After 0-2 weeks Mizzou needs victory against Oklahoma

Columbia, Mo. – The margin of errors built so effectively by Missouri men’s basketball early in the southeastern conference game erodes. Now No. 21 Tigers has to prevent their season from imploding.

It’s a bit of melodrama to feed the rhyme, but fresh by a 0-2 weeks, the bet has risen against Mizzou (17-6 overall, 6-4 sec).

MU losing to the then no. 4 Tennessee and then no. 10 Texas A&M of a combined seven points last week is not the disaster. The vast majority of SEC teams have and will experience back-to-back losses in league games.

Pragmatically, Missouri only needs two wins for a real shot of doing the NCAA tournament – and is favored to win six more between now and the end of the regular season, according to Kenpom’s modeling.

But on the way into this week’s matches against Oklahoma (16-7, 3-7) -Vipped at. 20 Wednesday in Mizzou Arena and in Georgia (16-8, 4-7), Mizzou is on a fork in the road.

The tigers have shown that they can keep up with almost anyone – the relatively narrow loss to the volunteers confirmed it. They have also shown that they can play competitively in different styles – check how the mu tumbled in the mud with Agggies for it.

But Mizzou has not claimed himself as a Bona Fide Top-Tier team in SEC. Last week was a chance to do so, but wound up a missed opportunity.

Missouri stares down at his more favorable back half of the conference plan, placed between two diverging groups of programs.

At the top of the league is No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Alabama, both with a loss in SEC games – and one intended to pick up another in a massive rivalry gel on the hardwood this weekend. No. 3 Florida, No. 5 Tennessee and No. 8 Texas A&M is the package of chasers.

From these five teams – preliminary and theoretically – will emerge the four teams that receive double towns in the SEC tournament well for bunks right into the quarterfinals.

The key to the top three teams? As Tigers coach Dennis Gates pointed out Tuesday, they are the only three who did not lose back-to-back SEC games at some point.

“I don’t know the last time that took place,” Gates said, pointing to the overall strength of the conference. “It’s a huge thing to be part of it and obviously do the things we can do to make sure we continue to perform.”

A week ago, MU was also in that mix. Now Tigers are mixed with them as No. 19 Mississippi, No. 22 Mississippi State and Vanderbilt – all three of which have beaten this season.

These teams are all on paths to the NCAA tournament, but lack the potential of the top joint.

Playing to Mizzous’s advantage at this time is its schedule. Mice hardest remaining fixtures are against Crimson Tide and No. 15 Kentucky, both of whom will meet on their home floor.

Missouri still has his chance to hit on a South Carolina Side, Winless in league games, road rematches with inconsistent Arkansas and Vanderbilt, this weekend is gone to Georgia and two matchups with The Soners.

It’s a lot of windable games if Mizzou is ready for them. And that’s what’s on the line for his first season match against the Old Big 12 Foe Oklahoma: A chance to prove that the tigers are in place and willing to beat the teams apparently under them when they get the chance.

Mizzou Arena could be quieter than it has been recently for Wednesday’s late tipoff against The Soners. Snow forecast for blanket parts of Missouri may prevent some fans from hiking to the arena.

OU began his SEC debut with a perfect race through non -conference games that included victories over them like Arizona, Louisville, Michigan and Providence. League action, however, has been much harder for The Soners, but their lonely SEC victories have come from the conference’s basement, towards South Carolina, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.

Forward Jalon Moore leads Oklahoma with 17.7 points per Battle, but beginner Jeremiah Fears has been Oklahoma’s early breakout sensation and set 15.5 points per Match.

Fear is likely to be a lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft, partly because he graduated from high school early to play college ball.

“He should be at Men’s Wearhouse, who gets a tuxedo for his prom,” Gates said.

Mizzous coach will have a personal matchup that takes place on the sidelines: His younger brother, Armon Gates, is the assistant coach of Soners’ staff.

Armon is in his first year with OU after assistant stop at Oregon, Nebraska, Northwestern, Loyola-Chicago and Kent State.

“Very proud of what he has done in his profession,” Dennis said. “He’s an incredible coach. He has been on a staff who has won and changed programs. “

Dennis only remembers coaching against his brother twice before: During the 2008-09 season, when Dennis was an assistant in Northern Illinois, Armon was an assistant in Kent State, and these teams met in the middle of the US conference action.

The Gates family is excited about two of its members to meet – and they are happy to encounter each other.

“I’m excited to see my brother,” Dennis said. “I haven’t seen him in a while – our schedules are always like two ships walking at night. When I get the opportunity to see him, it will be good first name. But it’s still competition, nothing but siblings rivalries were always. “