Mizzou looks forward to being tested

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Even though the season has just begun there's a definite sense of urgency for Clarence Gilbert, the lone senior on the Missouri roster.

"There's no tomorrow for me," Gilbert said. "Those other guys can say 'Well, I had a bad game.' This is my last time and I'm trying to do the best with my opportunity."

Gilbert had 19 points and was 5-for-9 from 3-point range in the No. 8 Tigers' opening victory over Tennessee-Martin in the Guardians Classic. He followed that up with 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting and four steals against Air Force.

Gilbert, who averaged 16.5 points last season, is the second half of Missouri's 1-2 scoring punch along with preseason All-America Kareem Rush, who led the Big 12 with a 21-point average. The pair combined for 86 points in the first two games, at times appearing to score almost at will.

The going figures to get tougher for the Tigers (2-0) in the semifinals of the 16-team Guardians Classic on Tuesday night in Kansas City against No. 24 Alabama, which also had a pair of easy victories. Also in the semifinals are No. 9 Iowa and No. 12 Memphis, with the final set for Wednesday.

That's OK with Gilbert.

"This is the time you love basketball," Gilbert said. "It's a time to tie your shoes up tight and compete at a whole 'nother level."

Rush also is looking forward to playing against better competition.

"We're really excited to play some Top 25 teams," Rush said. "We want to see where we stack up.

"We know we're always getting better and that's the main thing right now."

Playing before his hometown

As a bonus, he'll be playing in his hometown.

"I love it," Rush said. "I wish I could go home every game. it's great to play in front of your family and friends."

Before the first two games, coach Quin Snyder emphasized to the team that they not look ahead. He treated those games as a four-game tournament.

"I think we'll approach Kansas City the same way," Snyder said. "Our focus right now still needs to be on us."

Snyder said the key for the Tigers, who have eight freshmen and sophomores on the 11-man roster, is defense.

"If we defend, we'll be in games," Snyder said. "It's still early in the season and we're developing habits. Habits aren't all there, yet."

That said, Snyder believes Missouri made huge improvements from the first game, a ragged affair, to the second game. The Tigers were initially shocked by defensive pressure from Tennessee-Martin in the opener, but took control early against Air Force.

Missouri had a 31-12 rebounding advantage and had some possessions that Snyder described as "artistic."

"That was the type of effort I've been waiting for," Snyder said. "It wasn't perfect, obviously, but there were a lot of things that came together."

Air Force coach Joe Scott said the key to Missouri is not Rush and Gilbert, who are givens, but the rest of the team.

"If some of their bigger guys can produce, that'll be a huge advantage because teams will be focusing on Gilbert and Rush. So those guys will have big opportunities."