Obviously winning is the most important part of each and every game. But there’s always something to be said for how you win.
Vanderbilt is a good, but not great, opponent. Missouri will have many more far tougher games than what the Commodores can present. That’s no offense to Vandy, the metrics are what they are at this point for both teams. Missouri crept into the top 40 in KenPom.com, albeit just briefly, after winning yesterday. Vanderbilt slipped to 53. Both good quality teams, NCAA tournament caliber if you get the right marginal wins.
But what the Commodores do present are a well coached team with a lot of experience on the floor. They’re smaller, but they spread you out and attack driving lanes. Coming into the game, if you read Matt Harris’s Pregame scout on Rockm.plus, you knew Vanderbilt wanted to create a lot of turnovers and put pressure on the rim. You also knew they were a willing but not especially good shooting team…