After a surprising, disappointing, exciting, and depressing 2017-18 that both began and ended in typical Mizzou fashion, the Tigers begin the offseason with several holes in the roster and one major recruiting target remaining.
Losses from 2017-18:
Michael Porter Jr, SF
Jordan Barnett, SF
Kassius Robertson, SG
Injured Role Players:
Cullen Van Leer
Mitchell Smith
Returning Suicide Vest:
Jordan Geist
Spoiler!
Additions:
Transfer:
He will sit out the entire season, but will have 3 years to play 3 beginning in 2019-2020
Mark Smith (former **** recruit), SG, Illinois
2018 Commitments:
Not a lot to get too excited about at this point. The success or failure of the current recruits in his class will be based upon their development rather than their Day 1 skills.
Torrence Watson, SG, **** St. Louis, MO
Javon Pickett, SG, ***, Wichita, KS
KJ Santos, SF, ***, Tallahassee FL
Xavier Pinson, PG, ***, Chicago, IL
Next year is a rebuilding year. Jontay leaving was a possibility, but not a certainty. That, combined with losing two freshman PGs to transfer and a junior shitbag PG to Cosby means that Mizzou will be bereft of experienced playmakers and ballhandlers anywhere in the backcourt, and no one with the rare ability to create in the half-court like Jontay showed. It's probably a 14 win team next year.
5/30 Edit: Jontay Porter is returning, making this team a fringe NCAA contender.
Did I hear you guys right that Zo's teams are having a hard time with inbound plays? Holy shit that was our bread and butter plays when he was with the Bears. We won multiple games on inbound plays he drew up.
Patience he is building that pipeline from St. Louis which is going to be the key to being a very solid to very good program. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
BTW, an absolute heist of a victory yesterday. That game will drive UCF nuts for months. As one would expect for a team without a solid offensive system and no established go-to scorer, Mizzou could not get a good look in the closing stretch, but a few miracle plays (the in-bounds bouncing off a defender and straight to Geist underneath the basket, and the buzzer beater off a constipated, nothing play) overcame the offensive incompetence (inability to beat the five second clock when down 1 with 15 seconds left).
This team is likely an SEC cellar dweller, but they battle their asses off. Tilmon has shown growth on the defensive side, but his offense needs similar progression. All the young guards are just that--young.
This Knights team isn't making the tournament and this game will go a long way in that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
Nice win last night. Cuonzo knows how to make rugged teams.
I like this team.
It's not a tournament squad but they bust their asses and keep at it. They're gonna have some uuuuuugly nights when Smith's shot isn't falling and Tilmon gets in foul trouble because Watson just isn't ready yet and the rest of the team is largely complementary players.
But guys like Pinson and Pickett are going to be nice 4-year players. Pickett's better than I expected him to be and Pinson is gonna be a force, IMO. That kid sees the floor in a big way.
Next year they'll be able to run some hellacious 4-guard lineups out there with Pinson, Smith, Smith and Watson (though Watson can play some 3 probably). They'll also have some serious guard depth with Pickett and some of the incoming recruits.
They still need more size but that will come; Jackson should help there and I don't think Tilmon's a candidate to leave early yet. Mitchell Smith will be able to absorb some minutes at the 4 as well. I guess Santos but I'm just kind of ignoring him at this point. Would like to see that last scholly go to a decent big but I'd imagine it goes to the greyshirt walk-on kid who's name immediately escapes me. I think Reed Nikko is still around to play 5 minutes a game and hopefully not foul anyone.
Originally Posted by KChiefs1:
Could this year's team without Jontay be better than last year's?
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I dont know, time will tell. It seems as though they are starting to gel though. Just imagine if Mizzou wasn't cursed and Jontay didn't blow out his knee. [Reply]
I was at the game tonight. Buddy of mine lives in Champaign and his boss is a donor so we always go. Zo is building a team that is going to be a 4 year Letterman type program. Occasionally you will get the McDonald's all american in state but it's going to be 4 year guys. Be excited boys Mizzou is in good shape. [Reply]