COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri men's basketball team has six guaranteed games left this season: five in the regular season and one in the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., in three weeks.
The Tigers know they're out of the running to win the conference title. But there is still motivation to get things figured out in time to go on a run during the SEC Tournament, where they will likely be a double-digit seed.
That starts today, with Missouri (12-13, 3-10 SEC) in Gainesville, Fla. to take on Florida (15-11, 7-6) at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.
"It only takes a couple games to get you going," senior guard Jordan Geist said Friday. "One or two games before the tournament gets you rolling in the tournament. I think that we have a chance to win the tournament and I think we're trying to find our groove right now, get rolling at the end of the year, that's what you need."
It's the Gators, however, that enter the game on a roll. Florida matched its season-best three-game winning streak Wednesday with a 82-77 overtime win at LSU, and beat Alabama on the road as well a week ago.
Florida coach Mike White - who is 3-0 against Missouri with the Gators - has put together a good season despite playing one of the nation's toughest schedules with a short rotation.
The Gators and Tigers are playing similar basketball at this point in the season. Both teams play a slow, defense-first style. But Florida's defense is first in the SEC in scoring allowed, holding opponents below 64 points on average, five points better than Missouri. Both teams also like the 3-point shot, and though the Tigers are more efficient from range, the Gators have also shown they can match an up-tempo opponent.
Senior guard KeVaughn Allen is Florida's leading scorer, averaging 12.9 points per game, followed by freshman shooting guard Noah Locke's 11 per game. Allen, small forward Jalen Hudson and center Kevarrius Hayes are the only seniors or upperclassmen on the team.
Missouri had success playing a four-guard lineup with Jeremiah Tilmon at center in the second half Tuesday night against Kentucky. The height of Javon Pickett and Ronnie Suggs gives Missouri the flexibility to cover small forwards and some power forwards, especially when Kevin Puryear, Mitchell Smith and K.J. Santos are struggling on offense. Head coach Cuonzo Martin said Friday Smith is fine after exiting Tuesday's game with a knee injury.
Florida is projected to start just one player 6-foot-9 or taller, Hayes, with three guards and 6-5 freshman Keyontae Johnson listed as a forward.
"We'll see," Martin said when asked if Florida's starting lineup favored his Tigers. "If you've got four perimeter guys, they still have to be good enough to make plays. It's one thing to go small but it has to be an advantage for you. They've been doing it all year, but I like our chances, and we'll play the guys that give us the best chance to win games.
"I think we've got to do a better job of taking advantage if they have four guards. If we're big it has to be an advantage for us. If not, we'll go small."
Martin said the team won't go forward without its 4s, and added it's never too late for them to contribute.
Missouri will need something more than it has been getting from the position if it wants to run the table at the SEC tournament, but its focuses in this game need to be the same they've been all season: keep Tilmon out of foul trouble and limit turnovers. Part of Florida's defensive success comes from having four players that average better than a steal per game, and the Gators are one of the best in the SEC at forcing opponents into turnovers.