Perfect Tigers catch a break

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- For the next week or so, there are no games on No. 2 Missouri's schedule, giving Wesley Stokes and his mates a well deserved break, right?

"Yeah, a day off will be good," Stokes said. "But it's not really time off. I wouldn't necessarily call it time off because you don't want to take time off."

Not a surprising sentiment considering the way Missouri has started its season. The Tigers are 9-0 and off to the team's best start since the 1991-92 season following a 50-point win over Southern University on Thursday, but now must wait until Dec. 15 for their next game.

The nine-day break comes after Missouri played seven games in 17 days, or a contest nearly every other day. The stretch also included frantic action, including three games in five days capped by Monday's thriller against Saint Louis.

So while Stokes -- who hit the game winner at the buzzer to beat the Billikens -- might be itching to get right back on the court, coach Quin Snyder sees the benefit of enjoying the free time when it comes.

"We didn't have great energy against Saint Louis," Snyder said. "We weren't sharp. I didn't think we were working that hard. The tape doesn't lie and the tape wasn't pretty."

Snyder said he'd be tempted to practice "too much" if the stretch without a game came during Missouri's semester break. But with final exams taking place next week, Missouri won't get back together for practice until Wednesday.

"It's good. The bodies are kind of banged up," said Kareem Rush, who scored 25 against Southern and is leading the team with a 20.2 point average. "It's going to be good to get a chance to rest your body and concentrate on school work and get that done, and get ready for Iowa."