COLUMBIA, MO. • During the season’s longest break between games, Missouri basketball coach Cuonzo Martin takes a unique approach in taking stock of his team. The Tigers are 6-3 and in the middle of a 10-day gap between tipoffs.
The Tigers have just one win over a high-major conference team (Oregon State) and a better overall record than just four other teams in the Southeastern Conference.
But Mizzou is about through with its nonconference layups. There’s just one overmatched opponent left on the schedule — Morehead State on Dec. 29 — but first the Tigers face two high-major tests, against Xavier on Tuesday and Illinois in next Saturday’s Braggin’ Rights Game.