Butler @ Missouri preview

Butler and Missouri have used the exact same recipe for success to rack up a combined nine wins in 10 games in the early portion of the 2019-20 schedule. The Bulldogs and Tigers, who both rely heavily on lock-down defense and controlling the pace of the game, will see which club is further along when they face off Monday in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo.

Missouri ranks seventh in the country in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency (86.6 points/100 possessions) while holding opponents to 34 percent shooting, including 24.5 from beyond the arc, while Butler ranks 29th in defensive efficiency (89.4) while holding opponents to 37 percent shooting, including 23.5 from the arc. Mizzou defeated Morehead State 70-52 on Wednesday, closing the first half on a 9-0 run and opening the second stanza on a 9-2 spurt to take a 14-point lead. Butler beat Morehead State two days later, 68-50, as the Eagles were limited to 25 percent shooting in the second half after playing to a 30-30 tie at the break. Senior Kamar Baldwin led the Bulldogs with 17 points and eight rebounds and Bryce Nze added 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and six rebounds.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT BUTLER (5-0): Senior guard Baldwin leads four players in double figures with 14.8 points per game and also chips in 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists while junior Nze contributes 13.6 points on 68 percent shooting and a team-high 7.6 rebounds. Sean McDermott adds 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and a team-high 12 3-pointers in 23 attempts. Butler posted its fifth consecutive single-digit turnover game to open the 2019-20 campaign, committing only nine turnovers, and ranks third in the country in turnover percentage (12.7) while its offensive efficiency rating of 107.8 ranks 28th.

ABOUT MISSOURI (4-1): The Tigers held the Eagles to 38 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers while extending their streak of holding opponents to 63 or fewer points to five-straight - the longest since the 1951-52 team held opponents below the mark the first eight games of the season. Junior guard Mark Smith (13.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, team-high 13 3-pointers) had season highs of 21 points and seven rebounds, and Evansville transfer Dru Smith (11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists) became the first Mizzou player to have 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a game since Earnest Ross did so against Vanderbilt on Jan. 6, 2014.

TIP-INS

1. Oklahoma and Stanford will play in the other semifinal with the winners and losers facing off on Wednesday.

2. The all-time series is tied 3-3 with Mizzou winning the last three. The teams haven't played since 1979.

3. Missouri is limiting foes to a 21.6 offensive rebounding percentage - 29th best in the country - and has created turnovers on 22,6 percent of possessions - sixth in the country.

PREDICTION: Butler 66, Missouri 60