The Border Battle — the sport between Kansas and Missouri — shall be as contentious as ever within the 2024 version on Sunday afternoon because the No. 1 Jayhawks journey to Columbia, Mo., to sq. off with the Tigers.
The groups first met in 1907. Kansas leads the all-time collection 176-95 and has received 14 of the previous 16 video games in opposition to its former Huge 12 foe. If the Jayhawks are to proceed their success in opposition to Missouri on Sunday, they’re going to must regroup following their first lack of the season.
Kansas (7-1) fell 76-63 at Creighton on Wednesday, taking pictures simply 35.7 p.c from the sector and 34.8 on 3-pointers in a recreation it by no means led.
“(Creighton) dared us to shoot, which was a superb recreation plan clearly,” Kansas coach Invoice Self stated. “We did not train sufficient persistence to offer our offense an opportunity to work. … I assumed we may have put some actual recreation stress on them, however we by no means did, and that was disappointing. When you do not make photographs and do not run good offense, and the opposite group is ready to shoot the ball and be pretty much as good as they have been offensively, it does not take a lot.”
Preseason All-American and main scorer Hunter Dickinson, who’s averaging 14.5 factors per recreation, was held to 6 factors on simply 2-for-4 taking pictures from the sector.
“We have got to determine a method to get the ball to (Dickinson),” Self stated. “Creighton had 4 guys within the paint, so there was a purpose why he did not get as many touches, however we have to do a greater job of feeding him the ball.”
Zeke Mayo provides a median of 11.8 factors per recreation, whereas Dajuan Harris Jr. chips in 10.4.
Sunday will mark Kansas’ fifth recreation already in opposition to an influence convention group, whereas Missouri prepares for simply its second.
Final day trip, Missouri (7-1) trailed by 18 late within the first half at residence in opposition to Cal within the SEC/ACC Problem earlier than scoring 63 second-half factors en path to a 98-93 win. Guard Anthony Robinson II led the Tigers with a career-high 29 factors.
“You possibly can look on the stat sheet and have a look at sure issues he did, however what’s telling is his management and tenacity,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates stated of Robinson. “Having Anthony on the courtroom might help us in so some ways.”
Duke switch Mark Mitchell added a season-high 21 factors for the Tigers, who opened the second half on a 12-1 run.
“I’d like to take the entire credit score, and typically head coaches sit right here and try this, however I credit score our gamers,” Gates stated. “They challenged themselves; they knew what we needed to do. The best voices have been speaking, and it confirmed these first couple of minutes popping out of the gate at halftime.”
Missouri was with out its main scorer, Caleb Grill (13.6 ppg), who suffered a neck damage in opposition to Lindenwood on Nov. 27. Tamar Bates and Mitchell comply with with averages of 12.3 ppg apiece.
Grill has been dominated out of Sunday’s recreation.
With a win, Missouri would match its victory whole from final season, a marketing campaign that noticed the Tigers go 8-24 general and 0-18 in Southeastern Convention play.
–Area Degree Media