It's Monday morning, so it's time for me to let you all know what's been on my mind the past few days.
It'll basically all be basketball stuff today since Football is in a quiet period.
BASKETBALL THOUGHTS
1. The Tigers might have actually become an alright rebounding team.
It's been a pretty quick turnaround since I wrote a column about how it's OK the Tigers are going to lose the rebounding battle in most games because they wreak enough havoc defensively to make up the difference in extra possessions with steals. The Dennis Gates analytics way.
The turnovers forced have slowed a little the past two games, the Tigers had a 14-11 advantage in forced turnovers against LSU and both teams committed 14 turnovers in the matchup with Vanderbilt. That's not enough to make up a rebounding loss.
But since SEC play began, the Tigers are actually winning the rebounding battle. They've out-rebounded opponents in all three SEC games and it has largely been because Mizzou is doing a much, much, much better job winning defensive rebounds and limiting second chances.
Since the first half against Illinois, the Tigers have dominated the defensive glass to the tune of a 114-41 advantage against their opponent's offensive rebounds (16-8 in the second half against Illinois, 30-10 against Alabama State, 18-6 against Auburn, 26-8 against LSU and 24-9 against Vanderbilt).
That means the Tigers are grabbing 73.5 percent of the defensive rebounding opportunities since halftime against Illinois and 74.7 percent (68-of-91) since SEC play began.
That puts the Tigers first in the SEC in conference games, leading Florida and Vanderbilt, both at 72.1 percent to tie for second.
2. I think a lot of that has come from Josh Gray's continued ascension.
Don't get me wrong, Gray was solid early in the season and put up a fantastic performances when the Tigers needed it in the Border War.
But Gray played very poorly against Auburn in the SEC opener, as did all of that game's starters. Poorly enough (two rebounds in just 9 minutes played) that Gates decided to start playing him off the bench.
And it has worked fantastically ...
