How Mizzou's Length Has Forced Opponents to Shift Offensive Approach

The Missouri Tigers are forcing opposing offense to play from a "turtle's view," as head coach Dennis Gates phrased it.

Missouri's starting lineup includes three players — Jevon Porter, Shawn Phillips Jr. and Mark Mitchell — over 6'6". Plus, 6-foot-11 Luke Northweather and 6-foot-8 Jacob Crews have provided valuable minutes off the bench. On top of that, Missouri's tallest player (Trent Burns) and its third-tallest player (Trent Pierce) haven't even been able to play so far this season due to injuries.

That height is not only an obstacle for opposing offenses to be able to pass the ball and set up ball screens, but it also presents a challenge in that some players can't see, and therefore, operate an offense effectively against Missouri.

"From the giraffes view, you can see that space," Gates said. "From a turtle's view, you see 6'9",6'10", 6'11", seven foot (players). We're not giving too many cracks because we're not playing with our hands in our pockets. We want to be able to be active defenders, but the next open space is airspace."

In Missouri's second game of the season, VMI was unable to work inside. VMI scored just two points in the paint, compared to 60 for Missouri. The Tigers' length crowded too many passing lanes.

"I mean, going through the handshake line, I'm just looking up at everybody," VMI head coach Andrew Wilson said of Missouri, "and I'd be one of the bigger guys on our team. Like their size just overwhelmed us. ... Their ability with their length to get deflections to be in passing lanes, we weren't able to get any clean looks off of our sets tonight."

With little space to see and pass inside, Missouri's opponents have been forced to focus on the perimeter, where they can lob up shots over Missouri's defenders.

Through three games, opponents have attempted an average of 33.7 3-point shots against Missouri — that currently ranks as the second-most amongst high-major teams. Last season, that average was set at 21.6.

"That's gonna be the product of other team's shot selections," Gates said of Missouri's height. "Now, I don't want them to go in. But that's where you've seen with the adjustments (from opposing teams)."

In both of Missouri's last two games, opponents have had some success from 3-point range. Especially in the first half of the games.

SEMO shot 41.7% from 3 in the first half, leading to SEMO leading Missouri 51-46 at halftime. But that dropped to 22.2% in the second half. Similarly, VMI only trailed 50-40 at half, in large part thanks to its nine makes from deep in the half. But in the second half, VMI made just 6 of their 20 3-point attempts.

Missouri's defense became more agressive in the second half of both of those games. Both SEMO and VMI also regressed closer to the mean eventually.

"When you're undersized the way that we are, especially against a team like Missouri, you feel like you have to stretch the floor," Wilson said. "You're going to have to be hot to have a chance to be in the game late. And we weren't able to knock down those shots tonight. I mean credit to them. They close out so quickly. They're able to contest shots with their length."

That size mixed with Missouri's athleticism with players such as guard Anthony Robinson II, the Tigers have been able to run a diverse defense so far.

"We can run a lot of different coverages," Robinson said Tuesday. "We're very long and athletic, and we just have to put that to show."

Missouri has yet to face a team that will have the same size the Tigers will face night in, night out in the SEC. But so far, the Tigers' length has been showing promise to use its height in a daunting way.

Missouri will face its first high-major test of the season up to this point Wednesday, with the Tigers hosting Minnesota at 7 p.m.

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