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BIG1213
MISSOURITIGERS
Tigers looking to improve on offense
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Missouri forward Justin Safford, left, shoots as Oklahoma guard Cade Davis, right, defends during the first half of the Sooners' 66-61 victory in Norman, Okla. The Tigers will play the Kansas Jayhawks on Monday night.
By Evan Glantz The Maneater — Friday, Jan. 22 themaineater.com
Last weekend's loss to Oklahoma was Missouri's first in Big 12 play and snapped a nine-game winning streak. Prior to that dud, the Tigers beat then 10th-ranked Kansas State at home and came away with an overtime win in Lubbock, Texas, against Texas Tech.
Despite early season success, coach Mike Anderson sees areas in which the Tigers can improve.
"We need to get a little more efficient, especially offensively," Anderson said. "We scored 61 points (against Oklahoma) but didn't shoot the ball well. Of course, when you're on the road, you have to shoot the ball well, as we always say."
Making the loss tougher to swallow, Missouri jumped out to an early 10-0 lead over the Sooners. But when Oklahoma got on the board, it kept the game close before ultimately pulling away in the second half.
"That just shows you that there's a thin line between winning and losing on the
road." Anderson said. "We had some opportunities out there to really put ourselves in a good position in that game."
As disappointed as Anderson was, his team took the loss much harder.
"When an opportunity presents itself, you have to come to play," sophomore guard Kim English said. "And we didn't. We got beat. Now we have to suffer this week of pain and anxiety and have to come back on Saturday and beat a very good Nebraska team whose record doesn't really show how good they are."
By the time English and his teammates take the court against the Cornhuskers, it will be one week since the loss to Oklahoma. That time off might seem like an eternity for a team that played three games in an eight-day stretch. But the Tigers cannot afford to let the rust settle in.
Nebraska is 12-6 overall but 0-3 in the Big 12. The team allows opponents only 59.8 points per game, which ranks them first in the conference. That unit will go up against a Missouri offense that comes fourth in the Big 12 at 82.3 points per game.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Wildcats need to focus after big wins
By Grant Guggisberg Kansas State Collegian Thursday, Jan. 21
The K-State men's basketball team's recent defeat of No.1 Texas was huge.
No other words do it justice, so I will leave it at that. The Wildcats beat the Longhorns using defense, and by scoring the ball any way they could, battling through off nights by senior guard Denis Clemente and Junior guard Jacob Pullen.
Instead of the guards leading the way, it was the frontcourt of sophomore Jamar Samuels and junior Curtis Kelly who worked over Texas' post players to lead the Wildcats to victory.
Head coach Frank Martin said in the press conference after the game that fans don't hold parades in January for big-time wins. Maybe they should — after all, K-State will get another chance to play a top-five team before the month ends. However, they should probably look to keep their focus and use this week to prepare for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
It is no secret that the last time K-State had a win of this magnitude at home, the first-ever win in Bramlage Coliseum against Kansas two seasons ago, they dropped the ball the next game in a tough road matchup with Missouri. No disrespect to the Tigers, but with Beasley and Walker on that team, K-State should have taken care of business.
Pullen said after the Texas game he remembers losing to the Tigers that year and this time around, he plans to keep the team focused and not let the big win over Texas disrupt the preparations for Saturday's game against Oklahoma State.
There are several other factors that make keeping the team focused this week easy. The most obvious reason is the Wildcats get all week to prepare for the game. One of the advantages to playing on Big Monday is the team gets an extra couple of practices to prepare for their next opponent the following Saturday. Martin said after the Texas game that the team will use the extra time to prepare for the Cowboys and maintain their focus, not to celebrate all week.
Kansas State's Jacob Pullen celebrates with fans after Kansas State defeated Texas 71-62 last Monday in Manhattan. Pullen scored 12 points in the upset.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE JANUARY 25, 2010