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Published Nov 27, 2022

Stats that stood out against Houston Christian

Drew King • Mizzou Today

Basketball Writer

@drewking0222

Don’t bring the ball around Mizzou

The Tigers currently boast the No. 1 steal rate in the nation, robbing opponents on 18.7% of their possessions. In seven games, Missouri racked up 15 steals on five different occasions, including in Saturday's 105-69 win against Houston Christian.

Senior guards D’Moi Hodge, Nick Honor and Sean East II have been the team’s best thieves. Head coach Dennis Gates likes his point guards, Honor and East, to apply full-court pressure on the ball. They’ve both thrived in the defensive role, averaging two steals each.

If Honor and East can’t poke the ball free, Hodge often intercepts the first pass the opposing team makes. Hodge pilfered a career-high six steals against Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 20, then swiped away five more against both Coastal Carolina and Houston Christian. He currently ranks sixth in the NCAA in both steals per game, averaging 3.17, and steal rate, prying the ball away on 7.2% of defensive possessions by himself.

Hodge noted after the game against MVSU he doesn’t necessarily go after steals every time. The British Virgin Islands native has a rule he established with assistant coach Ryan Sharbaugh to tally eight deflections per game. Those tipped passes don’t always lead to turnovers, but they do disrupt the opposing team’s offense regardless.

The number of turnovers Mizzou forces helps the team get into its devastating fast-break offense. The Tigers' typical possession only lasts half the shot clock — 15 seconds exactly — which is the 12th-lowest in the country. They’re also connecting on a sky-high 64.4% of their 2-pointers, a result of their ability to get to the rim with ease in transition.

It’s helped that Missouri’s opponents have all been teams who are mediocre-at-best at taking care of the ball — SIU Edwardsville is the only one among the group who hasn’t turned it over on at least 20% of its possessions. The Tigers will face a tougher challenge in their next game against Wichita State on Tuesday. The Shockers have a turnover rate of 17.7, which ranks 117th in the country.