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Basketball Basics Of The Top-Ranked Tigers

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter.
It’s no secret that the Mizzou men’s basketball team has had an incredible season this year.  With a new coach, some new players and a future in a new conference, no one quite knew what to expect this season. The Tigers are 20-2 and are approaching some big conference games, the Big 12 tournament and (fingers crossed) a trip to the NCAA tournament. Here’s a guide to help you navigate the rest of the season as a Mizzou Tiger fan. M-I-Z!  

Who’s who in Mizzou basketball
Phil Pressey – sophomore guard from Dallas, Texas
Michael Dixon Jr. – junior guard from Kansas City, Mo.
Andrew Jones – junior forward from Smithville, Mo. (He plays both football and basketball!)
Matt Pressey – senior guard from Dallas, Texas
Marcus Denmon – senior guard from Kansas City, Mo.
Ricardo Ratliffe – senior forward from Hampton, Va.
Kim English – senior guard from Baltimore, Md.
Steve Moore – senior center from Kansas City, Mo.
Laurence Bowers – senior forward from Memphis, Tenn. (He’s out for the season with torn ACL but will return for 2012-13.)
Jarrett Sutton – graduate student guard from Kansas City, Mo.


Coach Frank Haith

Originally from Burlington, N.C., Frank Haith graduated from Elon College in 1988. He spent 15 years assistant coaching basketball at Elon, Wake Forest, UNC-Wilmington, Texas A&M, Penn State and Texas. In 2004 he was hired as head coach at the University of Miami. Haith coached the Miami Hurricanes to their first postseason win in years. In 2008 the Hurricanes even made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament.  Haith was hired as Mizzou’s head coach April 4, 2011, after Mike Anderson departed for Arkansas. Haith and wife Pam have one son and one daughter.

Home games you should definitely attend
1. Kansas – Feb. 4
Obviously, this is a big game every year. This year the intensity will rise to a whole new level. It could be one of the very last match-ups of this century-old rivalry because of Mizzou’s move to the SEC. Also, although Mizzou has won the Border War in football, Kansas has consistently dominated in the basketball rivalry and leads us 171-94. It could be Mizzou’s final chance to dig into KU’s overwhelming lead. Plus ESPN College Gameday will be at Mizzou Arena the morning of the game! Even if you don’t have a ticket, you can go to the Arena. Who knows, you might just make your ESPN debut.

2. Oklahoma State – Feb. 15
Mizzou play Oklahoma State in mid-February after losing to them last week. Not only will it be important for the team to avenge their loss from earlier in the season, but it will also give them the chance to stop OSU from sweeping us in both football and basketball this season. In case you forgot, the Mizzou football team lost to Oklahoma State last fall at home.

3. Kansas State – Feb. 21
Mizzou will have a rematch with the team that broke their initial 14-0 winning streak. Hopefully, the presence of a lot of Tiger fans will make Mizzou too much for K-State to overcome twice.

Lindsay Roseman is a senior at the University of Missouri, studying magazine journalism and Spanish. In Columbia, she is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta women's fraternity, Mizzou For Malawi Steering Committee, and can be spotted on campus touring potential Journalism School-ers. This Chicago native loves a good Jodi Picoult book, trying new foods, traveling, and hitting the pavement for a run. After reporting for the school newspaper and interning in her hometown, she spent the summer in NYC at Women's Health Magazine and now is so excited for a great year with HC Mizzou!