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Missouri males’s basketball is on a three-game dropping streak and has misplaced 5 of six total to begin Southeastern Convention play.
The Tigers now have their remaining regular-season nonconference sport as a part of the Massive 12/SEC Problem on the highway towards No. 14 West Virginia.
The Mountaineers are 15-Three total and 9-Zero in Morgantown, having most just lately defeated Texas 97-59.
With a loss, Missouri would have a dropping document for the primary time this season. The Tigers might be with out Jeremiah Tilmon for the sixth straight sport, as Tigers head coach Cuonzo Martin referred to as him “week-to-week” on Thursday.
Missouri has not participated within the Massive 12/SEC Problem for the reason that 2014-15 season and is 1-1 total within the occasion.
In December 2013, Missouri defeated West Virginia at dwelling, then misplaced the subsequent season to Oklahoma on the highway.
Saturday’s tip-off towards the Mountaineers is ready for 11 a.m. on ESPN and might be radio broadcast on KTGR (105.1 FM).
Right here’s a more in-depth have a look at the Missouri vs. West Virginia matchup. Under are projected lineups, gamers to observe, keys to the sport and a rating prediction.
Projected Missouri starters: Dru Smith, Mark Smith, Mitchell Smith, Javon Pickett, Reed Nikko
Projected West Virginia starters: Oscar Tshiebwe, Emmitt Matthews Jr., Derek Culver, Jordan McCabe, Jermaine Haley
Missouri participant to observe
After his reinsertion into the beginning lineup for the Alabama sport, sophomore guard Javon Pickett has an opportunity to influence this matchup from the beginning.
Pickett had been considered one of Missouri’s aces off the bench for a lot of the season, however now he’s taking part in an expanded function.
Pickett is third on the Tigers in minutes performed per sport this season (25.eight), behind solely Dru Smith and Mark Smith. But Pickett is fifth on the crew in factors per sport (7.2), behind that very same Smith duo, Tilmon and Xavier Pinson.
The Belleville, Illinois, native has scored simply 5 factors in 61 mixed minutes of courtroom time since being put into the beginning lineup.
Pickett discovering his stride might be pivotal within the Tigers pulling an upset.
West Virginia participant to observe
The Mountaineers are led by Oscar Tshiebwe, who paces West Virginia in each factors per sport (11.7) and rebounds per sport (9.5).
The freshman heart despatched the web right into a frenzy through the win over Texas due to a play he made whereas West Virginia was up 41 factors.
After an errant Longhorn go, Tshiebwe ran down the courtroom and caught as much as the unfastened ball within the nook, simply because it was about to exit of bounds. Tshiebwe picked up the ball and made a beeline for the rim, the place he dunked the ball over a Texas participant.
Missouri ahead Reed Nikko, thrust right into a beginning function in league play, will draw the task to cease him. Nikko’s challenges might be just like when he was matched up towards Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn, one other eye-turning freshman.
Missouri’s key to the sport
The convention slate hasn’t gone based on plan for the Tigers, and whereas the sport towards the Mountaineers received’t enhance that document, West Virginia can be favored towards each league crew besides Kentucky by Vegas odds.
A win for Missouri, mixed with the Braggin’ Rights victory over Illinois and highway conquer Temple, varieties a stable nonconference resume come March that almost outweighs the losses to Butler, Oklahoma and Charleston Southern.
The Tigers want one thing to encourage confidence and get their season again on observe.
In an up-and-down marketing campaign, it might weirdly make sense for Missouri, with its again towards the wall, to now win a sport by which it’s a 15-point underdog on KenPom.
West Virginia’s key to the sport
The Mountaineers are checking off bins for his or her NCAA Event resume at this level, and head coach Bob Huggins has mastered that talent in his lengthy teaching profession.
A loss to Missouri can be West Virginia’s second-to-worst lack of the season, solely behind St. John’s. The Mountaineers’ different two losses are to Kansas and Kansas State.
Turning the sport right into a observe meet can be perfect for West Virginia, however that sometimes isn’t its model both, regardless of current wins over Texas Tech and Texas.
The Mountaineers have a deep bench, which Missouri doesn’t have in the intervening time. That led the Tigers to principally use a seven-man rotation towards Texas A&M.
West Virginia’s depth might be very important in an in depth sport.
Ultimate rating prediction
West Virginia 84, Missouri 73.
eblum@columbiatribune.com
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