(Photo Credit: Jim Brown-USA Today Sports)
The Missouri Tigers suffered another poor shooting performance, which resulted in their 13 straight loss, a school record. Missouri moved to 7-20 on the season after falling to Vanderbilt 76-53. Montaque-Gill Caesar was the only Tiger in double digits with 11 points, while Keith Shamburger the next closest had only nine.
The Tigers got off to a rough start, as has been the case of late, hitting just one of their first seven attempts from the field. This allowed the Commodores to build a comfortable lead, one they wouldn’t give up.
Missouri did a nice job of locking down Vanderbilt’s top scorer Damian Jones limiting him to just two points in the first half. However the defensive effort on Jones allowed Matthew Fisher-Davis to get open on the arc as he knocked down three three-pointers for a team high 11 points in the first half.
Missouri made its best push at the end of the first half when Gill-Caesar led the Tigers on an 11-3 run to pull within six 35-29. After Josh Henderson connected on a two-pint tip in the Commodores held a 37-29 lead heading into the break.
The Tigers came out of the break cold missing their first five attempts, while Jones and the Commodores heated up. Jones registered 14-second half points and pulled in seven of the teams 46 rebounds on the afternoon.
Vanderbilt outmuscled Missouri on the boards 46-26 and had 10 more assists (21-11) than the Tigers, as it was able to dominate in all facets of the game.
Already holding a 15-point advantage the Commodores used a 14-4 run to stretch its lead to 61-37 midway through the second half. The Tigers did their best to limit the damage, but in the end Vanderbilt remained consistent grabbing the 76-53 victory.
Missouri has worked out some of the kinks in its game whether it be the turnovers (only committed seven) or free throw shooting (shot 80 percent), but it can’t seem to figure out the shooting woes. The Tigers shot 37 percent from the field and 27 percent from behind the arc. Cuing the inner John Madden, the team that scores the most points wins the game. It makes it pretty hard to win games when the ball isn’t going in the bucket, hence the 13-game losing skid.
Smarter shots. Better defense. That’s the recipe.
Kim Anderson has the luxury of using the explanation that this is a “young, inexperienced team” so that’s what I’m going to go with as well. If the same thing happens next year, well then we’ll know there’s a bigger problem.
I’ve gotten to witness a lot of history since being at Missouri. A conference switch, a volleyball SEC title, two football SEC East division titles and field rushes, and now the worst season in basketball history.
Only four more games until the misery is over. Next up the Tigers take on Florida at home on Feb. 24.
For more Missouri Tiger updates follow @NickYahl on Twitter.
