How to watch, preview of the Longhorns home contest against No. 22 Missouri

AUSTIN, Texas – Sitting at 12-6 overall with a 1-4 record in Southeastern Conference play, Texas men’s basketball head coach Rodney Terry is continuing to emphasize his team’s need to play sound defense for 40 minutes as the SEC doesn’t allow for nights off.

In Texas’ 84-60 loss to Florida on Sunday, the Longhorns allowed the Gators to shoot 49% (33-of-67) from the field, including 40% (8-of-20) from three-point range. The Longhorns also allowed 44 points in the paint in Gainesville – the second time in five league games that Texas has allowed north of 40 points down low.

Following the game, Terry stressed the need to be able to have consistent play on the defensive end and match the physicality level of opponents moving forward in league play.

“Well, I think again, you learn lessons from each game. We played some physical teams to this point right now, and you know you have to be able to withstand when the other team scores and you have to withstand not scoring,” Terry said when asked about how his team can grow from the first five games of SEC play.

“We have to continue to have good defensive possessions and stay in games to where you have you have a chance down the stretch. We play another really good team in Missouri coming to our place, another physical team that came in here [Stephen O’Connell Center] and played well, and Dennis [Gates] has done a good job. So, no nights off in our league. You have to come to play, and you have to play for 40 minutes.” 

In order to find the win column against a surprising Missouri team who are off to a 4-1 start in SEC play and hold a 15-3 record overall, Terry’s club will need to be especially aware of defending the Tigers’ perimeter shooting.

Missouri enters Tuesday’s game hitting 37.9% of their three-point shots which ranks 32nd in the nation. Since the start of conference play, Gates has seen his team shoot 41.1% from long range, ranking them second in the SEC.

The status of one of Texas’ top defenders in guard Chendall Weaver is still unknown. Weaver, a 6-3 guard hasn’t played since leaving the Auburn loss with a left hip flexor, averages 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while being arguably the team’s top defensive guard.

The Tigers are led by guard Tamar Bates and forward Mark Mitchell.

Mitchell, a Duke transfer, leads the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game. Bates is the team’s second-leading scorer, adding 12.9 points and 1.8 steals per contest.

Off the bench, Missouri features sixth-man Caleb Grill, who averages 12.5 points and is shooting 49.5% from three-point range.

The Tigers enter Moody Center riding a four-game win streak which includes an 83-82 upset of Florida on Jan. 14 and beat Arkansas 83-65 in their last time out.

Game 19: Texas (12-6, 1-4 SEC) vs. #22/24 Missouri (15-3, 4-1 SEC)

When: Tuesday, Jan. 21

Where: Moody Center (10,763) – Austin, Texas

Tipoff: 8 p.m. (Central)

TV: SEC Network (Play-by-play: Lowell Galindo; Analyst: Daymeon Fishback)

Radio: Longhorn Radio Network/LEARFIELD, 98.1 FM and 1300 AM in Austin; (Play-by-play: Craig Way; Analyst: Eddie Oran); Check other local affiliates here Audio Stream: TexasLonghorns.com

Live Stats: Statbroadcast

Spread: Texas -2.5

INSIDE THE ALL-TIME SERIES

– SERIES: Missouri leads, 13-12. Last meeting: Missouri 81-67 (March 9, 2012; Kansas City).

– Tuesday’s contest marks the 26th meeting between Texas and Missouri but the first since the 2011-12 season.

– The Tigers hold a slim 13-12 lead in the all-time series that dates back to a 65-46 Texas victory in an opening-round contest at the All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Dec. 26, 1946. The Longhorns went on to post a 26-2 mark in the 1946-47 season and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals. During their time as Big 12 Conference opponents (1996-97 through 2011-12 seasons), Texas posted an 11-9 edge against the Tigers.

– RECENT HISTORY: In the most recent meeting between the two schools (March 9, 2012), then-No. 5 Missouri claimed an 81-67 victory in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinals in Kansas City.

HEAD COACHES

—  Now in his third year as the head coach at Texas, Rodney Terry has guided the Longhorns to a 55-27 record. Terry has posted a 4-2 record in NCAA Tournament contests as head coach of the Longhorns.

– Texas is 14-7 under Terry in games decided by five points or less OR in overtime. Terry has registered 11 victories against AP Top 25 opponents during his time at Texas.

— Missouri head coach Dennis Gates is 98-77 overall in the midst of his sixth season as a collegiate head coach. The 45-year-old Chicago native is in his third season at the helm of the Tigers and has amassed 48-37 record with Mizzou, guiding the program to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23. 

NOTABLES ENTERTING THE GAME

–  IT’S BEEN A MINUTE: Texas and Missouri, two former Big 12 Conference opponents, will face each other for the first time since the 2011-12 season. 

– STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: The Longhorns faced an AP Top-5 opponent on Saturday (at No. 5 Florida) for the third time in their last four contests, as they previously hosted No. 2 Auburn and No. 1 Tennessee. The stretch continues as Texas will host a pair of AP Top 25 opponents this week in No. 22 Missouri and No. 13 Texas A&M.

– KALUMA SEES DOUBLE: Despite playing thru a left calf injury suffered in the Oklahoma win, senior forward Arthur Kaluma recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes during Saturday’s game at No. 5/4 Florida. He leads the team in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and ranks second in scoring (13.8 ppg) this season.

– TEXAS-MISSOURI CONNECTION: Texas assistant coach Frank Haith served as head coach at Missouri for three seasons (2011-14). During his tenure, the Tigers posted a 76-28 (.731) and made three postseason appearances, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament. In his first year with the program (2011-12), he guided a Missouri squad that was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 preseason poll to a 30-5 overall record (14-4 Big 12, second). The Tigers set a school single-season record for most wins, claimed the Big 12 Tournament title and earned a No. 2 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Haith was tabbed 2012 National Coach of the Year by The Associated Press and the USBWA in addition to being named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year.

– Ze’Rik Onyema recorded a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) for the first time this season (18 games) and third time in his career (103 games). He set a career high in assists (3) and season highs in rebounds and minutes (25). Onyema reached double figures in scoring for the third time this year and 16th time in his career. He reached double digits in rebounds for the first time this year and third time in his career.

– The Longhorns dropped to 2-2 in true road games and 4-3 in games played away from Austin (2-1 in neutral-site contests). Texas trailed by seven points (61-54) with 8:24 remaining, but Florida closed out the contest with a 23-6 run