Sunday Sit-down with KTGR’s Andy Humphrey
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones brought on KTGR's co-host of 'The Big Show,' Andy Humphrey in this week's edition of Sunday Sit-down to talk all things Mizzou football and hoops.
Men's basketball coach Dennis Gates and company improved to 10-1 with a buzzer-beating win against UCF in the Orange Bowl Classic on Saturday afternoon. Humphrey said it was important fo the Tigers to have something to feel good about ahead of an upcoming Braggin' Rights match up with No. 18 Illinois.
"You got Illinois coming up and you got Kentucky and Arkansas. Those are not maybe not the same caliber as Kansas, but pretty similar. So if you didn't get this UCF game, you're almost looking at a potential five game losing streak, which is not to say that they can't win the games coming up, but that's what you're potentially looking at if you drop this one," he said.
On Thursday, Mizzou and the Fightin' Illini will meet at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. MU will look to bring the Braggin' Rights trophy back to Columbia, after Illinois claimed it in blowout fashion last year. It will Gates' first time coaching in this rivalry series.
Humphrey said it may be a similar game plan to what fans saw against UCF.
"Just make sure that you stay within yourself defensively, you don't try and get yourself out a position to make that extra steal or things of that nature. Because again, Illinois is a type of team that is talented enough, that is experienced enough and is well coached enough to be able to exploit you when you make those types of mistakes," he said. "Another interesting test for Mizzou, on a neutral floor. Again, environment could play a factor there too, like it maybe did against Kansas."
It will be a busy week for Mizzou Athletics, as the Tiger football team will leave for the Gasparilla Bowl on Monday morning. Mizzou and Wake Forest will kick off in that game on Dec. 23 at 5:30 p.m. CT. Humphrey said it would be good to end the season on a high note.
"It definitely feels better to get it with a win, instead of going to a bowl game like this and having a bad showing. That's certainly what you want to avoid, especially when you have players out there that might get a chance to play that hadn't had as much of a chance," he said.
You can watch ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones' full conversation with Humphrey tonight on SportsZone at 9:30 on Fox 22 and 10:30 on ABC 17.
