The Border War — a game between Kansas and Missouri — will be as tight as ever in the 2024 schedule on Sunday afternoon as the No.
The groups first met in 1907. Kansas leads the all-time series 176-95 and has won 14 of the last 16 games against its former Big 12 foe. If the Jayhawks are to continue their success against Missouri on Sunday, they will have to regroup following their first loss this season. season.
Kansas (7-1) fell 76-63 at Creighton on Wednesday, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 34.8 on 3-pointers in a game it never led.
“(Creighton) dared us to shoot, which was obviously a good game plan,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We didn’t use enough patience to give our offense a chance to work. … I thought we could have put real game pressure on them, but we didn’t, and that was disappointing. If you don’t hit the shot. and you don’t run badly, and the other team can shoot the ball and be good on offense , it doesn’t take much.”
Preseason All-American and leading scorer Hunter Dickinson, who is averaging 14.5 points per game, was held to six points on just 2-for-4 shooting from the field.
“We’ve got to find a way to get the ball to (Dickinson),” Self said. “Creighton had four guys in the paint, so there was a reason why he didn’t get touched as often, but we have to do a better job of feeding him the ball.”
Zeke Mayo averaged 11.8 points per game, while Dajuan Harris Jr. chips in 10.4.
Sunday will mark Kansas’ fifth game against a power conference team, while Missouri prepares for its second.
Most recently, Missouri (7-1) trailed by 18 late in the first half at home against Cal in the SEC/ACC Challenge before scoring 63 points in the second half en route to a 98-93 win. Guard Anthony Robinson II led the Tigers with a career-high 29 points.
“You can look at the stat sheet and look at some of the things he’s done, but what tells us is his leadership and toughness,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said of Robinson. “Having Anthony on the court can help us in a lot of ways.”
Duke transfer Mark Mitchell added a season-high 21 points for the Tigers, who opened the second half with a 12-1 run.
“I’d like to give credit to everyone, and sometimes the head coaches sit here and do that, but I’m thankful for our players,” Gates said. “They challenged themselves; they knew what we had to do. The right voices were speaking, and it showed in those first few minutes out of the gate at halftime.”
Missouri was without leading scorer Caleb Grill (13.6 ppg), who suffered a neck injury against Lindenwood on Nov. 27. Tamar Bates and Mitchell followed with averages of 12.3 ppg each.
Grill was ruled out of Sunday’s game.
With the win, Missouri will match its win total from last season, a campaign that saw the Tigers go 8-24 overall and 0-18 in Southeastern Conference play.
–Field Level Media
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