Every week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond answers questions from Tiger fans in the mailbag. This format allows for a more expansive answer than a message board post. Keep your eye out each week to submit your question for the mailbag or send them to powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries.
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jdw985 asks: With CVL out for the year and if MPJ doesn't come back, is Jordan Barnett going to have to play some minutes at 2-guard? Or do you think Cuonzo trusts Brett Rau to play 5 minutes off the bench to give Geist and Kassius a couple minutes rest for each per game?
GD: I think Rau is going to have to play no matter what. He'll play less if Porter does return, but even if Mike plays, I don't know that he can play enough to mean Rau doesn't play at all. The conference tournament will be interesting. If you're trying to play three games in three days or four in four days, you've got to be careful with minutes. I don't think you can run Barnett and Robertson out there for 156 minutes in four days then ask them to get on a plane and go play the NCAA Tournament. Minutes have to be managed...which is a big part of why I'm not picking Missouri to win the SEC Tournament. Lack of depth will hurt much more this week than it will in the NCAA Tournament.
Fort80 asks: Making a few assumptions.....both Porters declare after this season and we sign Ramey... the Mizzou scholarship player roster for 2018-19 looks like this:TillmonPuryearGeistWatsonRameyVanleerM. SmithNikkoPinsonSantosPickettDo you think this will be a tourney team?
GD: Not a sure thing, no. Would depend on what the league is like and what the bubble is like. But if Missouri loses both Porters, I think they go add at least one more player and maybe two, including a grad transfer. And I won't write them off, because on November 10th, I didn't think this could be a tournament team.
