Prior to each Mizzou hoops game this season, we will get Tiger fans set with The Starting Five. In this feature, we'll give you the anticipated starting lineups for each team, break down keys to a Missouri win and offer up a prediction. Later in the season we will add in some stats and trends.
We start with tonight's game against Wagner.
THE STARTING LINEUPS
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Start fast. Missouri is a better team. But Wagner isn't terrible. They might be as good as Iowa State. So don't give them hope. Ten minutes in, Missouri was up double figures on the Cyclones. That's the recipe here. Remove any doubt early.
2. Play through Tilmon. Assuming that Porter doesn't play (it's a guess at this point), the toughest matchup for any mid- or low-major team is going to be the athletic 6-foot-10 Tilmon. Go through him. He's a better offensive player than he was given credit for. Missouri should get it in to him and let everything else come off of that.
3. Value possessions. This isn't really specific to the game against Wagner. Missouri could probably repeat its 17-turnover performance against Iowa State and win. But that's too many. As the schedule gets tougher, Missouri will need to take better care of the ball. Tonight would be a good time to start.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With or without Porter, this is a game Missouri should win. It would be nice for fans to see him on the floor as proof that the injury that kept him out Friday isn't anything major, but Missouri shouldn't need him to win the game.
The Tigers are bigger, more athletic and better. For the last three years, games like this have been a far bigger challenge than they should have been. This team can show some maturity and promise by doing what it should do to the Seahawks.
Blake Francis scored 22 in Wagner's first game (a 60-49 win over the New Jersey Institute of Technology). Other than that, nothing about the Seahawks roster screams that it will be an issue for the Tigers. Make sure Wagner doesn't go off and cruise to 2-0.
PREDICTION: Missouri 81, Wagner 58
Player of the Game: We'll go with Kassius Robertson. He rebounds from a 3-12 shooting performance in his debut and hits four threes on the way to 20 points.
