin said. “There will come a time when the big guys will be needed. We know that defense and rebounding travel. We have to be good at defense and rebounding if we’re going to win. I put a premium on that in practice. If you don’t defend, you don’t play. If you don’t rebound, you don’t play.”
–Field Level Media
