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January 15, 2007
GOING TO BATTLE
Courtesy: AP News
It was almost one year ago today when Christian Moody had a chance to chalk one up for the hawks in the bi-annual Border War. The tigers had decimated what had been a nine point lead with 1:51 left in the game. The hawks' sloppy play gave the tigers a chance to win.
But the game was still out of Missouri's hands. They would have to watch as Moody went to the line with .4 seconds left on the clock.
It was Moody's first and last chance to single-handedly beat the Tigers in Mizzou Arena. As I watched Moody go to the line, I knew what was at stake. It was a chance for the Senior to go down in Border War history. It was his chance to be remembered as more than just a walk-on. This was it. It didn't get much better than this for Moody.
KU fans held their breath, waiting for a miracle. Maybe, just maybe, Moody would wrap up the rivalry game in Columbia. His first shot was too hard... and so was his second.
As I watched the drama unfold, I felt the jayhawks' pain. I was emotionally exhausted and so were the hawks.The tigers capitalized on the overtime minutes, winning 89-86.
There will be no time for exhaustion tonight in Allen Fieldhouse. Mike Anderson will coach at the fieldhouse for the first time. He knows what's at stake. It would just take this ONE win to quiet all the doubters.
"40 minutes of hell" didn't prove to be all that bad three years ago in the NCAA tournament. But tonight could be pretty fiery, as the hawks are sure to be handling a lot of pressure from the tigers.
Both teams should be showing signs of fatigue, as they're coming off a one-day rest. That could prove costly for the tigers, who aren't nearly as deep as the hawks. This also means Mizzou could have trouble using the press effectively against Kansas.
Kansas should pay heed, because turnovers almost cost them Saturday's game against Iowa State. With 13 minutes left in the game, Kansas had 13 turnovers, while ISU had 7. Anderson surely has taken note of that stat.
Last year in Columbia, the hawks allowed Thomas Gardner to explode for 40 points. Luckily, he's no longer on the roster. However, now Russell Robinson should be worried about defending MU's 6'-1" guard Stefhon Hannah, who's averaging 15 points a game. Hannah had a sub-standard game against K-State, scoring just seven points.
Russell will make a big impact in the game if he focuses on defense and slows Hannah down. Mizzou's junior guard leads the nation with 3.44 steals per game and already has 55 thefts this season. That could be a problem for Russell who sometimes stinks it up with his shaky handles.
It should be a huge game for Brandon Rush, which will be a good confidence booster after his spotty game against ISU. He'll be matched up against Matt Lawrence, who scored just five against Kansas State and nothing against Texas. Rush's big-time defense will probably hold Lawrence to single digits yet again.
And for a real tiger-pounding, Sasha Kaun needs to be tough inside and force Leo Lyons to pick up some early fouls. MU doesn't have a lot of production off the bench. They won't hesitate to get Darryl Butterfield, a 6'-7" 225 pounder, into the rotation.
And this time, I won't hold my breath if Kaun's standing at the foul line with the chance to score the game-winning point. He's about as good as Moody at the line. But with KU's talent and depth, MU should have a hard time keeping it close.
I wouldn't count out the tigers later in the season. They're sure to grow and mature under Anderson's system. Revenge is oh-so-sweet, especially when it's against a rival.
Posted by Brooke Wehner at January 15, 2007 11:46 AM
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