Here we are again with another cupcake game as the Tigers prepare for Braggin’ Rights on Sunday.

Take a look at what I’ll be watching today in Missouri’s (9-1) matchup with the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (6-4).

Jacksonville State enters today’s matchup having beat Utah Valley 70-66 on Saturday. The Gamecocks wins this season have come against LaGrange, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Columbia International.

The losses have come to Air Force, Toledo, James Madison and South Alabama.

The Gamecocks score 78.6 points per game and allow 67.3. That margin is helped by beating LaGrange (A DIII school) 112-48 to open the season and beating Columbia International (a National Christian College Athletic Association team) 89-59.

Redshirt senior guard Jaron Pierre Jr. (6-foot-5, 188 pounds) leads the team by far with 23.2 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest. Pierre has scored 20 points in 8-of-10 games and had 31 against Coastal Carolina and 30 against Columbia International, along with 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Senior forward Michael Houge (6-7, 225) scores 10.4 points per game and brings down 8.4 rebounds per contest to lead the Gamecocks. Houge has started two games, but has played in all 10.

Redshirt sophomore guard Jao Ituka (6-1, 196) also scores 10.4 points per game and junior guard Jamar Franklin (6-3, 170) adds 10.0. Ituka has started two games and played in all 10, while Franklin has started all 10 games.

Jacksonville State is No. 178 in the KenPom rankings, one of the higher-ranked cupcakes on Mizzou’s schedule. The Tigers are No. 49.

Simply Mizzou’s defense being able to stop Pierre.

You can let the other guys get what they’re going to get, if Pierre doesn’t have a monster game, then the Tigers should be up 15 at halftime and have plenty of time for the young guys in the second half.

A fast start.

The Tigers have had a lot of trouble getting going in these cupcake games and it’s important to see them get going quickly in one of them as they prepare for another huge matchup on Sunday.

It’s not easy when the environment is likely to be lacking. Students are gone on break, Jacksonville State isn’t bringing out a lot of other fans, so what or who is going to be what sparks the Tigers to a controlling first 10 minutes?

Once they do that, just keep the energy up and roll to the easy win this one should be. No excitement after halftime.

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