The University of Missouri and Saint Louis University. In many ways, the schools could not be more different. One is the state's flagship university, a huge state institution. The other is a small private school. One boasts an urban campus in the heart of the state's largest metropolitan area. The other resides in a quintessential college town. One plays in the SEC, the greatest football conference in the land. The other doesn't play football at all.
But they both play basketball. And the great thing about college hoops is that, unlike football, the little guys are perfectly capable of competing with the big boys. And this year, despite all of the advantages that the Tigers have when it comes to finances, conference affiliation, athletic prestige, and so on, it's the Billikens who have been playing the better brand of basketball.
Mizzou has the star power. Think of it this way: If you were a captain for a game of pickup basketball, and you could choose from the rosters of both teams, your first handful of picks would probably all be Tigers. Phil Pressey is one of the most talented point guards in the country, the preseason SEC player of the year. Alex Oriakhi is a rebounding force, a defensive force, and an improved offensive threat. Despite his injury, Laurence Bowers is an exceptional athlete who can score in myriad ways. Jabari Brown, Keion Bell, and Earnest Ross are all capable wing scorers.
Meanwhile, SLU doesn't have a single NBA prospect on its roster. Leading scorer Dwayne Evans is an undersized 6-foot-5 power forward. Second leading scorer Cody Ellis is a spot-up shooter who comes off the bench and sports blue hair. There's also Jordair Jett, a shooting guard built like a running back, and 6-foot-11 Rob Loe, who's more comfortable shooting threes than posting up. On paper, this team looks like The Island of Misfit Basketball Players.
But the Billikens are alone in first place in the Atlantic 10, having won nine games in a row, while the Tigers have struggled to find any consistency, following impressive home victories with inexplicable road losses.
Just look at the past week.
On Tuesday night, the Billikens hosted No. 24 Virginia Commonwealth. The Rams are known for scoring in bunches and causing havoc with their pressing defense. But in front of one of the more raucous crowds you're likely to see at Chaifetz Arena, the Billikens stifled VCU's offense, and handled the trapping defense calmly. SLU's guards broke the press, worked their way into the paint, and either finished at the rim or dished to open shooters. The Billikens shot 55 percent, and held a 20-point advantage for most of the second half. Whenever it seemed like the Rams might make a run, the Bills came up with another big play to keep them at bay. Final score: Billikens win, 76, 62.
That same night, Missouri recorded its best win of the season. Hosting the No. 5 Florida Gators, the Tigers fell behind by as many as 13. In the first meeting between these teams, Florida had beaten Mizzou by 31, and this game looked like it might get out of hand, too. But Bowers (17 points) and Pressey (10 assists) led a thrilling comeback and did just enough down the stretch to seal the victory. Final score: Tigers win, 63-60.
On Friday night, the Billikens traveled to play No. 15 Butler, a team looking for revenge after SLU's 75-58 win in the first meeting. After trailing early, the Billikens took the lead with a 7-2 run to start the second half. Despite missing some free throws late in the game, the Bills never relinquished that lead, using its pressure defense to stifle Butler in the final moments. It was SLU's fourth victory of the season over a ranked opponent, a school record. Final score: Billikens win, 65-61.
Then on Saturday, it was Missouri's turn to go on the road, with a nationally televised game against the Kentucky Wildcats, the defending national champions. Again and again this season, the Tigers have found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on the road. At Texas A&M, with Pressey needing to simply hold the ball to either run out the clock or draw a foul, he inexplicably threw it out of bounds. Against Arkansas, Pressey turned it over on another important possession, and on defense, the Tigers committed weak fouls, giving the Razorbacks two key and-ones. Against Kentucky, Missouri took a two-point lead with 54 seconds left, but couldn't hold it, and lost in overtime. Final score: Wildcats win, 90-83.
So how has SLU found the consistency that eludes Mizzou? The Billikens have a clear identity. They play stingy defense, and they make the extra pass on offensive. It's an experienced squad: Every significant contributor is either a junior or senior. And while I'm generally much more interested in concrete statistical analysis than abstract concepts like momentum and leadership, it really does seem that SLU has a bunch of unselfish players who truly enjoy playing with (and for) one another.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are a team built on transfers, and the pieces just don't quite seem to fit. Sure, Mizzou has a whopping six players who average double figures. But Pressey has been unable to make good decisions in key situations, and without his leadership, the rest of the team has struggled to make big plays.
Given the depth of its talent, and the sheer number of players on its roster who can score, Mizzou certainly still has a chance to be a factor in the tournament. But as the regular season draws toward its conclusion, we prefer SLU's chances of reaching the Sweet 16 (or, knock on wood, going even further).
