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Six overly active minutes put Anthony Robinson II on the bench.
The Missouri basketball starting point guard has found himself in somewhat of a midseason rut. He was one of the pleasant surprises of the Tigers’ nonconference slate, as he showed a major uptick — especially offensively — from his rookie campaign to his second season on campus.
But, the sophomore’s success story has hit a hump in recent games.
During Mizzou’s midweek loss at Tennessee, Robinson picked up four fouls in the space of six total minutes on the floor and, as a direct result, spent a majority of the matchup on the bench. That has become a recurring problem of late. In five of his past six games, Robinson has picked up at least four fouls, and his minutes have started to dwindle.
One possible explanation is that Robinson is among Mizzou’s most aggressive, handsy defenders. He’s averaging two steals per game, and according to CBB Analytics is one of the six best players in the SEC at forcing the ball out with a 5.1% steal rate. In just six minutes against Tennessee, he also had three steals to lead all players.
But, more and more in recent games, those active hands and aggressive style have been his undoing.
Against UT, Robinson had two blocking fouls in half-court defense, an over-the-back call near midcourt and one drew a whistle as he pressed underneath the offensive basket. Missouri coach Dennis Gates pulled the PG with more than 18 minutes left in the game, instead opting to ride freshman T.O. Barrett for significant stretches of the ranked matchup.
There’s a balance Robinson needs to find, which means toeing the line between aggressive and overeager defense.
Against Tennessee, the latter cost the sophomore his spot on the floor.
“He had more steals in half-court defense, but he picked up two fouls in the back court, 95 feet away from the basket we’re defending,” Gates said. “He can’t do that.”
Feb 5, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Anthony Robinson II (0) moves…
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Author : Columbia Daily Tribune
Publish date : 2025-02-07 22:02:00
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