This coming weekend's most marquee matchup will feature the fifth-ranked Missouri Tigers on the road versus the third-ranked Baylor Bears.
The Missouri Tigers are a fast and quick-paced team that feature a sound stable of guards that have helped the team garner their 17-1 record and their fifth place ranking. The team is led by All-America candidate, Marcus Denmon who is averaging 17.8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. The team also features former local standout, Ricardo Ratliffe(Kecoughtan HS). Ratliffe is currently third on the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game and leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 rebounds per game. He also leads the nation in field goal percentage at 77.1%. He is looking to set the single-season record in field goal percentage which currently stands at 74 percent.
Baylor is currently 17-1 and are coming off thier first loss of the season, losing 92-78 earlier this week to seventh-ranked Kansas. Baylor is a long and athletic team and boasts one of the most talented frontcourts in the nation. They also feature probably the most recognizable name in this game - Baylor forward, Perry Jones, III is projected to be a top-five NBA draft pick whenever he decides to enter the NBA Draft. He is currently averging 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Keys to the game: Whose advantage will win out - Missouri's speed and quickness or Baylor's length and athleticism. Also, can Ratliffe play big enough to match the production of Baylor's frontcourt?
Prediction: I like Baylor and the lenght of their frontcourt, although they fell in love with shooting jump shots in their loss to Kansas. I think Coach Drew of Baylor will preach the importance of taking advantage of their frontcourt length and depth and I look for Baylor to rebound from their first loss with a win over Missouri.
Comments