Jan. 5, 2009

Columbia, Mo. -

Mizzou Basketball News and Notes 2008-09

University of Missouri Tigers (12-2) vs.

Coppin State University Eagles (2-11)

2008-09 Regular Season Game 15 - January 6, 2009 - Columbia, Mo.

Tip-off: 8 p.m. CST

Arena: Mizzou Arena - Columbia, Mo. (15,061)

TV: MSN (Dan McLaughlin play-by-play; Jon Sundvold analyst)

Rankings: Mizzou: RV/RV, Coppin State: NR/NR in Associated Press / USA Today Coaches polls

Series: Second Meeting, Mizzou leads 6-1; last - Missouri 72-38 on Dec. 27, 2007

Tickets: Call 1-800-CAT-PAWS

Coaches:

Missouri: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ’82); 135-71 overall (7th season); 46-30 at Mizzou (3rd)

Coppin State: Fang Mitchell (Howard ’85); 360-313 overall (22nd season at Coppin State)

For Openers

> Missouri will look to extend its best start since the 1998-99 campaign on Tuesday, as the Tigers host Fang Mitchell and the Coppin State Eagles at Mizzou Arena ... The Tigers enter Tuesday’s 8 p.m. affair on a three-game winning streak and will look to close out the non-conference season with yet another perfect home record.

> A win tonight by the Tigers would push their season record to 13-2, which would be the best start for MU since 1994-95 ... That Tiger team opened 13-2 and went from starting the season unranked to a Top 10 club (for one week) by the middle of Big Eight action.

> The Tigers will look to keep their 36-game non-conference home court winning streak intact, which dates back to the 2005-06 campaign ... That 36-game run is a school record, topping the 29 consecutive non-conference home wins from 1979-83 ... That streak ended with an overtime loss to Marquette ... Missouri’s last non-conference loss at home came against Sam Houston State in the 2005-06 season opener.

> Mizzou Arena has been a terror dome for non-league opponents during the Mike Anderson era... In running their record to 29-0, the Tigers are averaging a 24.4 ppg. margin of victory vs. non-conference foes at home, including quality wins over Arkansas, California, Davidson, Mississippi State, Murray State, Oral Roberts and Purdue.

> A huge key for Missouri in non-conference play has been its bench... Missouri’s “kamikaze line” is averaging 31.5 points a game this season and has outscored the entire teams of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (50-41), Stetson (45-44) and SIU Edwardsville (62-57) ... Those 62 tallies vs. SIUE were a school record.

> The Tigers rank among the nation’s leaders in several statistical categories heading into Saturday’s game ... Mizzou is No. 9 nationally in scoring at 85.1 ppg, No. 2 in assists per game at 19.8, No. 3 in steals per game at 10.9 and No. 2 nationally in assist/turnover ratio at 1.6 ... Missouri’s 20.5 ppg scoring margin ranks 4th ... Missouri and North Carolina are the only teams in America to rank in the Top 10 in all five of those categories.

> Senior forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons give Missouri a formidable post tandem, but the Tigers are showing great balance, highlighted by five players in double figures on Saturday at Georgia ... Missouri has already had 11 different players reach double figures this season, which ties a school record.

Mizzou Quick-Hitters

> Mizzou Basketball closes the doors on non-conference action on Tuesday as the Tigers host Coppin State at Mizzou Arena.

> The Tigers and Eagles are meeting for the third consecutive season and Missouri won both of those previous contests by a combined 27.5 points per game.

> Mizzou is a perfect 9-0 at home this season and sports an incredible 29.1 ppg scoring margin this season ... Of Missouri’s nine home games, seven have been decided by 20 points or more and eight of nine have been by double-figure margins.

> A huge key for the Tigers continues to be the play of their bench, especially at home ... On the season Missouri’s reserves are averaging 31.5 points per game, but that average is up to 38.2 ppg at home.

> With those great bench-scoring totals, the Tigers have had a school-record tying 11 different players reach double figures this season, equaling the 11 players that reached double figures in 1961-62, 1974-75, 1994-95 and 2007-08.

> Missouri has had four or more players reach double figures in the same game five times already this season.

> The Tigers had four freshman reach double figures last Tuesday vs. SIUE, which was a first in school history.

> Missouri’s pressure has produced some large scoring margins this season ... Missouri ranks No. 4 in America in scoring margin at 20.5 ppg.

> A major reason for those large scoring totals is because Missouri has taken 137 more field goal attempts than its opponents this season and has made 124 more FG’s ... Mizzou made 119 more FG’s than its opponents throughout the entire 2007-08 season, so 124 more FGs through just 14 games is a HUGE differential.

> With that scoring surge, Missouri has topped the 80-point plateau 10 times in 14 games this season and is 10-0 on the year when scoring at least 80 points ... Missouri has topped 80 points 34 times in the Mike Anderson era (76 games) ... To put that scoring in perspective, the Tigers topped 80 points just 22 times (in total 124 games) the four seasons before Anderson’s arrival.

> One thing Tiger fans are enjoying this season is points off turnovers ... Missouri averaged 20.3 points per game off turnovers last season and forced one turnover every four possessions ... So far this season Missouri is forcing 19.6 turnovers per game and is averaging 25.6 points off those opponent miscues each night.

> Missouri is scoring an incredible 30 percent of its points this season off turnovers (25.6-of-85.1).

> Because of Missouri’s limited 12.2 turnovers a game, its opposition is scoring just 14.1 points a night off turnovers.

> It’s only January, but ESPN Bracketology guru Joe Lunardi has Missouri “in” the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed ... Lunardi has the Tigers facing No. 9-seeded Kentucky in Dayton, Ohio.

> Although the 2008-09 campaign is just getting started, Mizzou actually got an early jump on exhibition play over Labor Day weekend with a three-game exhibition tour in Niagara Falls, Ontario ... Missouri went 3-0 throughout the tour and averaged a 35.3 ppg. margin of victory.

> Tiger fans are seeing improved depth this season with the addition of seven newcomers ... That depth could spell trouble for opponents since Anderson’s reserves set a school record for scoring (26.4) in 2006-07 and produced 25.4 points per game in 2007-08.

> Through 14 games this season Missouri is averaging 31.5 points from its reserves, including a season high of 62 points vs. SIU Edwardsville ... In fact, Missouri’s bench has topped 40+ points four times in the last seven games and has outscored Arkansas-Pine Bluff (50-51), (Stetson 45-44) and SIU Edwardsville (62-57).

> The catalyst for Missouri’s improved scoring punch off the bench is its five player freshman class ... So far this season that group is averaging 23.3 points off the pine.

Tiger Tidbits (Individual Notes)

> Senior forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons were named Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention picks prior to the start of the 2008-09 season.

> Lyons and Carroll are ranked among the nation’s Top 15 power forwards by Rivals.com in their current position rankings ... Lyons checks in at No. 12, while Carroll is right behind at No. 13.

> Carroll, Lyons and Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin are the only players in the Big 12 to rank among the Top 12 in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage and in the Top 20 in steals.

> Carroll topped the 1,000-point plateau vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and now has 1,112 career tallies at the Division I level, 460 of which came during his first two seasons at Vanderbilt ... Lyons has 909 career points and needs just 91 points to become the 38th member of Missouri’s 1,000-point club ... Fellow senior Matt Lawrence is also closing in on 1,000 points and would need 215 more tallies as a senior to reach the mark.

> Over his last 17 regular-season games Lyons has six 20-point outings and has reached double figures in 16-of-17 contests.

> The Kansas City, Kan., native enjoyed a season high 26 points and eight rebounds in the win over Oral Roberts and then led all Tigers with 22 points vs. Illinois.

> With his 15.5 ppg. scoring average, Lyons ranks No. 11 in the Big 12, just behind of teammate DeMarre Carroll, who is seventh at 16.8 ppg.

> Carroll has reached double figures in 13 of 14 games this season and the tandem of Carroll and Lyons have led Mizzou in scoring 12 times this year.

> The Birmingham, Ala., native led Missouri to a 2-1 mark in Puerto Rico and was named to the All-Tournament Team following his career high 29-point, 11-rebound effort against No. 19 USC.

> Carroll has topped the 20-point plateau three times this season, including a 21-point, 10 rebound double-double vs. SIU Edwardsville.

> Carroll has done outstanding work in the second half and is averaging 9.4 ppg in the second half alone.

> The Junk Yard Dog also is second on the team with 26 steals and ranks among the Big 12’s leaders in scoring (7th), steals (5th), field goal percentage (3rd) and rebounding (12th).

> Matt Lawrence is starting to heat up from the perimeter and has hit multiple three-pointers in six of his last nine outings.

> The St. Louis native is already No. 4 in career three-point makes at MU.

> Lawrence tied a season high with four three-pointers vs. Centenary and recorded a season high 18 points vs. the Gents to pace the Tigers ... The sharp-shooter also chipped in three assists in the win.

> Despite being a prolific shooter, Lawrence has 13 assists and just four turnovers on the season.

> Zaire Taylor was named the nation’s Preseason No. 2 impact transfer in all of college basketball by Rivals.com ... DeMarre Carroll was the preseason No. 1 on that same Rivals.com list last season and didn’t disappoint by winning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors.

> Taylor played his first Division I basketball game in 669 days on Nov. 15 in the season-opener ... The Delaware transfer sat out all of last season and last played at the D-I level on Jan. 6, 2007, at Hofstra.

> So far this season the Staten Island, N.Y., native has 44 assists and just 14 turnovers ... His 3.1-to-1 assist/turnover ratio leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 13 nationally.

> Despite being an active point guard, Taylor has a positive assist/turnover ratio in 12 of 14 games this year and has 5+ assists six times on the season.

> Taylor is coming off a season high 17 points in the win over Georgia.

> Junior guard J.T. Tiller made his ESPN SportCenter Top 10 debut and it’s no shock the highlight came courtesy of his defense ... Tiller’s swat of Lincoln’s Joe Hutchingson with just over six minutes left in the second half checked in at No. 8 on the countdown ... Coach Norm Stewart’s response on the telecast after the block “I like J.T. Tiller. If you take the ball to the basket (against him), you can’t bring that weak stuff. You’ll need a helmet.”

> Tiller is one of Mizzou’s most well-rounded players and recorded a career high six steals vs. Xavier ... The six thefts tied a tournament record and is No. 6 in Missouri single-game school history.

> Tiller has had multiple steals in 7-of-14 games and is third in the Big 12 with 1.9 steals a night.

> Of Tiller’s 15 career double-figure scoring games, eight have come either on the road or on a neutral-court site, including his 10-point, seven assist, four-steal effort at Georgia.

> Missouri Basketball is coming off a busy, but productive summer that saw all-13 Tigers remain on campus for workouts and classes ... Some members of the squad also had internships in town, including Tiller, who spent the summer as an intern at AFLAC.

> Perhaps the biggest improvement for Missouri this year is the play of its bench and that bench is being led by a host of young players.

> Sophomore forward Justin Safford recorded his first double-figure game of the year, as he dropped in 10 points and five boards in 13 minutes against Stetson ... Safford is also coming off an eight-point, four-rebound effort vs. Centenary on Tuesday.

> Freshman guard Marcus Denmon reached double figures in back-to-back games for the first time in his career vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Cal ... Denmon scored 11 points vs. Pine Bluff before chipping in 14 vs. California.

> Denmon officially opened his Missouri career with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the Tiger win over Prairie View A&M on Nov. 15 ... That was the highest scoring effort by a Tiger freshman in a debut since Kelly Thames scored 19 against Central Missouri State on Nov. 27, 1993.

> Did you know that in his first game at Mizzou Arena Denmon actually cheered AGAINST Missouri? But you can’t blame him, his brother Martane Freeman was playing for the Colorado Buffaloes, so we’ll let that one slide.

> Freshman newcomer Kimmie English knows Mizzou Arena just about as well as the Arena managers and operators ... English made news this summer for sleeping overnight in the team’s locker room and will often shoot in the club’s 24-Hour practice gym in the early-morning hours.

> Just to prove he is insane about basketball, English went to Mizzou Arena at midnight on Dec. 31 / Jan. 1 to make the first shots of the New Year inside Mizzou Arena.

> The dedication is paying off for English, who scored 13 points vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor, before scoring a career high 16 points vs. California in the Tiger’s big win ... English scored 14 of his 16 in the second half, including 14 straight points for the Tigers in a span of just 4:16.

> Fellow freshman Miguel Paul is averaging 16.9 minutes over his last 11 games ... Paul has also hit a three-pointer in seven of those 11 contests as well and boasts a 2.8-to-1 assist/turnover ratio and has three or more dimes in three of his last five games.

> Paul led all Tiger freshmen with 12 points vs. SIU Edwardsville, while chipping in four assists.

> Junior Keith Ramsey has played improved basketball over the past few weeks, especially on the defensive end ... Ramsey blocked a career high three shots vs. Cal and poured in eight points and five boards in the win over Stetson.

> Ramsey ignited Missouri’s road win at Georgia, with a pair of blocked shots, two assists, two steals and four points.

> Ramsey initially scored a career high eight points in just nine minutes vs. No. 19 USC and corralled seven boards (career high) vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 14 minutes.

> Against Centenary, Ramsey flashed his versatility, dishing two assists and recording two steals.

> Laurence Bowers, another of Missouri’s exciting freshmen, is making steady progress ... Bowers set career highs of 10 points and seven boards in the win over SIU Edwardsville in just 14 minutes of play.

About The Coppin State Eagles

Coppin State annually plays one of the nation’s most difficult schedules and the 2008-09 campaign is no different ... Fang Mitchell’s group has played nine road games and four neutral-court contests this season and has yet to play a home game ... Coppin State’s two wins came on neutral courts vs. Wilmington in the season-opener and then a great win over George Washington (59-53) in Hawaii ... Recently Coppin State fell at Oklahoma 93-62 ... Senior Tywain McKee leads Coppin State in virtually every category and logs 19.3 points and 5.2 assists per night.

Quick Starts For Mizzou

Missouri is off to its fastest start this century, as the Tigers look to improve to 13-2 on Tuesday night against the Coppin State Eagles ... This current 12-2 start is Missouri’s best since the 1998-99 campaign, Norm Stewart’s final at the helm in Columbia.

> Below is a look at some of Missouri’s fastest starts through 14 games over the last 30 years.

Season        Start        Finish

1981-82       14-0         27-4

1989-90       13-1         26-6

1993-94       12-2         28-4

1982-93       12-2         26-8

1979-80       12-2         25-6

1991-92       12-2         21-9

1994-95       12-2         20-9

2008-09       12-2         ???

1988-89       11-3         29-8

1980-81       11-3         22-20

1992-93       11-3         19-14

1983-84       11-3         16-14

Missouri’s Second Wave...

Head Coach Mike Anderson has consistently tried to build depth with his basketball teams and the 2008-09 Tigers may be his deepest club since arriving in Columbia two years ago.

> Missouri is averaging an impressive 31.5 points, 18.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists and 3.6 steals from its reserves this season, including 18.2 points per game from freshmen Marcus Denmon, Kim English and Miguel Paul.

> Missouri’s bench has been especially deadly over the last eight contests as the reserves are averaging 34.5 ppg. and actually outscored both Stetson (45-44) and SIU Edwardsville (62-57) ... The 62 points vs. Edwardsville was a new school record, topping the 58 points the Tigers reserves scored in a double-overtime win vs. Iowa State last season.

> Last season Missouri averaged 25.4 points per game from its bench after setting the school record in 2006-07 with 26.4 ppg from reserve performers ... That mark is in serious jeopardy this season.

Wear & Tear Of The Fastest 40 Minutes

While Missouri leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 4 nationally with a +20.6 ppg scoring margin, the Tigers are doing extraordinary work extending their advantages in the second half this season ... With the Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball taking full effect, Missouri is outscoring its opposition 46.0-to-33.9 in the second period alone and is allowing its opponents to shoot just 39.0 percent from the floor, 26.8 percent from the three-point stripe and yes, just 64.9 percent from the foul line ... In the first half of games Missouri owns a 39.1-to-30.7 ppg scoring margin, but opponents are shooting an improved 42.3 percent from the floor, 34.5 percent from three-point range.

Mizzou Opponent’s Numbers by Half

Statistics                      1st / 2nd

Scoring Margin             +8.4 / +12.1

FG                                   42.3 / 39.0

3FG%                             34.5 / 26.8

FT%                                63.4 / 64.9

Points                            30.7 / 33.9

Mizzou Arena - Home Sweet Home

(Knock on wood) Mike Anderson is a perfect 29-0 all-time in non-conference home games at Missouri and the Tigers have one more chance to extend that streak this season ... Not only have the Tigers won 29 consecutive in the preseason, but they have done so in dominating fashion, sporting a 24.4 ppg margin of victory.

> The Tigers have played some impressive foes during Anderson’s run as well, and own quality wins over Arkansas, California, Davidson, Purdue, Murray State, Mississippi State, Oral Roberts and others during that 29-game stretch.

Year                Record          Margin of Victory

2006-07         11-0               18.7 ppg

2007-08         9-0                  27.5 ppg

2008-09         9-0                  29.1 ppg                               

Total               29-0               24.4 ppg.

Matt Lawrence All-CLASS

Senior Matt Lawrence was named a candidate for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, making him one of just 30 seniors across America to earn the recognition.

> The award is based on criteria focusing on the “Four C’s” of classroom, character, community and competition and the award winners will be selected by a national balloting of head basketball coaches, national media and college basketball fans.

Extend The Three-Point Line? No Problem!

The extended three-point line hasn’t been an issue for Missouri this season, as the Tigers are shooting 35.0 percent (100-of-286) from bonus distance in 2008-09 through 14 games compared to the 33.1 percent (102-of-308) the Tigers shot through 14 games last season.

> Balanced shooting has been the key factor for the Tigers ... Missouri had just seven players who had made three or more treys through 14 games last season, while this season’s group boasts 11 different players with three or more triples, including backcourt newcomers Miguel Paul (11 treys), Kim English (14), Zaire Taylor (7) and Marcus Denmon (12).

> Consequently, the extended arc has opened up the lane for Tiger forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons, who are combining for 32.3 points and 13.1 rebounds a night.

Assist/Turnover Ratio Key To MU’s Start

Missouri’s assist/turnover ratio this season has fueled the club’s quick 12-2 start and it’s no surprise Missouri is listed alongside the nation’s top-ranked teams in that category.

> Missouri currently ranks No. 2 nationally with a 1.6-to-1 assist/turnover ratio, just behind nationally ranked Notre Dame and ahead of ranked foes North Carolina and Pittsburgh.

                            Nat’l

Team                  Rank      A/T          Record

Notre Dame      7              2.0          9-3

Missouri            RV           1.6          12-2

Houston             -               1.5          8.3

North Carolina  1              1.5          12-1

BYU                    -               1.5          10-2

Pittsburgh          3              1.5          13-0

Carroll / Lyons Among Best Scoring Duos

Their personalities couldn’t be more different off the court, but together, DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons are proving to be a formidable post duo for Mizzou.

> Carroll (16.8) and Lyons (15.5) are averaging a combined 32.3 points and 13.1 rebounds a night, which makes them the No. 3 scoring post tandem at Mizzou in school history.

> The dominating pair of John Brown (21.0) and Al Eberhard (17.0) combined for 38.0 points and 20.3 rebounds in 1972-73, which ranks No. 1 all-time, while current Tiger color analyst Gary Link and Eberhard combined for 37.0 points in 1973-74.

Here is a list of the top scoring duos of all-time at Missouri, regardless of position:

PPG        Tandem                               Year

43.0                                                       D. Smith / A. Peeler              1990-91

41.5                                                       W. Smith / J. Kennedy          1975-76

41.1                                                       C. Henke / Joe Scott             1960-61

38.7                                                       A. Peeler / J. Crudup            1991-92

38.5                                                       B. Price / Ray B. Carey         1963-64

38.0                                                       J. Brown / Al Eberhard        1972-73

37.7                                                       C. Henke / Joe Scott             1959-60

37.6                                                       K. Rush / C. Gilbert               2000-01

37.0                                                       A. Eberhard / G. Link            1973-74

36.8                                                       K. Rush / C. Gilbert               2001-02

32.3                                                       Carroll / Lyons      2008-09

Carroll Reaches 1,000 Career Points

DeMarre Carroll reached a career milestone in the Tigers’ 95-41 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 2, as the skilled forward scored his 1,000th career point as a Division I basketball player ... Carroll opened his career at Vanderbilt in the SEC and scored 460 points over two years, before transferring to play for his uncle, Head Coach Mike Anderson ... While at Mizzou, the Birmingham, Ala., native has flourished, and has scored 652 career points in just 46 career games as a Tiger.

School Record Pace For Fewest Turnovers

Although Missouri plays at a frenetic pace, the 2008-09 Tigers are the best in school history (so far) at protecting the rock ... Missouri is averaging just 12.2 turnovers per game this season, which is among the Top 30 for the fewest in the country.

> In fact, Missouri has been its best at protecting the basketball with J.T. Tiller running the point ... Over the final 12 games of the 2007-08 season the Tiller-ran Tigers averaged just 11.6 turnovers, down from their previous average of 13.8 turnovers through the first 20 games of that year.

Rank         TPG           Season           

1.                12.2          2008-09

2.                13.0          2007-08          

3.                13.3          1999-00

4.                13.7          1989-90

5.                14.0          2001-02

6.                14.1          1982-83

7.                14.2          1992-93

8.                14.5          1987-88

The Good Tigers Giveth ...

As a basketball team, Missouri is about as unselfish as it comes ... The Tigers are averaging an impressive 19.8 assists per game, which is No. 2 nationally and have a 1.6-to-1 assist/turnover ratio as a team, which ranks No. 2 in America ... Missouri is logging assists on 63 percent of its buckets in 2008-09 and 13 players have a positive or even assist-to-turnover ratio so far this year.

... And Taketh Away

Missouri has no issues creating turnovers once again this season as they produce 19.6 turnovers a night and average 10.9 steals (No. 3 nationally) ... Missouri is averaging 25.6 points a game off turnovers and scores 30.0 percent of its points off opposition throw-aways.