Mizzou hoops looks for first SEC win in rivalry meeting with Arkansas
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Both the Mizzou and Arkansas men's basketball teams will come into Wednesday night's rivalry game at Mizzou Arena with their fair share of struggles this season. The Tigers and the Razorbacks are both at or below the .500 mark on the year, sitting at 8-12 and 10-10, respectively. Despite all that, the team emphasized that a game like this is a time to throw out the record books.
Head coach Dennis Gates and guard Sean East met with the media on Tuesday, one day before the anticipated rivalry game. Gates said its important to realize that Arkansas is much better than their record.
"On paper, they're a 31 percent 3-point shooting team. I think that stat is misleading. I think they are a better 3-point shooting team when you look at the individual stats of their guys that they were able to put on this roster this year," Gates said. "Free throw percentage is another one. They've had games where they shot over their average of 71 percent-72 percent, so that's a strength. Rebounding is a strength for them, meaning second chance points and opportunities. When you look at the overall stat of shot-making abilities, they have shot making abilities and they are better than their percentage."
You can watch the full press conference with Coach Gates in the video player below.
If recent trends hold true, Wednesday night's game is bound to be a close one. In Gates' first year at the helm, in 2022-23, each meeting was decided by six points or less, as Gates went 1-1 against the Hogs. That one win was massive for the head coach's debut season in Columbia, breaking up a five-game losing streak to Arkansas, spanning back to 2021.
East reminisced on that comeback win at the Arena, on Tuesday morning. He remembered trailing by as many as 10 points, but mounting a second half comeback to get the 79-76 win.
"It was tough, you know. You had to get stops, every bucket counted, every possession mattered and you got to execute late in games," he said.
You can watch the full press conference with East in the video player below.
The Tiger men's team has seen almost an opposite trend in 2023-24. MU is still winless in conference play, despite taking a close game or even a lead into halftime on several occasions.
Gates said at this point his team is looking for a one-game winning streak, something to break through a tough stretch. Mizzou has lost 10 out of its last 11 games, but coming away with a win against the rival Razorbacks would undoubtedly be a morale boost.
"It's a great game that should always be played. It's a game that, I believe, excites our fan base, it excites our tradition, it excites our former players because they too get to sort of go down memory lane and reminisce a little bit on their time playing against Arkansas," he said about the annual rivalry showdown. "No matter what the records are it's gonna be a great game. Last year's stats, when you look at the games, they were decided between a couple points, a couple possessions here and there."
Over the past couple years, a familiar face has also added to the grudge fest, as well. Former Mizzou forward and Springfield-native Trevon Brazile is still on the Razorbacks roster, after transferring out of Columbia on the day Gates was hired.
MU and Arkansas will tip off at 7:30 p.m. at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday.
