How will Missouri basketball play Alabama’s hot offense? Perhaps by fighting fire with fire

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Dennis Gates said there’s a storm coming.

He was, of course, referencing the winter weather currently passing through mid-Missouri, but all that snow and sub-zero temperatures aren’t going to do anything to halt No. 16/15 Missouri basketball suiting up Wednesday evening for its major late-season matchup against Alabama.

But there’s another storm coming, and there ain’t anything icy cold about this one.

That would be the red-hot ’Bama offense, which is what stands between the Tigers and a marquee win for its already-worthy tournament résumé.

The Crimson Tide, coached by Nate Oats, have stuck 100 points on seven different opponents this season. The last time a team held them below 80 was Jan. 14, when Ole Miss went to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and scored an upset win.

Alabama has only failed to score 80 points in a game three times this season, fielding the No. 3-ranked offense — only behind Auburn and Duke — on KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric.

Smokin’, sizzlin’, scorchin’ hot.

So, what’s Missouri’s plan to stop them scorin’?

Could the answer be to fight fire with fire?

“I’m not changing the way we’re playing. I’m not going to ever do that,” Gates said Tuesday. “We’re going to continue to have our guys play with confidence, play unselfishly, execute the game plan. … I want our guys to play with their instincts. I don’t want them to overthink anything.”

Feb 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) dunks the ball against Texas A&M Aggies forward Andersson Garcia (11) during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Those instincts served Mizzou well in double-digit point blowouts of Oklahoma and Georgia in the past week. The Tigers can keep up if the game becomes a shootout, as they possess the personnel to make that happen.

Caleb Grill is one of the nation’s leading 3-point shooters, although has had to adjust as teams increasingly have leaned on double-teams to counter…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/missouri-basketball-play-alabama-hot-205436587.html

Author : Columbia Daily Tribune

Publish date : 2025-02-18 20:54:00

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