Martin getting a feel for his roster in the early going

One game is hardly a sufficient sample size. But Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin knows the importance that last Tuesday’s 78-68 win over Central Michigan — and the next several mid-major matchups — holds as Martin attempts to shepherd a new herd ahead of a tough stretch of games in December.

“It’s always good to get a win under your belt when you’re starting out,” Martin said. “Especially with new guys, new parts. Trying to identify roles, guys with a scorer’s mentality. I’ve also found in my years of doing this, even as a player, some guys are better in practice than they are in the game and vice versa.”

With the way MU’s three active transfers played Tuesday, perhaps it’s safe to say a few of them are worse off in practice by his sentiment. Amari Davis and Boogie Coleman impressed in the backcourt in their respective Missouri debuts, combining for 28 points and just one turnover between them. Ronnie Degray III provided significant minutes off the bench, tallying 13 points and 12 rebounds while keeping the Tigers comfortable as junior Kobe Brown sat because of foul trouble.

Martin noted that the circumstances allowed him the freedom to experiment with lineups he hadn’t tried his hand with to that point, helping figure out some lineup kinks as MU looks to solidify its rotation moving forward.

“I just think it was so many new guys trying to get rotations who play well with each other, who are good in certain situations,” Martin said. “I think there might’ve been a point where we had Anton (Brookshire) and Boogie on the floor quite a bit. Well, they’ve rarely been on the floor together because they’ve both been at that point guard position. … There are certain things you practice, but oftentimes the game presents different things. Just really trying to find a solid rotation.”

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The Tigers’ lone inactive transfer, DaJuan Gordon, stands to make a huge impact as soon as Monday in his Mizzou debut against Kansas City. Martin was clear about what the Tigers missed from Gordon, who was ruled ineligible for the season opener as a result of his participation in a summer league game that wasn’t sanctioned by the NCAA.

“A guy that can score the ball,” Martin said. “One of our better guys, especially getting to the rim. Much improved three-point shooter from his time with K-State, and that was one of the things he worked on there as well. I think he’s a high-level defender. One of our better offensive rebounders at the guard position.”

Gordon’s return will undoubtedly cause a ripple in the rotation, with Martin saying he was “certainly a starter” going into the season. Gordon’s arrival potentially allows Martin to attempt a legitimate small-ball lineup with Brown at the illegitimate center spot and remove sophomore Jordan Wilmore from the starting lineup.

Kansas City, Mizzou’s Monday night foe, has played its star forward Josiah Allick in the majority of its lineups. Standing at 6-foot-8, the Tigers can experiment with Allick’s presence and see just how capable some of their potential lineups can be when switching on defense. Brown will increasingly be ready when his name is called to man the middle.

“Definitely,” Brown said when asked if he looks forward to matchups that allow him to play center. “We’ve had to play small ball a lot, especially in our scrimmages. We did a little last game, but more so in the scrimmages. It’s just really hard to guard, it’s hard for other teams to guard with us.”

Brown will see himself slotted virtually everywhere on the floor at some point this season. Martin is using whatever opportunity he gets

The Roos typically play a relatively tough mid-major defense — they ranked 129th in defensive efficiency last season per KenPom, an above average rate and a Summit League best — and come down to play at a bottom 25 pace on offense.

They’ll do everything in their power to slow the game down and keep the Tigers out of transition. It’ll likely spell more half court possessions, which will give Martin optimal chances to see what works in those settings and which lineups he likes moving forward. Having all of his transfers available — especially Gordon — will be key in the flexibility of those lineups.

While Gordon will shift the landscape on both sides of the ball, it wasn’t long ago when it felt like he and Javon Pickett could start interchangeably, with one being the first man off the bench — a fitting proposition given Pickett’s acceptance of his role last season after starting in his first couple of campaigns. But Martin has seemingly relied on Pickett over the past month and during the final stretch of the Central Michigan game he had an unfamiliar emergence as a first option — a level of reliability and comfortability that Missouri fans hadn’t seen from him before.

“(Pickett) comes in and treats it like it's his last year,” Brown said. “Everything is more of a ‘It has to happen this season.’ He’s dominant, he’s dominating practice. He wants the best from everyone. He doesn’t expect anything less. Even living with him, we go home and we talk about stuff in practice and games all the time. He wants it bad and I want it for him.”

Martin has certainly drawn himself a hand he’ll have to work around. He’ll see his fair share of challenges while he calls for different lineups. But the Tigers aren’t treating these next several weeks — and more immediately Monday’s matchup — any more lightly than they would the games closer to Christmas.

“Just continuing to grow,” Brown said of the significance of this stretch. “Continuing to grow as a team, as individuals. Coming together, building that chemistry and being the best team we can going into conference play.

"(Central Michigan) came back, we didn’t give up. We never really let them take too big of a lead. So, we just have to learn to keep fighting as a team, not pointing fingers at anyone, just taking everything on the chest and keep moving forward.”