COLUMBIA, MO. • Cuonzo Martin had plenty of reasons to laugh Saturday after Missouri took down visiting Kentucky, a victory that put the Tigers back in position for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
But what left him especially tickled was the play of senior guard Jordan Barnett.
The 6-foot-7 shooter recovered from a few quiet performances to score 16 points in the 69-60 win. A few times on Norm Stewart Court, Barnett dropped his game-day veneer and unleashed a burst of emotion but mostly stuck to his same stoic demeanor.
“I give him credit,” Martin said Saturday.