Tiger Tip-Off Preview: Kansas

After a 10-year wait, the Border War finally returns to Columbia, Missouri.

The undefeated Mizzou Tigers will play host to No. 6 Kansas on Wednesday, but it won’t be the same Jayhawks that walked through the doors back in 2012. Head coach Bill Self doesn’t have a Thomas Robinson-type on this year’s squad, a tentpole big man he often likes his teams operate around. Instead, KU is running more five-out lineups, featuring a traditional point guard and four wings.

The change has worked out well so far, with Kansas beating No. 15 Duke on Nov. 15 and its only loss coming against No. 7 Tennessee on Nov. 25.

The Jayhawks will be the first ranked opponent Mizzou has played this year and will mark a shift in the Tigers' strength of schedule, with all of the team's next five matchups being ranked in the KenPom top-100.

Missouri is excited to take Kansas on in front of a sell-out crowd.

"We just know they're pretty solid," senior guard Nick Honor said. "Y'all already know their names, but they've got some solid guys over there. We've seen them on TV a lot, watched a little bit of film. We just expect a good game. It's gonna be high-level and we're gonna compete."

Missouri (9-0) vs. Kansas (8-1)

WHEN: 4:15 p.m.

WHERE: Mizzou Arena, Columbia, Missouri

TV: ESPN

SERIES: Kansas leads, 175-95

KENPOM PREDICTION: Kansas 80, Missouri 77

1. Keep up the ball pressure. Mizzou is at its best when it forces turnovers and pushes the ball ahead at full-speed. Kansas doesn’t give the ball up easily, though, turning it over on 21.0% of its possessions, which ranks 84th in the country per KenPom. Redshirt junior point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. has proven to be one of the best facilitators in the nation, averaging 6.2 assists per game, fifth-most in the NCAA. But being a pass-first floor general means there could be times Harris tries to force a play, threading the ball throught the needle. Harris is averaging 1.9 turnovers per game and has coughed the ball up four times on two different occasions, the first in the Jayhawks’ in their overtime win against Wisconsin on Nov. 24 and the second the next day in their loss to Tennessee. Putting Harris in tough decision-making situations could go a long way for the Tigers.

2. Stay attached to Kansas’ shooters. Freshman guard Gradey Dick has been electric from 3, connecting on 45.4% of his shots from outside. Redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson has also become significantly more accurate from deep, going from 26.3% last year to 35.7% this year. Keeping opposing teams from getting hot beyond the arc has been an issue for Missouri at times this season, with four different schools hitting 40% or better against them. Because of their ball-pressuring and switchy defensive scheme, the Tigers have a tendency to over-rotate and occasionally fail to make the right reads on screens. They’ll need to execute well on Saturday to keep their rivals at bay.

3. Win the free throw battle. Getting to the line more often was crucial for Missouri in its overtime win against Wichita State on Nov. 29. The Jayhawks are statistically similar to the Shockers in that they don’t get to the stripe very often, with a free throw rate of 28.4, and shoot a below-average percentage when they do, sinking 65.4% of their foul shots. So far this year, the Tigers have taken free throws even less frequently than Kansas, but have hit a higher percentage of their shots. With an arena that’s filled to the brim and an energized crowd potentially influencing calls, fouls could play an important part in Saturday’s game.

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