2008–09 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team

The 2008–09 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team finished 31–7 and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. Led by head coach Mike Anderson, Mizzou finished third in the Big 12 with a conference record of 12–4 and also won the Big 12 men's basketball tournament for the first time in school history.

2008–09 Missouri Tigers men's basketball
Big 12 Tournament Champions
NCAA tournament, Elite Eight
ConferenceBig 12
DivisionNorth
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 9
Record31–7 (12–4 Big 12)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaMizzou Arena
Seasons
2008–09 Big 12 men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 14 Kansas142 .875278 .771
No. 7 Oklahoma133 .813306 .833
No. 9 Missouri124 .750317 .816
Kansas State97 .5632212 .647
Texas97 .5632312 .657
Texas A&M97 .5632410 .706
Oklahoma State97 .5632312 .657
Nebraska88 .5001813 .581
Baylor511 .3132415 .615
Iowa State412 .2501517 .469
Texas Tech313 .1881419 .424
Colorado115 .063922 .290
2009 Big 12 Tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll [1]

Pre-Season edit

Following a .500 season in 2007–08 season, the Tigers revamped their offense with five freshmen and two transfers. The Tigers basketball team was not heralded with much in the way of high hopes coming into the 2008–09 season. Most preseason polls had Missouri finishing in the bottom-half of the Big 12 Conference, including Athlon Sports[2] and the Big 12 coaches.[3]

As a way to get in some much needed extra practice, coach Mike Anderson accepted an invitation to play three exhibition games in Canada in late August.[4] In the first game of the tour, Missouri defeated the Niagara All-Stars by a score of 120–80 on August 30, 2008. The game was played at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario.[5] On August 31, 2008, in the same venue, the Tigers defeated Brock University 117–68.[6] This game gave the Missouri coaching staff and fans a nice look at the fresh faces, as Mizzou's seven newcomers combined for 66 of the Tigers' 117 points on the afternoon. The next morning, the Tigers closed out the Canadian trip by beating the Southern Ontario All-Stars by a final score of 109–92.[7]

The Tigers played two pre-season games in 2008. The first was against Lincoln (MO), winning the game 97–54. The second of their two pre-season games was against Missouri Southern, resulting in an 87–58 Tigers victory.

Recruiting edit

Schedule edit

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordSite (attendance)
city, state
Summer Canadian Exhibition
2008/8/30*
4:30 pm
Ontario All-StarsW 120–80 
Bob Davis Gymnasium 
St. Catharines, Ontario
2008/8/31*
1:00 pm
Brock UniversityW 117–68 
Bob Davis Gymnasium 
St. Catharines, Ontario
2008/9/1*
9:00 am
Southern Ontario All-StarsW 109–92 
Notre Dame College School 
Welland, Ontario
Exhibition
2008/11/6*
7:00 pm
Lincoln (MO)W 97–54 
Mizzou Arena 
Columbia, MO
2008/11/11*
7:00 pm
Missouri SouthernW 87–58 
Mizzou Arena 
Columbia, MO
Non-conference regular season
2008/11/15*
3:30 pm
Prairie View A&MW 86–65 1–0
Mizzou Arena (5,463)
Columbia, MO
2008/11/17*
7:00 pm
ChattanoogaW 103–75 2–0
Mizzou Arena (5,275)
Columbia, MO
2008/11/20*
12:00 pm, ESPNU
vs. XavierL 71–75 2–1
Coliseo de Puerto Rico (3,217)
San Juan, PR
2008/11/21*
10:00 am
vs. FairfieldW 87–59 3–1
Coliseo de Puerto Rico 
San Juan, PR
2008/11/23*
11:30 pm, ESPNU
vs. No. 19 USCW 83–72 4–1
Coliseo de Puerto Rico 
San Juan, PR
2008/11/30*
3:00 pm
Oral RobertsW 92–83 5–1
Mizzou Arena (5,229)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/2*
7:00 pm
Arkansas–Pine BluffW 95–41 6–1
Mizzou Arena (5,502)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/7*
2:00 pm, ESPNU
CaliforniaW 93–66 7–1
Mizzou Arena (8,310)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/13*
6:00 pm
Murray StateW 75–64 8–1
Mizzou Arena (8,517)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/20*
6:00 pm
StetsonW 78–44 9–1
Mizzou Arena (7,409)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/23*
6:30 pm, ESPN2
No. 25 vs. Illinois
Braggin' Rights
L 59–75 9–2
Scottrade Center (19,586)
St. Louis, MO
2008/12/27*
3:00 pm
SIU EdwardsvilleW 107–57 10–2
Mizzou Arena (6,793)
Columbia, MO
2008/12/27*
3:00 pm
CentenaryW 80–52 11–2
Mizzou Arena (6,755)
Columbia, MO
2009/1/3*
12:00 pm
at GeorgiaW 83–76 12–2
Stegeman Coliseum (8,060)
Athens, GA
2009/1/6*
8:00 pm
Coppin StateW 88–55 13–2
Mizzou Arena (7,244)
Columbia, MO
Big 12 Regular Season
2009/1/10
2:00 pm, ESPN2
at NebraskaL 51-56 13–3
(0–1)
Bob Devaney Sports Center (11,570)
Lincoln, NE
2009/1/14
8:00 pm
ColoradoW 107–62 14–3
(1–1)
Mizzou Arena (9,171)
Columbia, MO
2009/1/17
12:30 pm
Iowa StateW 77–46 15–3
(2–1)
Mizzou Arena (12,403)
Columbia, MO
2009/1/21
8:00 pm
at Oklahoma StateW 97–95 16–3
(3–1)
Gallagher-Iba Arena (10,810)
Stillwater, OK
2009/1/24
12:30 pm
Texas TechW 97–86 17–3
(4–1)
Mizzou Arena (13,357)
Columbia, MO
2009/1/28
8:00 pm, FSN
at Kansas StateL 72–88 17–4
(4–2)
Bramlage Coliseum (9,665)
Manhattan, KS
2009/1/31
5:00 pm
BaylorW 89–72 18–4
(5–2)
Mizzou Arena (15,061)
Columbia, MO
2009/2/4
8:30 pm, ESPN2
at No. 16 TexasW 69–65 19–4
(6–2)
Frank Erwin Center (13,095)
Austin, TX
2009/2/7
5:00 pm
at Iowa StateW 82–68 20–4
(7–2)
Hilton Coliseum (11,919)
Ames, IA
2009/2/9
8:00 pm, ESPN
No. 17 No. 16 Kansas
Border War
W 62–60 21–4
(8–2)
Mizzou Arena (15,061)
Columbia, MO
2009/2/14
12:30 pm
No. 17 NebraskaW 70–47 22–4
(9–2)
Mizzou Arena (15,061)
Columbia, MO
2009/2/21
12:30 pm
No. 11 at ColoradoW 66–53 23–4
(10–2)
Coors Events Center (6,271)
Boulder, CO
2009/2/25
8:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 11 Kansas StateW 94–74 24–4
(11–2)
Mizzou Arena (14,825)
Columbia, MO
2009/3/1
1:00 pm, CBS
No. 11 at No. 15 Kansas
Border War
L 65–90 24–5
(11–3)
Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Lawrence, KS
2009/3/4
8:00 pm, Big 12 Network
No. 15 No. 4 OklahomaW 73–64 25–5
(12–3)
Mizzou Arena (15,061)
Columbia, MO
2009/3/7
1:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 15 at Texas A&ML 86–96 25–6
(12–4)
Reed Arena (13,007)
College Station, TX
Big 12 Tournament
2009/03/11
8:30 pm, ESPN2
No. 14 vs. Texas Tech
Quarterfinals
W 81–60 26–6
(12–4)
Ford Center (16,786)
Oklahoma City, OK
2009/03/12
8:30 pm
No. 14 vs. Oklahoma State
Semifinals
W 67–59 27–6
(12–4)
Ford Center (15,009)
Oklahoma City, OK
2009/03/13
5:00 pm, ESPN
No. 14 vs. Baylor
Championship
W 73–60[8][9] 28–6
(12–4)
Ford Center (15,321)
Oklahoma City, OK
NCAA Tournament
2009/03/20*
2:10 pm, CBS
No. 9 (3) vs. (14) Cornell
First Round
W 78–59 29–6
Taco Bell Arena (11,997)
Boise, Idaho
2009/03/22*
3:50 pm, CBS
No. 9 (3) vs. No. 23 (6) Marquette
Second Round
W 83–79 30–6
Taco Bell Arena (12,184)
Boise, Idaho
2009/03/27*
8:37 pm, CBS
No. 9 (3) vs. No. 3 (2) Memphis
Sweet Sixteen
W 102–91 31–6
University of Phoenix Stadium (20,201)
Glendale, AZ
2009/03/29
3:40 pm, CBS
No. 9 (3) vs. No. 5 (1) Connecticut
Elite Eight
L 75–82 31–7
University of Phoenix Stadium (18,886)
Glendale, AZ
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Standard Time.

Roster edit

Name#PositionHeightWeightYearHome Town
DeMarre Carroll1Forward6–8225SRBirmingham, Alabama
Miguel Paul3Guard6–1172FRLakeland, Florida
J. T. Tiller4Guard6–3200JRMarietta, Georgia
Leo Lyons5Forward6–9244SRKansas City, Kansas
Zaire Taylor11Guard6–4189RS JRStaten Island, N.Y.
Marcus Denmon12Guard6–3185FRKansas City, Missouri
Michael Anderson Jr.13Guard6–0183RS SRBirmingham, Alabama
Keith Ramsey15Forward6–9210JRMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Laurence Bowers21Forward6–8205FRMemphis, Tennessee
Justin Safford23Forward6–8230SOBloomington, Illinois
Kim English24Guard6–6200FRBaltimore, Maryland
Jarrett Sutton25Guard6–3190SOKansas City, Missouri
Steve Moore32Center6–9264FRKansas City, Missouri
Matt Lawrence33Guard6–7203SRWildwood, Missouri

Rankings edit

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415161718Final
AP2517111115149Not released
Coaches19108121598

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2019-20 Big 12 Men's Basketball Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. pp. 26–30. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Athlon Sports 2008 Big 12 Preview
  3. ^ Oklahoma Selected First In Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
  4. ^ Kansas, Missouri Men's Basketball Experience Canada
  5. ^ Mizzou Basketball Rolls 120–80 In Canadian Opener
  6. ^ Freshmen Denmon, Paul lead Missouri to 117–68 Win Against Brock
  7. ^ Mizzou Basketball Builds Huge Advantage, Cruises To 109–92 Victory
  8. ^ "Tigers Take the Title!: Mizzou wins first conference tournament in 16 years". Archived from the original on March 20, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2009.
  9. ^ "Box score". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2009.