That’s what Missouri basketball coach Cuonzo Martin has told his players and anyone else who listens for the last couple of weeks. Until the season officially expires, it’s never too late to make it right.
Mitchell Smith reminded himself of that message minutes before Wednesday’s tipoff at Georgia, right when he learned he’d be making his first career start — a start nobody saw coming at Stegeman Coliseum. Senior Kevin Puryear had just scored a season-high 18 points in Saturday’s win over South Carolina, but he found himself on the bench to open Wednesday’s game. Smith was Martin’s surprise choice to match against Georgia’s best player, 6-11 springy sophomore Nicolas Claxton.