Tennessee @ Missouri preview
Mizzou Arena
Last Meeting ( Jan 23, 2021 ) Missouri 73, Tennessee 64
No. 17 Tennessee will look to get back in sync offensively when it visits struggling Missouri Tuesday night.
The Volunteers (19-7, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) are coming off a frustrating 58-48 loss at Arkansas on Saturday, which was just their second defeat in their past 10 games.
The Tigers (10-17, 4-10) fell to Mississippi State 58-56 Sunday at home in for their eighth loss in their past 10 games.
The Volunteers hit a season low in scoring against the Razorbacks as they turned the ball over 15 times and missed 20 of 24 shots from 3-point range.
Tennessee guard Josiah Jordan-James fouled out after playing 31 minutes and fellow guards Kennedy Chandler and Santiago Vesconi each finished with four fouls.
"The way we started the game, with a quick five turnovers, mostly from older guys, that's as disappointing as anything," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. "I felt like there was too much dribbling and guys going from away from what we had talked about in our scouting report and our game plan. Then we had seven straight possessions where we couldn't have gotten a better look at the basket. And couldn't get it go down.
"Then the foul trouble hit and we're just trying to manage the game, trying to get it down to where we could get everybody back on the court. We needed an inside presence tonight and we didn't get it. Because once they spread it out on us, we put it all on the guards. But it was just a very difficult to get any flow going whatsoever."
The Volunteers will look to do more damage inside against Missouri. Tennessee's top four forwards combined to score just nine points against the Razorbacks.
"We've got guys that are capable of doing it," Barnes said. "We've got to finish dunks and got to make free throws at a higher percentage."
Missouri's loss Sunday was their fourth SEC defeat at home by three or fewer points.
"You gotta get over the hump," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said. "Just gotta make plays, and it's just tough. And like I say to our guys, don't get consumed with whatever your record is, whatever you're hearing on the periphery. Focus on the task at hand. Make the shot. If you miss it, you miss it and you go down and get a stop. But I don't want them ever feeling like they're pressing. Whatever the result is, that's what it is."
The Tigers will be playing their third game in five days on Tuesday, due to a make-up game against Mississippi State caused by a COVID-19 postponement. Playing with an eight-man roster has made this stretch of schedule especially difficult.
Backup center Yaya Keita suffered a season-ending knee injury in a loss to Vanderbilt on Feb. 8. Backup point guard Anton Brookshire (wrist) and reserve center Jordan Wilmore (back) have also been sidelined by injuries.
On the plus side, the Tigers got guard Jarron "Boogie" Coleman back on track. After missing 23 of 27 shots in his previous four games, he shot 6 of 13 on Sunday and finished with 15 points. He dished three assists and committed just one turnover.
--Field Level Media