Missouri's penultimate matchup of the 2021-22 regular season will feature teams trending in opposite directions. The Tigers have limped to the finish line, losing five games in a row, including four by 19 or more points. Meanwhile, South Carolina, their opponent on Tuesday, had won four straight prior to losing at Alabama on Saturday.
This will mark the final road game of the season for Missouri. Traveling hasn't been kind to the Tigers, who are 2-9 on the road on the year. Here is everything you need to know to get set for the matchup.
TIP TIME INFORMATION
Missouri (10-19) vs. South Carolina (17-11)
WHEN: 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
TV: ESPN U
RADIO: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly, Chris Gervino)
SERIES: Missouri leads 8-6
KenPom Prediction: South Carolina 71-63
THE STARTING LINEUPS
BY THE NUMBERS
MIZZOU KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Find a way to score. Missouri's five-game losing streak has been defined by offensive ineptitude. The Tigers have reached 60 points just one time in that span (when they scored 61) and have averaged 55.6. They've shot 23.1 percent from three-point range during the skid. Points are going to be difficult to come by against a solid South Carolina defense that ranks among the top 100 teams nationally in both two-point and three-point percentage defense, but Missouri has to find a way to generate some consistent offense. Getting more out of Kobe Brown would likely be a good place to start. The Tigers' leading scorer mustered a season-low two points on just two field goal attempts during Saturday's loss at LSU.
2. Win the turnover battle. Turnovers have been both a strength and a weakness for South Carolina this season. That is to say, the Gamecocks have been excellent at taking the ball away from other teams but have struggled with ball security themselves. South Carolina ranks 33rd nationally in defensive turnover rate, and it excels at turning those opportunities into points with its fast-paced approach. But on the other end of the floor, the Gamecocks rank 336th out of 358 Division I teams in turnover rate. That's actually worse than Missouri, which ranks No. 327. The Tigers' ball-handling issues have been well-documented all season and were on full display at LSU, when they give the ball up 19 times. Missouri will need to do a significantly better job handling on-ball pressure if it hopes to hang with South Carolina.
3. Attack the glass. As mentioned above, South Carolina's defense has been solid in just about every area. The one exception has been the defensive glass. The Gamecocks allow opponents to rebound their misses at a 31 percent rate. That ranks 289th nationally. For a Missouri team that isn't likely to suddenly find a shooting stroke that's been missing all season, generating second-chance opportunities and then turning them into points will be pivotal. Rebounding has always been one of the keys to this team's success. Missouri is 0-18 on the year when it fails to win the rebounding margin.
POWERMIZZOU PREDICTION
South Carolina is a beatable team. But given the way Missouri has been playing lately, we can't pick the Tigers on the road. On the surface, this looks like a low-scoring game that will be determined by the turnover margin, but it also wouldn't come as a shock if Mizzou, a bit beat down after the past five games, comes out flat and isn't competitive.
FINAL SCORE: South Carolina 67, Missouri 62
