Certain things in the universe are meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, Batman and Robin and spades and smack talk all apply. One pairing that belongs on this list but has been missing for far too long is Mizzou vs Kansas, particularly on the hardwood.
For a few hours Sunday afternoon, the universe righted itself. The Tigers and Jayhawks shared a basketball court for the first time since 2012.
The teams met in an exhibition matchup made as a way to raise funds for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other areas affected by an onslaught of vicious hurricanes this year. It’s a shame that it took a series of crippling natural disasters to bring back the Border War.
A brief history lesson
The beef between Missouri and Kansas can be traced back before the Civil War. When Kansas was confirmed as a state in 1861, its residents voted to reject slavery. Racist, slave-owning Missourians weren’t too happy (imagine that) and violent conflicts broke out between the two states before, during and after the Civil War.
The basketball rivalry began in 1907 when the universities joined the Big Eight Conference. The teams played at least twice per year up until 2012, when the University of Kansas ended the famed rivalry in a fit of sour grapes. Jayhawks administrators grew salty after the University of Missouri left the Big 12 for the greener pastures of the SEC.
Kansas officials ignored that fact that between 2010 and 2013 there was a serious and looming threat that the Big 12 would be forced to dissolve. The Tigers were not the first, nor the last team to depart the fledgling conference.
The big game
Though the ‘Showdown for Relief’ was officially an exhibition, both teams exhibited enough intensity to show that this was no friendly scrimmage. Despite the lack of bands, cheerleaders and national fanfare, it was classic MU vs KU.
Fans cheered and chanted. Coaches screamed. Players competed. Charity or not, it was evident that everybody in the building desperately wanted to win.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the team fell short. Despite leading 44-40 at the half, Mizzou allowed the Jayhawks to fight back in the second half and earn a hard fought 93-87 victory.
The victory will never enter the record books, but it’s one fans in attendance, and those who forked over 40 bucks for the PPV stream, will surely remember.
In their first public showing since Cuonzo Martin took the reins, the Tigers showed they could compete with a perennial national championship contender.
“I think when you’re a competitor, there’s no such thing as an exhibition or a scrimmage,” Martin said after the game. “They’re all real games where you’re competing.”
ESPN preseason All-American Michael Porter Jr. showed why he’s already in contention as the #1 overall draft pick in next year’s NBA Draft. He led the Tigers 21 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes. Though he did not shoot the ball particularly well (6-20 FG, 2-9 3PT), ‘MPJ’ displayed the smooth game and versatility that make NBA scouts drool.
Former CBC standout Jordan Barnett was the lone pre-Martin Tiger in the starting lineup. By putting up 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting (5-for-7 from three-point range), Barnett showed that he is poised to make a serious impact in his senior season.
If Barnett and graduate transfer Kassius Robertson (13 points, including 3-for-5 from behind the arc) can knock down the long ball with consistency, it will make the Tigers offense extremely dangerous.
Freshman Jontay Porter led the team with 12 rebounds in 21 minutes. Like his older brother, Jontay Porter did not have the greatest shooting night (4-for-12 FG, 1-5 3PT) but he did knock down a big three point shot with approximately three minutes remaining to put the Tigers within striking distance.
Former East St. Louis star Jeremiah Tilmon had the play of the night when he soared over Kansas’ Billy Preston with a vicious putback dunk on a Porter Jr. miss. Tilmon appeared strong and skilled when he was on the court. The problem is, even in an exhibition where they allowed seven fouls, Tilmon couldn’t stay out of foul trouble.
Tilmon used all seven fouls in just 13 minutes on the court. He still was able to contribute 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block. As long as Martin and his coaching staff can get Tilmon to stop hacking, he will be the frontcourt anchor Mizzou fans have been dreaming of.
“He was a beast down there,” Barnett said. “He was active on offensive and defensive glass, which is what we preach to him all the time. He’s a bull down there.”
People say moral victories do not exist, but considering there was no official ‘L’ for the books, an exception probably applies here. Coach Martin and his staff have to be pleased by the Tigers efforts against a bona fide blueblood program, even in the preseason.
What’s next for the Border War?
Hopefully Sunday’s game is just the first taste of a renewed rivalry for Martin’s Tigers. However, based on the words of a still-salty Self, Kansas is not ready to accept Mizzou back into its good graces just yet.
When asked about the potential for an annual matchup between the longtime rivals, Self responded with shade.
“We’re going to do what’s best for us,” Self said. “We’re not interested in what’s best for Missouri or best for Missouri fans. But if it’s best for us to play them, we will. It’s not a complicated deal.”
Boo hoo.
It’s amazing that Self is not interested in playing Mizzou, however they’ve had no qualms about facing Nebraska, Colorado or Texas A&M. Each of those schools also fled the Big 12, but found their way onto KU’s basketball schedule multiple times since they departed the conference.
Self attempted to put the responsibility on others, but it’s clear that if the KU coach wanted the game to happen, it would happen. Missouri is ready. Fans from both schools are ready. The estimate $1.8 million raised for charity (on short notice and without advertisers) proves that the rivalry will generate plenty of revenue and excitement.
This pity party has gone on long enough. It’s time to make college basketball rivalries great again.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk.
