GAME NOTES: The Missouri Tigers try to dig themselves out of a hole as they entertain the LSU Tigers in the SEC opener for both squads at Mizzou Arena on Thursday.

Of the 14 programs that comprise the SEC these days, Missouri is the only one that has an overall record below .500. The team recently dealt with a three- game slide and two of those outcomes were decided by a total of just five points. However, the Tigers did get the new year off on the right foot with a 72-60 victory over Lipscomb at home last Saturday.

The road only get more difficult for Missouri after this meeting, as it confronts both Auburn and top-ranked Kentucky on the road in the next several days.

As for the LSU Tigers, they stand as one of the hottest teams in the SEC that is not among the nationally ranked. The program closed out the month of November with a victory against McNeese State, ran the table in December and then added a 75-59 triumph over Savannah State last Saturday. The squad has now won eight in a row and nine of the last 10, with the only two losses on the campaign coming against Clemson (64-61) and Old Dominion (70-61), the latter becoming a nationally-ranked program just this week.

LSU leads the all-time series by a count of 3-1, thanks in part to a 77-71 victory in the most recent meeting at the Maravich Center last January.

Against Savannah State, Jarell Martin scored a game-high 26 points, shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and added eight rebounds, but the more impressive performance was put on byJordan Mickey who not only registered a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds, he did so while hitting all but two of his 13 field goal attempts and blocking six shots. Tim Quarterman chipped in with 13 points, four assists and three steals off the bench as well for a squad that connected on 55 percent from the floor overall, yet only 2-of-9 behind the 3- point line.

Mickey, who has recorded a double-double in three straight games and eight times overall, is averaging double figures in both scoring (16.3 ppg) and rebounding (10.3 rpg) as he converts 52.9 percent of his field goal attempts and is also responsible for 44 of the team's 78 blocked shots. Martin heads the scoring list with 18.2 ppg and is also a potential double-double waiting to happen with 8.9 rpg as the team beats opponents on the glass by 6.4 rpg.

Despite shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half, Missouri found itself trailing by two at the break against Lipscomb. In the second half, the defense for the Tigers went to work by limiting the visitors to just 6-of-27 (.222) shooting from the floor and 3-of-15 beyond the arc, allowing the hosts to secure the double-digit win.

Johnathan Williams III produced a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Keith Shamburger and Tramaine Isabell with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Keanau Post tacked on seven points and 10 boards in a mere 14 minutes off the bench.

Williams III, who has scored in double figures in all but two of the games this season, heads the overall scoring list for the Tigers with 13.5 ppg, and he is also first on the glass with 6.8 rpg. Montague Gill-Caesar is second on the team with 11.5 ppg, but he played just nine minutes against Lipscomb and was held scoreless. He is listed as questionable for the meeting with LSU due to back spasms, which means his potential absence will force someone like Post or Isabell to again serve a key role.

The Tigers of Missouri simply don't have the strength and support to compete in this cat fight. With as strong as LSU is on the glass, any mistakes made by Missouri will certainly benefit the visitors.