LINEUP NOTES

Missouri:

• Because of Missouri’s…uh, “disappointing” (but not surprising!) non-conference run, Cuonzo’s tinkered with the starting lineup a couple times. The most recent one is his fourth-different starting lineup in the last seven games: Dru Smith, Mark Smith, Brown, Mitchell Smith, Nikko.
• As such, just assume and expect that the bench guys will get a lot of minutes. Nine guys got 10+ minutes against Kentucky, with Tilmon getting eight. None of the frontcourt guys go 30+ unless it’s under severe circumstances, it appears.
• Torvik’s suggested best lineup: Pinson, Dru Smith, Mark Smith, Javon Pickett, Tilmon. Predictably, said lineup has gotten about five minutes of action over the last five games.

Tennessee:

• Vescovi, Bowden, James, Pons, Fulkerson.
• There’s no KenPom chart for a very specific reason: because Saturday was Vescovi’s first game, he just got entered into the database, meaning that his minutes are currently showing up as…Jacob Fleschman’s. It would look a little dumb if I posted it.
• Looks like Tennessee’s going to go with an eight-man rotation for a while, with Gaines, Johnson, and Nkamhoua coming off the bench. Pember likely won’t play unless it’s a blowout or there’s foul trouble.
• If you’re curious, Torvik’s suggested best lineup is just the starting lineup. JJJ’s gotten a lot better from basically VCU onward, but his first six games were horrific.

KEY MATCHUPS

Santiago Vescovi vs. Dru Smith. Obviously, yeah? Vescovi scored 18 points in his first-ever college game, which is pretty wild. He’ll be facing easily Mizzou’s best on-ball defender in Dru Smith. Smith is less effective offensively, but he knows how to get to the rim and draw fouls. Vescovi’s got to be careful, and he’s got to find a way to limit turnovers. Ideally, he commits three or fewer.

Jordan Bowden vs. Mark Smith. Bowden may be shuffled elsewhere, but he’s not escaping this preview without a few words. I have no doubts that, eventually, his three-point shooting will regress to where it’s mostly held for the last two years: the 35-40% range. That’s not a huge issue, honestly. What is the issue is a constant refusal to put the ball on the floor, go straight to the rim, and use his best-on-the-team-other-than-Pons leaping ability to get two points at a time until his shot comes back to him. Even when he’s gotten there this season, he’s been terrible: 5-of-23 on layup attempts, utterly brutal. None of us are asking him to be Zion; we are simply asking him to be 2018-19 Bowden at the rim, a player that dunked it 15 times and converted 54% of his layup attempts.

John Fulkerson vs. Jeremiah Tilmon. I know, it’s odd to single out the guy who’s not even starting at center, but whatever, he’ll be playing if at all possible. Reed Nikko is fine, but he hasn’t played more than 18 minutes in a game this year. Tilmon’s had big-time issues with fouls for seemingly his entire career, and it’s peaked with an eight minute, four foul outing against Kentucky on Saturday. Tilmon remains a reliable scorer when he’s in the game; if Fulkerson can force him to foul early and often, he will erase Tilmon’s impact entirely.

PREDICTION

If you like pleasant basketball, Ohio State/Maryland at the same time on ESPN might be more up your alley. Missouri 61, Tennessee 56.