Tuesday, February 4
College Station, Texas
8 PM
University of Missouri
at
Texas A&M
Mizzou Hoops Continues Road Trip at Texas A&M on Tuesday
2/3/2020 10:18:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Tip off is set for 8 p.m. on SEC Network
| Mizzou Hoops Continues its Road Trip at Texas A&M on Tuesday | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME (CT) | WATCH | STATS |
| Texas A&M | College Station, Texas | Tuesday, Feb. 4 | 8 PM | SEC Network | Stats |
Mizzou Basketball Game Notes
STORYLINES
- Mizzou faces Texas A&M for the second time in 14 days when the Tigers travel to College Station on Tuesday. The Aggies edged Mizzou, 66-64, in a tight battle on Jan. 21. The Tigers nearly erased a nine-point deficit with two minutes to play, but a buzzer-beating 3-point attempt rimmed out.
- Mizzou and Texas A&M meet for the 39th time in series history with the Aggies up 20-18 overall. Mizzou is looking to earn an even season split with the Aggies for the third consecutive season. The Tigers downed Texas A&M, 66-43, last season in College Station. It was Mizzou's first win at Texas A&M since 2012 and its largest margin of victory over any SEC opponent since beating Arkansas by 30 on March 5, 2013.
- Mizzou's strength this season has been its ability to cash in at the free throw line. Mizzou is shooting 77.4 percent from the free throw line, which is on pace to break the single-season team record of 76.6 percent set in 2011-12. The 77.4 percent clip ranks 13th nationally, and third among all power conference teams, behind only Villanova and Kentucky.
- Mizzou is shooting 81.0 percent during league action from the charity stripe. The Tigers made an NCAA-record 54 consecutive free throws from Jan. 18-21.
- The Tigers have shot above 80 percent from the line as a team in 14 games this season. Mizzou is 98-of-111 over the last five games (88.3 percent).
- Redshirt junior guard Dru Smith is a large part of Mizzou's success at the charity stripe. He is shooting 94.3 percent from the line in league play and 90.7 percent for the season, which ranks ninth nationally, and would set a Mizzou single-season program record if the season ended today. Dru's streak of consecutive made free throws ended at 34 in Mizzou's last outing at South Carolina, five shy of tying the program record.
- Mizzou's defense continues to wreak havoc on opponents, as the Tigers have forced 10+ turnovers in 20 of 21 games this season, including all eight league games. The Tigers rank second the SEC in league play in both steals per game (7.1) and turnovers forced per game (14.6). Mizzou's opponents are coughing it up 16.4 times per game since Dec. 7.
- After Xavier Pinson erupted for a team-high 16 points vs. Georgia, he followed with a team-high 12 points at South Carolina. The 28 points are his most in back-to-back games this season.
DRU CONTINUING STRONG SEASON
- Dru Smith is making his case for All-SEC recognition. He reached double figures for the 12th time this season with 16 points in the comeback win over Georgia. He is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game and is on pace to become the first SEC player since 1990 to average at least those marks in each category for an entire season.
- In league play, he leads the SEC in steals per game with 2.4, ranks second in free throw percentage (94.3 percent), and ranks sixth in assists per game (3.0) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3) while leading Mizzou in points (12.8), assists, steals and free throw percentage.
- Dru has missed one free throw since Jan. 7. He made 34 consecutive free throws before missing one at South Carolina, which was shy of Jason Sutherland's school-record 39 straight makes in 1995-96. He ranks ninth nationally in free throw percentage at 90.7 percent. That clip is on pace to set Mizzou's single-season record, and would rank fifth all-time in SEC history.
- On Jan. 21 vs. Texas A&M, he finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, and a season-high eight assists. He is just the second Tiger to post an 18-8-8 line since 1983, joining Anthony Peeler.
- He now has five games with 10+ points and 4+ steals this season through 20 contests. He is just the fifth Tiger in program history to do so, joining Anthony Peeler, Stefhon Hannah, Byron Irvin, Lynn Hardy and Ricky Clemons. Dru has 24 steals over the last 10 games and is first in the SEC with 2.2 steals per game this season. That current 2.2 per game clip is on pace to rank second in program history behind Stefhon Hannah's 2.4 steals per game in 2006-07. He has 44 steals in 21 games. Mizzou's steals leader last year was Jordan Geist, who finished with 34 thefts.
- The redshirt junior captained Mizzou's victory over Florida with 22 points, six assists and five steals - the second Tiger since 1980 to hit those marks in the same game, joining Peeler.
- Dru reached the 18-point mark five times in two seasons at Evansville and has done so five times now at Mizzou after scoring 22 points vs. Florida and 18 vs. Texas A&M. Dru exploded for 22 points, a career-high 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals at No. 21 Xavier. He became the first Tiger to record at least 22 points, 10 boards, four dimes and three steals in a game since Doug Smith did so vs. Oklahoma in 1991.
- Dru leads Mizzou in scoring (11.7 PPG), assists (4.1), steals (2.2) and is second in rebounding (4.2).
- He posted 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals vs. Chicago State, the first Tiger to hit all those marks in the same game since Phil Pressey in 2013. He is just the fifth Tiger to do so since 1980 (Pressey, Peeler, Brian Grawer and Jason Conley).
- In his 70-game career, Dru has only gone one game without recording an assist, (Dec. 3, 2016), giving him 63 consecutive games with an assist. He's now posted 34 multi-assist outings in the last 35 games.
- Dru is a career 87.5 percent free throw shooter. That ranks 14th nationally among active players and seventh among underclassmen.
RALLY FOR RHYAN UP NEXT
- Mizzou returns home for the fifth annual Rally For Rhyan game on Saturday vs. Arkansas. Rally for Rhyan was started in 2016 to help the daughter of former Mizzou assistant coach and now Assistant AD for Major Gifts, Brad Loos. Brad's daughter Rhyan was fighting a battle against pediatric cancer. The goal was to raise $10,000 dollars at the first annual Rally for Rhyan to help fund clinical trials for pediatric cancer research and thus, aid Rhyan in her fight.
- Fast forward five years later and the Mizzou Family has raised more than $500,000 for the Rally for Rhyan Foundation and pediatric cancer research, with $250,000 alone coming from Rally for Rhyan games.
- Rhyan Loos won her battle with cancer, and has been in remission for 38 months! Rhyan wants the fight to continue though, for her friends, and all those affected by pediatric cancer, so with her bravery leading the charge, the Rally for Rhyan tradition will go on for a fifth annual game this Saturday vs. Arkansas. Mizzou is 4-0 in its previous Rally for Rhyan games. Any donations can be made at www.RallyForRhyan.org or by texting R4R to 90561.
- Mizzou has won three of the last five meetings with Arkansas, including the last three matchups at Mizzou Arena.
HISTORIC PACE AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
- The Tigers lead the SEC in free throw percentage at 77.4 percent. They are shooting 81.0 percent in league play (128-for-1588). That's on pace to shatter the program's single-season team record. It would rank fifth all-time in SEC history. Mizzou has seven players shooting above 70 percent (min. 16 att.).
- Over the course of two games against Alabama and Texas A&M, Mizzou made 54 consecutive free throws, setting a new all-time NCAA record. The incredible feat included a 31-of-31 effort at Alabama, the most free throws made without a miss in a single game in SEC history. It marked the fourth-best single-game team performance at the foul line in NCAA history and the best since Oklahoma hit 34-of-34 free throws vs. Iowa State on March 2, 2013. The effort shattered Mizzou's previous single-game record for consecutive free throws made in a game of 23.
- The Tigers are shooting 88.3 percent from the line over the last five games, missing only 13 of their last 111 free throw attempts.
- Mizzou ranks 13th nationally in free throw percentage, and third among all power conference teams.
Players Mentioned
MBB Highlights vs. Minnesota
Friday, November 14
Mizzou Men's Basketball Signs Jason Crowe Jr.
Thursday, November 13
MBB Postgame Media vs. Minnesota
Wednesday, November 12
Mizzou Men's Basketball Signs Aidan Chronister
Wednesday, November 12
