Strong finish for the Tigers. The depth for this team will be huge. Jabari is just what this team needed.

Haith is doing this with only one player (Pressey) having logged minutes for Mizzou last season. Completely different team makeup (big vs. small), but everyone is playing well together. That whole AP Coach of the Year things makes even more sense now.

Yeah, it's early... but clearly a lot of us were wrong about Haith. I wasn't vocal about it, but I didn't like the hire. (took the "wait and see" approach)

So far, he's done a fantastic job.

I thought MU would struggle much more than they have without Dixon. Losing him, along with last year's seniors, made for a pretty steep challenge. So far, so good.

ohhh the amount of neg reps i got in the **frank haith hired** thread being one of the first ones to spread #faithnhaith all over cp and tigerboard.

:)

Honestly, the hire was such a tough read. It looks like the "angel's advocate" approach was correct thus far-- he may truly have been hamstrung by coaching at a school with such lackluster support for its team, in the most difficult conference in the country. The jury may still be out, but it's definitely swaying heavily in the positive direction.

About this game... I can't think of one other PG in the nation who could have such a horrendous FG line, while still being one of the best three players on the court (along with Bowers and Paul). Jankovic was a tough, weird matchup for Illinois, and I don't think Haith believed that his offensive game was worth the matchup problems he'd face against Illinois on D. NWC is still too raw, but you definitely see glimpses of his potential despite his missteps.

The biggest takeaway is, Frank Haith is the anti-QuinAnderson. He has deliberate gameplans designed to, y'know, actually capitalize on the weaknesses of the opponents. It's so weird to have a coach that can recognize the strengths and limitations of both teams, and utilize those to our advantage. Early Quin showed signs of that, while Stubborn Mike Anderson always believed that 40 Minutes Of Hell was the sacrosanct word of our Lord and was not to be interfered with. This is a pleasant surprise, and one that bodes VERY well for Mizzou in the future.

Good post. I'm still not 100% sold on Haith, but yesterday's win went a long way to get me there. Haith also is the anti-suitcaseMike. I remember watching games he coached and being so infuriated when we were on offense (and tried to rebound) because we stood around so much.

Rebounding margin yesterday: 58 Mizzou, 35 Illinois. When was the last time we could boast that against a top 10 opponent?

Number one rebounding team in the country...doesn't do anything particularly well.

This team looks nothing like his Miami teams. We are a top ten team that hasn't even hit its stride yet.

While I will admit that I didn't know that they were the number one rebounding team in the country (off the sheer amounts of offensive rebounds they get, I presume), that rebounding prowess yesterday was the difference in Mizzou even staying in the game (instead of the difference in simply beating opponents and blowing them out).

My statement about the team looking like his Miami teams was timestamped. It applied to the point in yesterday's game that I typed it. And unlike you, I actually know what Haith's Miami teams looked like. I've seen one play in person. Haith always had a bunch of big men that weren't really skilled in the post and a bunch of shooters who you could never count on. Very streaky teams.

The team needs to shoot better, and hopefully the bigs get better. With that rebounding margin they shouldve won by 20

What point guard was even remotely similar to Pressey? What big man was similar to Bowers? This team is nothing like his Miami teams.

I'll not get into debating the pro's and con's of Frank Haith but I will say this....

Bowers looks like a man who is intent on being THE leader for this squad...and that sitting on the bench all last year must have been so unbearable that he wants to make sure that his Senior season is successful.

I will. 40-6

M-I-Z

From what I can remember, Haith never had a do-everything big like Bowers in Miami. As for Pressey, well, the answer to your question is contained grammatically in the post you took initial umbrage with.