COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS • About an hour before tipoff Saturday at Texas A&M’s Reed Arena, the Missouri basketball team had a familiar-looking participant in their pregame warm-up. He stood about 6-foot-5, bald head, ear buds plugged in, tunes jamming. Stationed along the baseline, he chatted nonstop with the players as they shot, passed and rebounded.
With their blood pumping at a different rate by tipoff, the Tigers smothered the Aggies over the next 40 minutes, stringing together a milestone defensive effort in a 66-43 victory. Mizzou dominated so much on both ends, A&M coach Billy Kennedy all but waved a white flag midway through the second half and benched his best players for reserves and walk-ons.