The Missouri basketball team bucked a couple trends Saturday with its 70-66 win at Texas A&M. Not only did the victory snap a four-game losing streak, it marked the first time in nearly a month that the Tigers came out on top in a game decided by 10 points or fewer points, having lost four straight such matchups coming in.
Now, Cuonzo Martin's squad will look to keep the momentum rolling — something it hasn't done well this season — with another road game Tuesday night. The Tigers will travel to Vanderbilt in search of consecutive wins for the first time since the third and fourth games of the season.
Vanderbilt pulled out an upset win of its own on Saturday. The Commodores beat LSU 66-55 to improve to 4-6 in SEC play. Vanderbilt features perhaps the best pure scorer in the SEC in junior guard Scotty Pippen Jr. The son of the Chicago Bulls legend is tied for the league lead in scoring at 18.7 points per game.
Slowing down Pippen will surely be a focal point for the Tigers. Here is everything else you need to know to get set for the matchup.
TIP TIME INFORMATION
Missouri (9-13) vs. Vanderbilt (12-10)
WHEN: 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Memorial Gym, Nashville, Tennessee
TV: SEC Network
RADIO: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly, Chris Gervino)
SERIES: Missouri leads 8-6
KenPom Prediction: Vanderbilt 70-63
THE STARTING LINEUPS
BY THE NUMBERS
MIZZOU KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Don't let Pippen beat you. Vanderbilt pretty much goes as far as Pippen takes it. The junior's usage rate of 34.0 percent ranks ninth-highest nationally, according to KenPom. He has scored 20 or more points in 10 of Vanderbilt's 22 games this season and reached double figures in all but three. He's also adept as a creator, having logged five or more assists in eight games. Pippen tasted success against the Tigers last season, scoring 19 points in Missouri's win. Missouri has to stay in front of him and make sure he doesn't get comfortable, because he's capable of winning this game by himself. Look for DaJuan Gordon to draw the defensive assignment.
2. Stay out of foul trouble. Vanderbilt does the majority of its scoring from behind the three-point arc and at the free throw line. While both of those will be areas to watch, keeping the Commodores from the stripe will be particularly important for a Missouri team that has struggled with foul trouble at times this year. The Tigers have attempted fewer free throws than their opponent in six of nine SEC games. Keeping Kobe Brown on the floor will be of particular importance. Missouri's leading scorer broke out of his recent slump in a big way Saturday, scoring 21 points while dishing six assists. If the Tigers can get more of that from Brown, it would go a long way — the team is 0-9 this season when he fails to score 10 points. However, the biggest impediment to success all season for Brown has been foul trouble, and that could be a concern if he's asked to defend 6-foot-10 Vanderbilt center Quentin Millora-Brown.
3. Take care of the ball. This has become an evergreen key for the Tigers because they have continued to struggle with on-ball pressure. Missouri ranks No. 330 nationally in turnover rate, giving the ball away on 21.5 percent of its possessions. The Tigers are 1-8 on the year when turning the ball over more than 13 times. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has excelled at taking the ball away this season. Its defensive turnover rate of 22.3 percent ranks 30th in the country. The Tigers have to avoid giving Vanderbilt easy scoring opportunities off live-ball turnovers or having the offense bog down due to pressure from the Commodore backcourt.
POWERMIZZOU PREDICTION
This has the makings of another close game: two fairly evenly-matched teams who prioritize defense and rely heavily on one player to score. If Missouri can limit Pippen and get another outing like Saturday from Brown, it should have a good chance to win consecutive games for the first time since November.
However, that is precisely why we're not confident picking the Tigers to pull out another win on the road. Missouri has not handled success well this season. The team has followed up seven of its eight wins prior to Saturday (and six in a row) with a double-digit loss in the following game. That includes a 21-point loss to Liberty, a 37-point loss at Kansas and a 44-point drubbing at Arkansas. This team needs to prove it can handle success better before we're willing to pick it to win a second straight game as an underdog.
FINAL SCORE: Vanderbilt 68, Missouri 62
