Baton Rouge, LA (Sports Network) - The 17th-ranked Missouri Tigers will try
once again to secure their first true road win of the season when they pay a
visit to the LSU Tigers for an SEC showdown on Wednesday night.
Missouri is fresh off a pair of wins last week over South Carolina (71-65) and
Vanderbilt (81-59) to climb five spots in the latest AP poll. It is still
hoping to get over the hump away from home this season however, as it has
dropped true road games at UCLA (97-94), Ole Miss (64-49) and Florida (83-52).
LSU's season began on a positive note, as the team won nine of its first 11
matchups, but things have not gone as well since it began SEC play. Following
a 75-70 loss at Kentucky last Saturday, it now sits alone in last place in the
conference standings at 1-5.
LSU won the only previous matchup between these two programs, taking a 68-63
decision back in 1980.
With the help of a 19-0 run in the first half, Missouri took a commanding
49-20 lead over Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon and never looked back. Mizzou
is typically the SEC's fourth-best scoring team, putting up 75.6 ppg on 44.6
percent from the field, and it did not disappoint the last time out, shooting
nearly 55 percent from the field, including 11-of-21 from beyond the arc. Alex
Oriakhi posted his eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 12
rebounds, while Jabari Brown led the way with 21 points. Phil Pressey logged
12 points and six assists, and Keion Bell also netted a dozen. Missouri was
able to cruise to the win without the presence of its top scorer Laurence
Bowers (16.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg), who remains out of action with an MCL sprain. In
his absence, Brown (15.1 ppg) would once again act as the unit's top scoring
threat, with Pressey (11.9 ppg, SEC-best 7.2 apg) feeding him the ball.
Oriakhi (10.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg), Earnest Ross (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and
Bell (9.1 ppg) round out a balanced squad that is dangerous both in the
backcourt and down close to the basket.
LSU found itself down by double-digits to Kentucky at halftime over the
weekend, and while it made the game interesting down the stretch, the Tigers
simply couldn't overcome a 39.7 percent shooting effort. Johnny O'Bryant III
matched a career-high with 21 points in the setback, and made it his third
consecutive double-double by adding 12 rebounds. Anthony Hickey chipped in
with 15 points, while Andre Stringer netted 13. On the season, LSU boasts a
respectable scoring average (71.9 ppg), while at the same time sporting one of
the worst scoring defenses (68.5 ppg). Shavon Coleman paces a balanced attack
with 12.1 ppg, and he gets his hands dirty with 7.4 rpg, 1.6 spg, and 1.1 bpg.
Hickey (11.9 ppg) is an outstanding perimeter defender with a nation-leading
3.8 spg, and O'Bryant III is a threat for a double-double every night as he
generates 11.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg. Stringer (10.8 ppg) and Charles Carmouche (9.4
ppg, 3.8 apg) are also consistent pieces to the Tigers' puzzle.
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