2018–19 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team

The 2018–19 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team represented the University of Missouri in the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by head coach Cuonzo Martin in his second year at Missouri. The team played its home games at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri as seventh-year members of the Southeastern Conference. They finished the season 15–17 overall, 5–13 in the SEC to finish in 12th place.

2018–19 Missouri Tigers men's basketball
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Record	15–17 (5–13 SEC)
Head coach	Cuonzo Martin (2nd season)
Assistant coaches	Chris Hollender Cornell Mann Michael Porter Sr.
Home arena	Mizzou Arena
Seasons ← 2017–18 2019–20 →

2018–19 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
No. 15 LSU	16	–	2		.889			28	–	7		.800
No. 10 Tennessee	15	–	3		.833			31	–	6		.838
No. 7 Kentucky	15	–	3		.833			30	–	7		.811
No. 5 Auburn†	11	–	7		.611			30	–	10		.750
South Carolina	11	–	7		.611			16	–	16		.500
Mississippi State	10	–	8		.556			23	–	11		.676
Ole Miss	10	–	8		.556			20	–	13		.606
Florida	9	–	9		.500			20	–	16		.556
Alabama	8	–	10		.444			18	–	16		.529
Arkansas	8	–	10		.444			18	–	16		.529
Texas A&M	6	–	12		.333			14	–	18		.438
Missouri	5	–	13		.278			15	–	17		.469
Georgia	2	–	16		.111			11	–	21		.344
Vanderbilt	0	–	18		.000			9	–	23		.281
† 2019 SEC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Tigers finished the 2017–18 season 20–13, 10–8 in SEC play to finish in a tie for fourth place. As the No. 5 seed in the SEC tournament, they lost to the Georgia Bulldogs in the second round. The Tigers received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 8 seed in the West region. The Tigers lost in the First Round to Florida State.

Offseason

On March 26, 2018, Michael Porter Jr. announced he would declare for the 2018 NBA draft and would forgo his final years of eligibility by signing with an agent.^[1][2] On April 5, his younger brother Jontay Porter also declared for the NBA draft, but did not sign with an agent. Shortly before the deadline to withdraw from the draft, the younger Porter did so and will return for his sophomore year.^[3]

Departures

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Notes
Michael Porter Jr.	13	F	6'10"	215	Freshman	Columbia, MO	Declared for 2018 NBA draft
Kassius Robertson	3	G	6'3"	180	RS-Senior	Toronto, ON	Graduated
Jordan Barnett	21	F	6'7"	215	Senior	St. Louis, MO	Graduated
Brett Rau	10	G	6'4"	175	Senior	Burlington, IL	Graduated
C. J. Roberts	0	G	6'0"	180	Freshman	North Richland Hills, TX	Transferred to Broward College
Terrence Phillips	1	G	5'11"	185	Junior	Orange County, CA	Left team
Blake Harris	55	G	6'3"	195	Freshman	Chapel Hill, NC	Transferred to NC State

Incoming transfers

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Previous School
Mark Smith	13	G	6'4"	220	Freshman	Edwardsville, IL	Illinois[4]
Dru Smith	12	G	6'3"	200	Sophomore	Evansville, IN	Evansville[5]
K. J. Santos	2	F	6'8"	220	Sophomore	Geneva, IL	Tallahassee Community College.
Ronnie Suggs	3	G	6'6"	190	Junior	Washington, MO	Bradley University.

2018 recruiting class

College recruiting information

Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Torrence Watson SG	St. Louis, MO	Whitfield School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Aug 9, 2017
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (84)
Xavier Pinson PG	Chicago, IL	Simeon Career Academy	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Feb 5, 2018
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (N/A)
Parker Braun[6] PF		Blue Valley Northwest	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	May 31, 2018
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (N/A)
Overall recruit ranking:
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

Roster

2018–19 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 0 Torrence Watson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Whitfield School St. Louis, MO G 1 Xavier Pinson 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Simeon Career Academy Chicago, IL F 2 K. J. Santos 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Vermont Academy Tallahassee Community College Geneva, IL G 3 Ronnie Suggs (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Bradley University Washington, MO G 4 Javon Pickett 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 207 lb (94 kg) Fr Belleville East High School Belleville, IL F 5 Mitchell Smith 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Van Buren High School Van Buren, AR G 10 Evan Yerkes (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Victor J. Andrew High School Tinley Park, IL F 11 Jontay Porter  6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) So Nathan Hale High School Columbia, MO G 12 Dru Smith  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS So Reitz Memorial High School Evansville Evansville,IN G 13 Mark Smith  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS So Edwardsville High School Illinois Edwardsville, IL C 14 Reed Nikko 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Jr Maple Grove High School Maple Grove, MN G 15 Jordan Geist 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) RS Sr Homestead High School Ranger College Fort Wayne, IN C 23 Jeremiah Tilmon 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 252 lb (114 kg) So East St. Louis High School East St. Louis, IL F 24 Kevin Puryear 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 238 lb (108 kg) Sr Blue Springs South High School Blue Springs, MO G 25 Brooks Ford (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr De Smit High School St. Louis, MO F 32 Adam Wolf (W) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 219 lb (99 kg) Sr Beaver Dam High School Beaver Dam, WI G 33 Cullen VanLeer 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 208 lb (94 kg) Sr Pacific High School Pacific, MO F 42 Parker Braun (W) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Fr Blue Valley Northwest High School Overland Park, KS	Head coach Cuonzo Martin (Purdue) Assistant coach(es) Chris Hollender (Evansville) Cornell Mann (Akron) Michael Porter Sr. (New Orleans) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2018* 7:00 pm, SECN+		Central Arkansas	W 68–55	1–0	19 – Ma. Smith	10 – Tied	4 – Pinson	Mizzou Arena (9,436) Columbia, MO
November 10, 2018* 6:00 pm		at Iowa State	L 59–76	1–1	15 – Ma. Smith	7 – Tied	5 – Geist	Hilton Coliseum (14,384) Ames, IA
November 16, 2018* 2:00 pm, FloSports		vs. Kennesaw State Paradise Jam Quarterfinals	W 55–52	2–1	17 – Puryear	9 – Tilmon	3 – Pickett	Sports and Fitness Center (522) St. Thomas VI
November 18, 2018* 4:30 pm, FloSports		vs. Oregon State Paradise Jam Semifinals	W 69–63	3–1	18 – Geist	8 – Puryear	6 – Ma. Smith	Sports and Fitness Center  St. Thomas VI
November 19, 2018* 6:30 pm, FloSports		vs. No. 12 Kansas State Paradise Jam championship game	L 67–82	3–2	24 – Geist	4 – Tied	4 – Ma. Smith	Sports and Fitness Center (2,274) St. Thomas, VI
November 27, 2018* 8:00 pm, SECN		Temple	L 77–79	3–3	19 – Ma. Smith	10 – Tilmon	3 – Geist	Mizzou Arena (9,971) Columbia, MO
December 2, 2018* 2:00 pm, ESPNU		UCF	W 64–62 OT	4–3	18 – Geist	7 – Mi. Smith	3 – Pickett	Mizzou Arena (10,067) Columbia, MO
December 4, 2018* 7:00 pm, SECN+		Texas–Arlington	W 65–45	5–3	12 – Watson	12 – Tilmon	3 – Geist	Mizzou Arena (9,428) Columbia, MO
December 7, 2018* 6:00 pm, SECN		Oral Roberts	W 80–64	6–3	14 – Ma. Smith	6 – Tilmon	4 – Pinson	Mizzou Arena (9,813) Columbia, MO
December 18, 2018* 6:00 pm, ESPNU		Xavier	W 71–56	7–3	23 – Tilmon	9 – Tilmon	5 – Pinson	Mizzou Arena (9,785) Columbia, MO
December 22, 2018* 7:00 pm, BTN		vs. Illinois Braggin' Rights	W 79–63	8–3	20 – Geist	12 – Tilmon	7 – Geist	Enterprise Center (16,397) St. Louis, MO
December 29, 2018* 1:00 pm, SECN+		Morehead State	W 75–61	9–3	22 – Ma. Smith	8 – Puryear	3 – Tied	Mizzou Arena (11,458) Columbia, MO
SEC regular season
January 8, 2019 6:00 pm, ESPN2		No. 3 Tennessee	L 63–87	9–4 (0–1)	14 – Pinson	5 – Tied	5 – Geist	Mizzou Arena (10,165) Columbia, MO
January 13, 2019 12:00 pm, SECN+		at South Carolina	L 75–85	9–5 (0–2)	21 – Pickett	6 – Watson	5 – Geist	Colonial Life Arena (12,747) Columbia, SC
January 16, 2019 8:00 pm, SECN		Alabama	L 60–70	9–6 (0–3)	13 – Tied	8 – Smith	3 – Tied	Mizzou Arena (8,530) Columbia, MO
January 19, 2019 2:30 pm, SECN		at Texas A&M	W 66–43	10–6 (1–3)	17 – Geist	10 – Puryear	5 – Geist	Reed Arena (6,396) College Station, TX
January 23, 2019 8:00 pm, SECN		at Arkansas	L 60–72	10–7 (1–4)	22 – Smith	7 – Smith	4 – Geist	Bud Walton Arena (13,881) Fayetteville, AR
January 26, 2019 5:00 pm, SECN		No. 25 LSU	L 80–86 OT	10–8 (1–5)	25 – Geist	11 – Geist	2 – Tied	Mizzou Arena (11,513) Columbia, MO
January 30, 2019 7:30 pm, SECN		at Auburn	L 58–92	10–9 (1–6)	15 – Tilmon	9 – Geist	4 – Pinson	Auburn Arena (7,213) Auburn, AL
February 2, 2019 7:30 pm, SECN		Vanderbilt	W 77–67	11–9 (2–6)	19 – Tilmon	10 – Puryear	6 – Geist	Mizzou Arena (11,091) Columbia, MO
February 5, 2019 8:00 pm, ESPN2		at No. 1 Tennessee	L 60–72	11–10 (2–7)	12 – Pickett	8 – Pinson	5 – Geist	Thompson–Boling Arena (17,264) Knoxville, TN
February 9, 2019 5:00 pm, SECN		Texas A&M	L 59–68	11–11 (2–8)	15 – Pickett	7 – Puryear	6 – Pinson	Mizzou Arena (11,171) Columbia, MO
February 12, 2019 8:00 pm, ESPNU		Arkansas	W 79–78	12–11 (3–8)	21 – Tilmon	9 – Pinson	4 – Puryear	Mizzou Arena (9,489) Columbia, MO
February 16, 2019 2:30 pm, SECN		at Ole Miss	L 65–75	12–12 (3–9)	23 – Geist	9 – Pinson	3 – Pickett	The Pavilion at Ole Miss (8,248) Oxford, MS
February 19, 2019 8:00 pm, ESPN		No. 4 Kentucky	L 58–66	12–13 (3–10)	13 – Suggs	7 – Tilmonn	4 – Geist	Mizzou Arena (10,703) Columbia, MO
February 23, 2019 3:00 pm, ESPNU		at Florida	L 60–64	12–14 (3–11)	16 – Geist	6 – 2 tied	3 – Pinson	Exactech Arena (10,450) Gainesville, FL
February 26, 2019 6:00 pm, SECN		at Mississippi State	L 49–68	12–15 (3–12)	12 – Watson	7 – Pickett	2 – 2 tied	Humphrey Coliseum (7,058) Starkville, MS
March 2, 2019 2:30 pm, SECN		South Carolina	W 78–63	13–15 (4–12)	20 – Watson	8 – Tilmon	3 – 3 tied	Mizzou Arena (10,376) Columbia, MO
March 6, 2019 5:30 pm, SECN		at Georgia	W 64–39	14–15 (5–12)	18 – Geist	11 – M. Smith	6 – Geist	Stegeman Coliseum  Athens, GA
March 9, 2019 2:30 pm, SECN		Ole Miss	L 68–73	14–16 (5–13)	20 – Pinson	7 – Tilmon	6 – Pinson	Mizzou Arena (11,050) Columbia, MO
SEC Tournament
March 13, 2019 6:00 pm, SECN	(12)	vs. (13) Georgia First Round	W 71-61	15-16	30 – Geist	7 – Puryear	1 – 4 tied	Bridgestone Arena  Nashville, TN
March 14, 2019 2:30 pm, SECN	(12)	vs. (5) No. 22 Auburn Second Round	L 71–81	15–17	25 – Geist	5 – Tilmon	5 – Pinson	Bridgestone Arena  Nashville, TN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time.