Traveling behind enemy lines is always a challenge — especially when the lines cross into Lawrence, Kan., where the Kansas Jayhawks have won 89 of their last 90 home games.
The Tigers fell victim of “The Phog” on Saturday afternoon. In a race with the big boys, the Tigers simply fell short against the one team on Missouri’s schedule with a legitimate shot at winning a national championship.
You can’t excuse Matt Pressey, a senior starter, who contributed zero points in a game of this magnitude.
Michael Dixon had no good reason for weakly fouling Kansas forward Thomas Robinson to allow him to tie the game at the line with 16 seconds remaining.
You can’t have Phil Pressey giving up an easy back door dunk to Tyshawn Taylor with 28 seconds left in overtime.
And an explanation doesn’t exist for why Missouri failed to attempt a shot before the overtime buzzer sounded or for how the No. 3 team in the land blew such a ridiculous lead.
There were times Missouri looked brilliant and others when they looked like a stagnant bunch playing not to lose. Missouri broke down during the critical stretches of Saturday’s de facto Big 12 championship game.
Missouri came into Saturday’s game with the right mindset after being upset by Kansas State earlier in the week, but great teams play hard _and_ play smart. The Tigers did not deserve to win on Saturday.
Although Missouri played Kansas closer than any other team at home this season, it gave the game away, kind of like Kansas did earlier in the month at Mizzou Arena.
Saturday exemplified why Missouri needs to schedule more difficult non-conference games. Although they were ready to play at tipoff and coming out of half, the Tigers still fell short.
The two toughest teams Missouri played before Big 12 play was an Illinois team that has completely unraveled since and California. The 39-point victory over Cal might as well have been a home game due to the proximity of Kansas City’s Sprint Center to Columbia, at least compared to California.
Saturday was easily Missouri’s toughest challenge all season, and it nearly succeeded. It’s too bad almost doesn’t count.
The hope among die-hards is that Saturday was not the last chapter in such a storied rivalry, one that featured two terrific match-ups this season alone. How often does a game so highly touted live up to expectations in terms of sheer entertainment?
The only two games that were anywhere near the level of excitement of the Border Showdown games would be the North Carolina-Duke and Indiana-Kentucky thrillers, both of which ended on buzzer beaters.
If that isn’t reason enough to continue the rivalry, whoever is involved in making the decision to end it is filled with stupidity. Both Tiger and Jayhawk fans would agree it would be a damn shame to discontinue tradition.
If a gun were held to my head, I would say this will not be the last time Missouri and Kansas square off this season.
Until then, coach Frank Haith must demand a higher level of accountability from his team with March right around the corner.
Missouri has suffered a loss at the right time of the season, rather than in March when it really counts. Come tournament time, Missouri needs to do whatever it takes to make a run at the Final Four, when it will take on teams that are as talented as its long-time rival Kansas.