Missouri hasn’t had a great season but gets this one at home, which should make the spread manageable enough to potentially pull the upset. The Tigers are aiming for their first win over a high-major opponent but it won’t be easy.
At 12 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN2 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, December 10, 2016, at Mizzou Arena.
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Missouri is 5-3 straight up and also 5-3 against the spread this season. The Tigers have covered in four of their seven home contests and would love to not only cover this spread but pull the upset.
Arizona is 7-2 straight up and 4-5 against the spread. The Wildcats have not yet met expectations and they hope to improve to where they are one of the best teams in the country by season’s end. Arizona has played two road games on the season and covered in one of them.
Key Absences
Arizona is not playing to its full potential because it has been without some key players this season. Allonzo Trier, who led the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game last year as a freshman, has missed the entire season because of unspecified NCAA rules.
While Trier is now allowed to travel with the team, he isn’t allowed to play and it is unknown when he will be back. It seems unlikely he participates in this one, but if that happens it is a huge boon for Arizona’s chances.
The Wildcats are also missing point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright. He will miss several weeks with a high ankle sprain. Jackson-Cartwright is averaging 8.0 points and 5.3 assists this season and his absence will be tough for Arizona to overcome.
Player to Watch
Kevin Puryear - Missouri’s best chance at winning this game will be on the backs of its best players. Puryear is one of those, as he is averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
The sophomore forward averaged in double figures last year as a freshman but hopes to get his shooting percentage up after connecting on only 44 percent of his field goal attempts this season.
Missouri doesn’t shoot the ball very well from the floor as a team and will need to get it together against a strong Arizona defense. Even without Jackson-Cartwright and likely Trier, the Wildcats are a bunch of highly-recruited players who are very athletic and have the ability to lock down opponents.
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Arizona is a perennially strong program but one struggling with injuries and Trier’s suspension. The Wildcats are down to only seven scholarship players available which really makes it tough.
Since they are on the road, this certainly won’t be an easy contest. While Missouri doesn’t have any big-time wins this year, the Tigers pushed No. 11 Xavier to the brink and lost by a point early in the season.
If that Missouri team shows up in this one, it will have a great shot at pulling off the win over a ranked opponent. However, Arizona still has the talent on hand to win this game.
The Wildcats should be led by Mauri Markannen, who is averaging 17.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He will be the best player on the court and should lead the way in a tough road victory. The margin of error is slim for this Arizona team right now but it should be talented enough to pull out this matchup.
College Basketball Odds: Arizona 75, Missouri 71
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