What Mizzou, Miami Coaching Staffs Expect Between the 2 'Very Similar' Teams

ST. LOUIS — When Jayden Stone looks at Miami, he sees a "mirror image" of Missouri.

The playing styles are undeniably similar. When the two teams tip off Friday night, they'll ask the mirror on the wall who's the more determined of the the two.

"(They) like to attack the paint, like to play Smash-Mouth basketball," Stone said to Missouri On SI. "Got a great, obviously, left-handed player (forward Malik Reneau). So, yeah, we'll just see who wants it more."

Both of the offenses are built around a 6-foot-9 senior forward who have built their own legacy at their respective programs after transferring from powerhouses.

For Miami, that's Reneau, who has become a First-team All-ACC player for the Hurricanes after transferring from Indiana. This season, he's averaged 19.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

For Missouri, it's Mark Mitchell, who has become the engine of the Tigers after spending the first two years of his career at Duke. He's led the team in points, rebounds and assists this season.

"There is not a lot of differences.," Miami head coach Jai Lucas said of Mitchell and Reneau. "The way they kind of use Mark is very similar to how we use Malik."

Miami's coaching staff has known what Mitchell was capable of far before their preparation started for Friday night's Round 1 game. Miami first-year head coach Jai Lucas was the associate head coach at Duke for Mitchell's two years with the Blue Devils, while Miami associate head coach C.Y. Young was on Missouri's staff for Mitchell's first year with the Tigers.

"He's leading this team," Young said of Mitchell. "He's the face of the organization. He's done a great job of just handling that I see a lot of times when the game is on the line, he makes a play or he makes the right decision."

Mitchell and Reneau represent the identity that both teams have built of being physical teams that are dangerous when attacking inside.

"They're going to play through Mark — we know that." Miami guard Tre Donaldson said. "Everybody knows that they're going to play physical."

Mark Mitchell drives the ball — Mizzou Arena, February 14, 2026. Mizzou Guard Mark Mitchell drives in the paint against Texas | Sam Simon/MizzouOnSI

Defensively, Missouri's guards, along with center Shawn Phillips Jr., have made the Tigers a pesky team to go against. Guards T.O. Barrett and Anthony Robinson II have been able to shut down some of the best guards in the Southeastern Conference all season.

All season, especially in a career night against Tennessee, Barrett has shown how he can turn that defense into offense.

"I would say what's scary is their ability to turn you over and turn it into offense," Young said. "They challenge every pass, they challenge every shot, they get a ton of deflections. ... They can knock it away and go dunk it and lay it up. They can go on a six, eight-point run like that."

With Miami, Missouri will have another elite guard to defend who is used to the SEC, in Donaldson, who is having the best season of his career with the Hurricanes after spending the first two years of his collegiate career with Auburn. He's averaged 16.5 points and 5.8 assists per game this season.

"He can shoot it, he can facilitate, he can do a little bit of everything," Mitchell said of Donaldson. "He is a pretty good player."

Missouri has seen its weaknesses pop up throughout the season, especially through a three-game losing skid to end the season.

Because the areas of strength are similar for both teams, so are the areas of weakness. The points to attack will look similar on the game plans for both teams.

"They're gonna do things to keep Mark from catching the ball, keep Ant and T.O. from going downhill, keep Stone from getting shots," Missouri associate head coach Kyle Smithpeters said. "And we got to be able to make those adjustments. And honestly, our players have to be able to be poised enough to make those adjustments without us coaches."

Missouri will have the chance to face Miami in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament at 9:10 p.m. Friday at the Enterprise Center.

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