Anderson gives basketball eulogy on Wednesday
The Missouri basketball season was laid to rest Wednesday as coach Mike Anderson held his last official press conference of the season. Anderson reiterated that while he wishes his team were playing in the postseason, he was happy with the progress it made and has hope for next season.
“In the second half of the season I thought we responded in a positive way,” Anderson said. “For this team to finish in sixth place in the Big 12, I think that’s progress and that’s something that hopefully we can continue to build on.”
While most of the questions during the press conference called for Anderson to assess the season, his players and his coaching, there was also interest in whether any players would be leaving this year’s squad. The Tigers lose just one senior - Marcus Watkins - and will gain the services of DeMarre Carroll, who missed the season because of NCAA transfer rules, and prep school commitment Justin Safford. Anderson declined to comment about anyone leaving the team, stating that the coaching staff was still recruiting.
Both Jason Horton and Stefhon Hannah, two of the team’s captains, said they have not heard about any players that want to leave and that if anything, several players are excited about the prospect of this team being better next year.
Anderson told his players that next season would start with a clean slate just like this year, which players such as Horton are hoping will motivate them throughout the summer. Horton said he’s going to spend the summer playing basketball with his brother, Daniel, and several friends in Houston and Atlanta.
“Being here in Columbia, you kinda lose your swagger and lose the whole focus of what you came here to do,” Horton said. “I think over the last year or two maybe, I kinda lost a part of me. I think it’s going to be very important for me to get away and get around my roots and just go back to what I did to get me here and what I need to do to be successful and for my team to be successful.”
Anderson told media he was heading out to recruit this week, and would meet with his players for one-on-one meetings during the next two weeks. Hannah said he and some of Mizzou’s other players have been playing at the rec center on Missouri’s campus to stay in shape and guard Matt Lawrence was in the gym Wednesday afternoon working on his shot. Lawrence said he’d spend the summer in Columbia trying to get quicker and better on defense. Walk-on guard Nick Berardini said he and Lawrence were likely going to purchase Jason Sutherland’s home in Columbia this summer.
“The improvement that we made this season from last season were so great that I think everyone should be pretty excited about next season,” Lawrence said. “It’s going to be really exciting next year and I hope everyone comes back to take part in that.”
Graham, I just can’t see how Jason Horton is going to fix three miserable years of basketball by going to Texas!
We have had our share of disagreements in the past, but I have to agree with you on your comments earlier in the year about Matt Lawrence. His defense is terrible! He lacks speed and he looks like a statue out there. Certainly with the facilities that MU has, they could help him out.
I don’t believe that Anderson will get this team to the tournament any time soon. All coaches have a system. You must be willing to make adjustments to the system to fit the players (personnel) you have and he did not do that this year. Part of the reason could have been the cream puff non-conference schedule. He did not know what he had to work with until mid way through conference play, but he should have adjusted. I just don’t see Demarre Carol being a guy that puts this team over the top! They can’t defend at all!
This is just the first year. I think this team, in Mike Anderson’s system, was far better than the one a year ago. I think Mike Anderson adjusted by using role guys such as Butterfield. There’s only so much he could do with what he had. To pull off 18 wins, including nine against the same weak conpetition this same team lost to a year ago, is a step in the right direction. The fact that we were even talking about postseason play is unfathomable.
I think all judgments are out until Anderson gets his guys here. I think we’ll also see what kind of commitment a lot of these guys have during the offseason when they know what’s expected of them. I know Matt Lawrence is in the gym trying to get better almost everyday - on his own. That, in itself, is the progress of having a coach like Anderson.
Graham, I think that Matt Lawrence would be better suited to spend his time in the strength and conditioning center than the gym. He needs to get stronger and quicker.
I would have liked to seen Mike Anderson go to a half court defense because his players were not capable of applying effective full court pressure. I think that this would have helped on defense in saving some transition buckets.