By The Numbers: Missouri vs. Colorado
I don’t even know where to begin.
Today’s game pits Missouri against another team it should beat, but probably won’t because it’s not ranked and not very good and that just doesn’t seem to inspire Missouri to play.
But if Missouri decided to play today, it would find that it has an advantage in the paint… if Leo Lyons plays more than 9 minutes. Mizzou scores more than Colorado. Mizzou has a better bench and has beaten better teams this year.
Although Missouri hasn’t won a true road game since February of last year, Colorado hasn’t exactly been unbeatable at home. The Buffaloes are 4-5 at home, including a loss to New Orleans.
Make no mistake, the Tigers need this win. Not just to prove they can win on the road. Or even get them back on track in conference play. But because for all the comments I make about the 2005-06 team, this team could slide into that quitting mentality very quickly.
Body language spoke volumes in Lubbock, so watch closely if Mizzou starts to slip today.
Luckily for Mizzou, Colorado was the place it broke an 11-game road losing streak last year. Perhaps that luck could repeat itself.
Here’s how the Tigers stack up against the Buffaloes (Big 12 ranking in parentheses):
| CATEGORY | MISSOURI | COLORADO | ADVANTAGE |
| Scoring offense | 81.5 (3) | 63.8 (12) | Missouri |
| Scoring defense | 69.8 (12) | 62.3 (4) | Colorado |
| FT percentage | .686 (6) | .686 (5) | Colorado |
| FG percentage | .463 (8) | .455 (9) | Missouri |
| 3-pointers made | 7.26 (4) | 6.22 (8) | Missouri |
| 3-point percentage | .327 (10) | .349 (8) | Colorado |
| Rebounding | 37.1 (6) | 30.1 (12) | Missouri |
| Rebounding defense | 37.3 (12) | 31.5 (1) | Colorado |
| Blocked shots | 3.63 (9) | 4.44 (5) | Colorado |
| Total assists | 344 (2) | 254 (7) | Missouri |
| Assists per game | 18.11 (2) | 14.11 (7) | Missouri |
| Total steals | 182 (3) | 115 (10) | Missouri |
| Steals per game | 9.58 (3) | 6.39 (10) | Missouri |
| Total turnovers | 263 (9) | 243 (4) | Colorado |
| Turnover margin | +4.95 (2) | +0.33 (10) | Missouri |
| Assist-to-turnover ratio | 1.31 (3) | 1.05 (7) | Missouri |
PREDICTION:Missouri 85, Colorado 84
Graham, good article today on Carroll. I hope he picks it up for his own sake. I also hope Safford gets some minutes too, just because I like to watch him play.