Eight is Enough Tigers still feel haunted
By Robert Sinclair Kansan sportswriter
After taking a 74-73 lead with less than five seconds remaining in its game with UCLA, the Missouri men's basketball team appeared to be headed for the NCAA's Sweet 16.
Suddenly, UCLA senior guard Tyus Edney took the inbound pass, dribbled the length of the court and drained a game-winning shot at the buzzer. UCLA went on to win the national championship; Missouri went home.
The Tigers finished their season at 20-9 with an 8-6 record in the Big Eight Conference, which earned them a fourth-place finish.
The team got off to a strong start by winning 13 of the its first 15 games. That stretch included an 11-1 record against non-conference opponents.
Missouri peaked at 18-3 when it defeated Oklahoma State 81-79 at home on Feb. 11. After the victory, however, the Tigers lost four consecutive games and six of their last eight.
Nevertheless, Missouri's team tips-off this basketball season amidst high expectations — having lost only one starter while returning a previous starter.
The only starter not returning from last year's team is the leading scorer, guard
Paul O'Liney, and his average of 19.7 points a game.
"We lost one of our outstanding competitors and leading scorer in Paul O'Liney," Missouri men's basketball coach Norm Stewart said. "And when you look back, his competitiveness was more important than the scoring he provided."
The void left by his absence should be filled by sophomore forward Kelly Thames. The 6-foot-7 forward missed the 1994-95 season as a medical redshirt after earning Big Eight freshman of the year honors the previous season. That year, Thames averaged 12.2 points a game, shot 51.4 percent from the floor and pulled down an average of 7.1 rebounds a game.
He was among the conference's best in all three categories.
"We have to take into consideration that he's been out of competition for a whole year and will be playing with a brace," his coach said. "If there is a person who can come back from injury such as his, it's Kelly Thames."
While Thames sat out, he was replaced by junior forward Derek Grimm, who averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. Starting in 26 of the 29 games he played, Grimm wasn't afraid to unleash shots from anywhere on the court as he led the Big Eight with his .475 three-point field goal percentage.
Another key returner is second-team allconference selection Julian Winfield. The 6-5 senior guard/forward, although lacking in size, was fourth in the league in rebounding average with 7.6. Winfield also scored 11.1 points a game, second on the team only to O'Liney.
"We have several people returning who have the ability to step up and provide leadership, particularly Julian Winfield," Stewart said. "Julian possesses the all-around talent — the rebounding, passing, quickness, scoring — to be one of the outstanding players in the Big Eight."
The Tigers also will remain big up front as they return their twin towers — 7-foot twins Sammie and Simeon Haley. Of the senior centers from Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sammie fared better last year, averaging 19.8 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. In contrast, Simeon averaged 13.6 points and 3.5 rebounds.
The Tigers finished No. 23 in the final Associated Press poll last year.Because they return 72 percent of their scoring and 82.6 percent of their rebounding, look for the Tigers to be around there come April.
Maybe in this year's NCAA tournament, when the Tigers take the lead for the final time in a game, they'll remember to do so with only a fraction of a second remaining.
Paul Kotz / KANSAN
Missouri's Derek Grimm, who led the Big Eight Conference with a .475 three-point percentage, defends Kansas' Scot Pollard
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The March to March
June Hill November 15; 1995