Missouri’s struggle of a season slogged on with two more losses last week, an ugly 62-49 loss at Alabama and a 83-61 home loss to Texas A&M (16-6, 7-3 in SEC).
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The only shocking thing about the A&M loss is that it was thoroughly not shocking for Missouri (7-16, 1-9 in SEC play through Sunday) to get hammered in Mizzou Arena. Missouri had lost six home games in six years heading into this season, in which they have lost seven home games, with three still to play. It was a home margin of defeat not seen since the star-crossed 2005-06 season, when it all blew up for Quin Snyder, who was fired mid-season. The program has won only four NCAA Tournament games in the decade since that debacle, all under Mike Anderson.
It was Missouri’s second straight home loss by 20 or more points. There’s not really much outrage to be mustered. This team just isn’t very good. But I don’t think most Tiger fans, even those bracing for a rebuilding season, thought it would be this bad.
It was Missouri’s ninth straight loss, the most since the 1966-67 season, when the Tigers went 3-21 and hired legendary coach Norm Stewart for the next season.
This season is about building under first-year coach Kim Anderson, but for many Tiger players it has been a struggle just to be eligible to play. Teki Gill-Caesar and Namon Wright were suspended for the Texas A&M game. The only four players who haven’t been disciplined this season are Johnathan Williams III, Keith Shamburger, Keanu Post and Ryan Rosburg.
To his credit, Anderson has said he will not sacrifice his integrity to build the program, and he is clearly holding players to his standards and expectations.
A coach can only do so much, and players clearly have to take responsibility. It would be nice if Missouri had a player who could be the leader and get his teammates to meet team standards for academics, behavior and effort in practice.
Williams could be a candidate as the team’s best player. He’s been struggling recently, but he passes for a grizzled veteran on this team. Shamburger is a senior, but he is playing his only season here after transferring from Hawaii. After years of roster shuffling, coach shuffling and waves of transfers, Missouri has know four-year players to lay down the law.
Anderson may succeed in Missouri, but the program still needs a lot of rebuilding, a point this season has driven home again and again.
The Tigers will try to better defend the home court on Saturday against Mississippi State (3 p.m. on ESPNU). The Bulldogs (11-12, 4-6 in SEC through Sunday) started SEC play with three straight losses, but then won four of their next six. They aren’t a great team, and they struggle to score, but they are getting better.
Mississippi State is certainly beatable, and it’s at least a chance for Missouri to stop the bleeding.
Editor’s note: Benjamin Herrold grew up in Daviess County and graduated from Gilman City High School. He then graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and now writes as the field editor for Missouri Farmer Today and is based in Columbia. He visits home frequently and owns a farm in Daviess County.