Missouri State and Murray State – Mirror Images

Talented Teams Looking For Progress

(Springfield, MO) – Missouri State is the Missouri Valley Conference’s preseason favorite and has fought its way to a 5-5 record. Murray State was picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference and has battled to a 5-4 slate. These talented teams are looking for progress prior to beginning of conference season.

Both teams are battling injuries to key players. Neither coach feels like the leadership required to contend for a title has been fully on display. Everyone expects more from these two teams.

Looking for Progress – Consistency

Murray has topped 100 points twice (once in an exhibition). They started the season 3-1, with their only loss coming at Tennessee. The Racers have reached the 70-point level only once in their last five games, while losing three of them.

Part of their problem stems from injuries. Brion Whitley hasn’t played all year and Darnell Cowart has missed two games and played sparingly in others (16 minutes per game. Cowart, a preseason All-OVC pick has been hobbled by a knee problem and even when he plays, hasn’t resembled last season’s dynamic play.

Chico Carter is out with an broken hand.

Obviously, they are adjusting to life after Ja Morant, but this team has pieces and talent. Tevin Brown has elevated his game and looks more and more like the next great Murray State guard. Against Missouri State he demonstrated unlimited range, strong driving ability, nifty passing and solid leadership.

This is becoming Brown’s team.

The talented sophomore is averaging 16.2 points per game and converting .456 of his long distance shots, grabbing five rebounds per game and he never leaves the floor. Brown is averaging over 36 minutes per game and has played in all but two minutes during a recent five game stretch.

His leadership is obvious. He is constantly pulling teammates aside and both correcting and encouraging his commrades who are adjusting to working harder for their shots than they had to during the ‘Tour de Ja’ last year.

Rookie Contributors

Freshmen really matter. Coach Matt McMahon is making liberal use of first year players. Prior to his hand injury, Carter was playing 20 minutes, averaging 8.4 points and three assists per game. With his injury has opened the door for DaQuan Smith to jump into the starting rotation, but he was a prominent part of the rotation already. Forward Demond Robinson flashed his potential during the Missouri State loss. (Robinson made his first start Saturday night)

Smith leads the team in assists and is second to Brown in steals.

McMahon says his team is getting better, but they are still looking for consistency.

 

 

Senior Anthony Smith has come back from last-year’s season-ending injury. During his eight games this year, he’s averaging nine points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Missouri State’s Dana Ford praised  Anthony Smith, calling him a ‘Missouri State type of player’. Smith works hard in the paint and rebounds with a passion.

Ford says Murray is a proven commodity and will have a successful season.

“They expect to win,” praised Ford. “It’s not lip service in Murray, Kentucky. It’s a way of life. They always defend and rebound. Always. The third thing is guard play. They always have big time guards. College basketball is all about guard play.”

Ford calls the Murray success story a ‘team effort’.

“It’s a total team effort,” added Ford. “We went there and played there last year and there were 8 or 9 thousand people there. They’ve earned it. It’s a good program for us every year to benchmark ourselves.”

Looking for Progress – Leadership

The Valley’s heavy favorite is long on potential. Clearly the MVC’s most talented team is still looking for the consistency that will lead them to greatness.

They have won two straight games and have endured four narrow losses to high-level teams.  Losses Xavier (59-56), Miami (74-70) and Buffalo (75-74) reveal the Bears’ ability to compete with solid competition but also their struggle to ‘seal the deal’. Ford has sited his team’s collective immaturity as reasons for some of the narrow losses.

He also blames himself for some of those ‘end-of-game’ failures. He made an adjustment during the Murray State win.

“Here’s the mistake I’ve made earlier in the year,” said Ford. “When the game is on the line, I’ve tried to run a play instead of just giving it to a player. Today I just decided to give it to a player and he (Keandre Cook) made a play.”

He’s seeing glimpses of that leadership emerging, but he realizes it’s not a finished product.

“Each passing day we’re coming together,” said Ford. “The question is am I willing to accept the way it’s coming together. For example, I have to play the freshmen. (He didn’t want to be forced into it). They’re not afraid. They want to be coached and I believe in my heart they want to be coached by me.”

He was sending a message when he benched senior Kabir Mohammad against Murray State.

“Kabir’s benching was a “coach’s decision and I anticipate him getting back in the rotation,” confessed Ford. “We need more leadership from Tulio, Keandre and Kabir. They have to lead the team. That is the challenge. I’ve seen them be good followers, so I have the utmost confidence they can be good leaders.”

Against Murray, he thought he saw glimpses of a positive change. What encouraged him?

“The first thing, was the look in the eye of Tulio & Keandre,” he said. “Then the voice. Who is talking during the timeout. Doing what’s best for the team. Serving others. That’s leadership. Being happy when others are successful. That’s leadership.”

Injury Factors

He’s been working on the lack of leadership since the first day of practice, but injuries have also played a role in the team’s struggles.

Highly recruited and prized transfer Gaige Prim has been dynamic, when he has played. His mysterious injury (Ford won’t share what it is) is causing the Bears to use a ‘load management’ approach to his play. Ford says the only way for his inury to get better is through rest.

During Prim’s five games, he has averaged over 15 points per game. During one three game stretch, he scored 18, 19 and 21 points. While playing, he can be a dominant force. He doesn’t practice much and misses some games all together. Ford says it’s hard to practice without the talented 6’10 center and then expect the players to instinctively know how to play with in, during a real game.

Sophomore Jared Ridder has played just one game.

Cook & Da Silva

Da Silva and Cook were preseason All-Valley picks. Both have started all ten games and are averaging over 30 minutes of playing time and scoring in double figures. Da Silva is the Bears’ leading rebounder (8.3 per game) and Cook is the leading scorer (17.0 points per game). Cook owns two of the Bears’ three 20-point games. He scored 31 against Alabama State and 20 Friday, against Mississippi Valley State. His 15 points, all in the second half, against Murray was an impressive offensive explosion.

Da Silva’s shooting percentages are down and at times he seems to be deferring to newcomer Lamont West. The talented 6’8 forwards don’t seem to have quite figured out their roles. Ford has been a little frustrated with Da Silva’s leadership and defense. The senior twisted an ankle and Ford called it a ‘defensive ankle sprain’.

He told the Springfield News Leader’s Wyatt Wheeler, it only hurts Da Silva on the defensive end of the floor, but seems to be fine when the Bears have the ball.

Rookie Contributors

Very few freshmen come in to the Valley with higher credentials than Ford Cooper, Ja’Monta Black and Isiaih Mosley. None of the three have lived up to the hype. They’ve shown flashes. Black made his first start against Murray. Cooper had to run the offense the final eight minutes of the game and was rock solid. Mosley’s drive for a layup reminded us of his immense talent.

None of the three averages over 2.6 points per game, and only Mosley’s shooting percentages stand out.

The Ingredients Are the Same

The recipe for success for both of these highly respected programs is the same. Get healthy, develop the freshmen and build consistency. It may be that last thing that is most illusive. McMahon and Ford are looking for players to become the team leaders.

If Tevin Brown can rally the troops, the Racers can be an outstanding OVC team. That question looms larger for Ford and the Bears. They are like a great fantasy team on paper, but the games are played on the hardwoods of the Missouri Valley Conference.

If Da Silva can figure out his role or if Tyrik Dixon can run the team like a true point guard, or if Cook can assert his will on this collection of stars, the Bears have the talent to rule the Valley and make a legit run in the NCAA Tournament. If not, they could be scrambling for a three-letter tournament.

The injuries to Murray State’s Cowart and Whitley and Missouri State’s Prim are huge factors. How they heal will determined something of the style and the effectiveness of their respective teams.

These two coaches are looking for progress. If it comes like we expect it to, they can have wildly successful seasons.

Do Good