Mizzou bringing intense style of defense to Georgia

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No. 21 Mizzou Men's Basketball is aiming to break back into the top five in the SEC standings.

The Tigers (18-6) are hitting the road to face Georgia (16-9) at Stegeman Coliseum on Feb. 15, sitting just one game behind No. 3 Florida and No. 8 Texas A&M for the third spot in the conference standings.

Saturday's game will feature two teams that excel on the defensive end of the court in different ways. MU is currently the No. 5-ranked program in the nation in steals per game (No. 1 in SEC) and No. 22 in the country in turnover margin (No. 3 in SEC). Those are signs of a defense that wreaks havoc on opposing offenses, and head coach Dennis Gates believes that has helped correlate to the team's success in the talented Southeastern Conference.

"I think what it does is it just makes it difficult for half-court offenses. I think the best part about our guys is that we can have multiple coverages. We can switch one through five or even hedge a ball screen. We've done different things from our rotations, and ultimately, it's just a sign that we have great versatility while, at the same time, taking care of our rebounding efforts, which is very important and just as important that we seal these defensive possessions with the possession ourselves and that kind of ignites everything else," Gates said. "What I want to increase is our ability to continue to defend at a level that will allow us to go in environments and perform the best way we can. We have to be able to keep out of trouble, meaning play solid defense, not reaching and do it without fouling. We have to do it together and we got to do it as a unit. If we're doing it as a unit, I think things are positive, and when we're not, things are negative." 

You can watch the full press conference with Coach Gates in the video player above.

While Georgia is also ranked top-six in the SEC in steals, the Bulldogs have shined in different areas on defense. UGA owns the No. 4-ranked scoring defense in the SEC and contests its opponents' shot attempts at a high level. The Bulldogs have held their opponents to a .404 field goal percentage (No. 5 in SEC) and 5.4 blocks per game (No. 3 in SEC).

Along with the challenges that Georgia poses defensively, MU is also preparing to put its intense style of defense to the test against UGA's talented freshman Asa Newell. The 6-foot-11 forward is averaging a team-best 15.0 points per game on 54.5% shooting and projects as a potential candidate to enter the NBA draft after just one season of college basketball.

"Asa Newell is an unbelievable young player that I believe will be in the NBA. He will be drafted. He is talented beyond his years, but he's not the only player on that team. That team is locked-and-loaded with talent, and they do a great job of protecting their home court and their crowd is just as into the game as any environment in our conference," Gates said. "Asa Newell is a three-level scorer. He's able to catch-and-shoot three's. He's able to get to the free throw line with his mid-range game, that's why I say three-level, and obviously at the rim, he's able to finish around the basket. He's a lefty, but that kid is very talented, skilled, he has positional size, he has unbelievable level of IQ, and obviously, he has the respect of his teammates and coaching staff to continue to put him in that situation."

However, another advantage that Mizzou will have on this road trip to Athens is its depth. The Tigers are the No. 3-ranked team in the nation in bench points per game while Georgia checks in at No. 108 in the country. The benefits of MU's depth pay dividends beyond just scoring, though. While its advantages don't always show up in the box score, it helps Coach Gates' group continue to play its physical brand of defense each night without signs of fatigue.

"I think that has an invisible sort of power to it, and we don't really know exactly where it helps, but we know it helps our guys, especially when it comes down to the rigors, the nonstop travel, even the ability for other teams to concentrate on the roster," Gates said. "From a health standpoint, it gives us added insurance, and I think ultimately, when you look at the big picture, having that insurance helps any team move forward."

Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m.