Missouri basketball coach Cuonzo Martin doesn’t have much firsthand experience with the Tigers’ rivalry with Kansas, but in the three days since the former Big 12 foes announced a six-game series in men’s basketball, he has got a glimpse of the fervor it brings out in fans. Martin said he has heard fans and players past and present voice their excitement for the rivalry’s return. Missouri and Kansas will face off for the first time since 2012 on Dec. 12, 2020 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.
“I think our fanbase, even our guys are excited about it,” Martin said. “Former players, really excited about the opportunity to really be excited about it again.”
Martin said both schools deserve credit for agreeing to renew the rivalry, but he specifically praised Missouri athletics director Jim Sterk.
“A lot of credit to Jim Sterk for making it happen,” Martin said. “It wasn’t like a call was made on Monday and it happened Tuesday. There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes, and Jim was really aggressive in making it happen.”
Martin has never faced Kansas as a head coach, but prior to the 2017-18 season, Martin’s first at Missouri, the Tigers played the Jayhawks in the Sprint Center as a fundraising effort for hurricane relief. Tickets for the game sold out less than two hours after they were made available to the public and the scrimmage generated more than $2 million for hurricane relief. Martin joked Thursday that he knows the scrimmage generated a lot of money, but he “can’t remember the outcome.” Kansas won, 93-87.
Martin confirmed that the annual series, which will be played at the Sprint Center in 2020 and 2025, on Kansas’ campus in 2021 and 2023 and at Mizzou Arena in 2022 and 2024, will not be part of the annual Big 12-SEC Challenge. He also said he likes that the game is scheduled to take place in December, in close proximity to the Tigers’ other annual rivalry matchup against Illinois. He believes the two non-conference matchups will generate interest earlier in the calendar and boost Missouri’s strength of schedule.
“When you’re able to play those level of games and have that level of energy and passion in December, I think it’s great,” he said. “But on a side note, you see a lot of programs, I think the ACC, the Big Ten, the Pac 12 have gone to 20 games in league play, so it’s very similar to what they’re doing.”
Martin surprised by low outside expectations
The series with Kansas won’t begin for another year, but Martin had a few interesting things to say about this season and the expectations for his team.
Last week, it was revealed that Missouri had been picked to finish 13th out of 14 teams in the SEC by league media. Martin said he won’t let the prediction “consume” him, but admitted he was surprised by the result. Missouri went 5-13 in SEC play a season ago and finished 12th in the league but added four likely contributors, including transfer guard Dru Smith, to the 2019-2020 roster.
“I would say, if we finish 13th in this league, then this will be one of the best leagues to ever lace them up in all of college basketball,” Martin said. “If we’re healthy.”
Martin also said he was surprised that no Tiger players earned a spot on either of the media’s preseason all-conference teams, particularly junior center Jeremiah Tilmon. Tilmon averaged 10.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 24 minutes per game a season ago.
“When you’re ranking teams, first and second team, and you don’t have Jeremiah mentioned, that part I don’t understand,” Martin said. “Because when you look at his production, outside of the fouls, he’s a very productive guy, and it always amazes me when you rank young guys, even though they’re talented, that have never shot a ball, never played a game.”
Smith back to full health; Okongo gets answer from NCAA
Speaking of health, Martin said every player on Missouri’s roster is currently healthy, including Mark Smith. Smith suffered a foot injury last January and, after attempting to return for a couple games, opted to have season-ending surgery in early March. As of last month, he wasn’t cleared to fully participate in practices, but Martin said Thursday that he is “fine” and “back in the fold.”
Martin also revealed that newcomer Axel Okongo finally heard back from the NCAA about his eligibility status. Okongo, who is originally from France and transferred to Missouri from Northwest junior college in Wyoming, filed an appeal seeking an additional year of college eligibility, and Martin said it has been granted, so the seven-footer has two college seasons remaining.
Staff shake-up
Saturday, Missouri confirmed a minor change to Martin’s staff. Michael Porter Sr. and Marco Harris swapped roles, making Harris the third full-time assistant coach. Porter, who is in the final year of a three-year, $1.125 million contract, takes over Harris’ former position as the director of player development.
Martin said Harris, who has been a member of Martin’s staff since 2011 and has coached alongside him at Tennessee, California and Missouri, brings a bit more to the table as an on-court coach. The promotion enables him to actively coach during practices and travel to recruit players. Martin said Porter is “still vital to what we do as far as his teaching, his ability to bring life wisdom into the program.”
Harris and Martin grew up with one another in East St. Louis, and prior to joining Martin’s staff, Harris coached Booker T. Washington high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma to a state championship in 2011. He joins Chris Hollender and Cornell Mann as Martin’s other full-time assistants.
“I think he’s earned it,” Martin said of Harris’ promotion. “... He’s been with us for years, and he put the work in and he was on the grassroots circuit as far as coaching grassroots programs, high school programs in the state of Oklahoma. So he’s put the time into it, been patient.”
