2017 Courtside View

courtside view SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE

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family The Porte r fa mi ly h as th e oppor tunit y to im pact

BOTH MISS OU RI BASKETBAL L P R O GR AMS TH IS SEASON, i t’s a chan ce th ey che ri sh. B4 - B5 MIZ ZOU MEN :

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C O LU M B I A C O L LEGE :

M icha e l Por te r J r . ha s a l ways ha d the hy p e a nd h e’ s su cc ee d wh e re ve r he ’s b ee n. B 2

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Friday, November 10, 2017

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE

Let me introduce myself

Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. is introduced at the start of the Mizzou Madness basketball event Oct. 21 at Mizzou Arena. The freshman was named to the preseason All-SEC and preseason NCAA All-American teams. [TIMOTHY TAI/TRIBUNE]

Hype has followed Porter for years, and he’s thrived in the spotlight

By Cameron Teague-Robinson Columbia Daily Tribune

Michael Porter Jr. stood inside the Mizzou Arena tunnel waiting to be introduced to a raucous crowd at last month’s Mizzou Madness event.

For years, Mizzou Arena was his home.

It was home to midnight shooting drills on the gun. It’s where he watched his father, Michael Porter Sr., and aunt Robin Pingeton, coach the women’s team. Where he watched some of the historic Missouri men’s basketball teams play and sought autographs from some of its best players.

Now, he’s one of those players.

When it was his turn to be introduced, he approached the tunnel as pyrotechnics went off around him. As Porter stepped into the spotlight, the crowd erupted.

It was their first look at the 19-year-old who helped bring excitement back to the men’s program.

Years before the hype, he was a fifth-grader who just loved the game. He had no NBA aspirations, yet. He was taller than everybody and had better handles.

It wasn’t until he was sitting in a room in Cocoa Beach, Fla., at a national AAU tournament, which his fifth-grade team won, when the NBA became his dream.

His team was loaded with ESPN top-50 talent. Jontay Porter, his younger brother and the 25th ranked player in the 2017 class, was on his team. So were Gary Trent Jr., the eighth-ranked player and a Duke freshman; Kris Wilkes, the 26th-ranked player and a UCLA freshman; and Paul Scruggs, the 32nd-ranked player and a Xavier freshman, to name a few.

Surrounded by many of the country’s best middle school players, Michael Jr. sat as a speaker stood up.

“There might be three of you that make the NBA,” the speaker said.

The young Porter thought, “One of those players is going to be me.”

Since that tournament the hype has followed the oldest boy in the Porter family. No matter how much attention Porter has gotten, he has always done two things: live in

Michael Porter Jr. (13) takes a shot over Kansas Jayhawks forward Billy Preston (23) in an exhibition game Oct. 22 at the Sprint Center. One of the nation’s top recruits, Porter is expected to be one of the first four selections in this summer’s NBA draft. [BRIAN DAVIDSON/SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE]

the gym and win.

There is a correlation between the two.

“He is the common denominator,” said Jeremy Osborne, Porter’s high school coach at Tolton. “All of those places have been successful, not solely because of him, but it’s what he brings to the table every day in practice.”

••• Porter didn’t hesitate when his dad asked him if basketball was the sport he wanted to play.

He first picked a ball up at 3 years old, and “it’s been my thing ever since,” he said.

His mother, Lisa Porter, averaged 58.7 points at Cedar Rapids High School. Lisa played at Iowa from 1983-87.

Michael Sr. played at New Orleans for four years, graduated in 1989 and is now an assistant coach on the men’s team. He’s played a strong role in Michael Jr.’s growth as a player.

“Every week, he told me, ‘You can be one of the best players to ever do this thing.’”

Porter said. “He kept putting that in my head, so each time I went out there, I tried to be the best player on the floor no matter who was on the floor.

That’s always been my thing.”

But his parents’ influence is about more than basketball.

What drives Porter is his faith, which his parents instilled in the entire family.

He’s not afraid to discuss it, it’s actually been his goal to use basketball as a catapult to impact others.

“I feel like, when you put it in perspective, basketball isn’t that big. You put a ball in a bucket, but it’s something I have a passion for. For me, I want to get super-good so I can impact a lot of people,” he said. “I feel like it’s a sport I can excel at, and when you are good at something, people listen to your opinion on things. I’m a believer, so I want to spread the message of God. That’s been my dream since I was little.”

••• Osborne didn’t know how good Porter was when he came to Tolton, but it didn’t take him long to find out.

To Osborne, Porter was almost disproportionately long for his age, but very smooth.

“I had never seen a kid that young be so fundamentally sound, yet be so skilled to go with that athleticism,” Osborne said.

Porter’s combination of athleticism and skill wasn’t just a byproduct of his basketball genes. It was from his rare work ethic.

“He’s always working on something to take him to the next level,” Osborne said.

At the time, he was a slim 6-foot-4 shooter who didn’t really like contact. That didn’t deter the early NBA projections

or stop him from showing up in big moments.

Osborne has tons of Porter stories, but one he remembers vividly came his freshman year.

Tolton was in the Class 2 state quarterfinal, playing Canton. The Trailblazers were down double digits in the first half, and Porter, according to Osborne, had been relatively quiet that night.

In the fourth quarter, Porter took matters into his own hands, hitting four or five 3-pointers in a row to cut Canton’s lead to four.

Tolton lost the game 72-66, but it set the stage for the rest of Porter’s high school career.

“Big moments? He lives for those,” Osborne said. “He loves, not necessarily the limelight, but loves coming through, because winning is paramount for him.”

•••

By Porter’s sophomore year, it was obvious that he was an NBA player.

“Yeah, it was a no-brainer,” Osborne said.

In the offseason, Porter went to work on his body so he would be more confident scoring inside. Along with that, he improved his jump shot. He became a threat on multiple levels. Then came a dunk from the free-throw line in a consolation game that went viral.

“That was one of the most unreal experiences of my life,”

Porter said. “On Vine, it had over 3 million views in a couple days, it was crazy.”

Porter blew up on nearly every social-media platform.

Phones were out at every game after that with people hoping to get the next viral video.

What they captured, instead, was a sophomore who continued to thrive.

Osborne never had to yell at Porter, but at halftime of a home game Porter’s sophomore year, he felt the need to light a fire in him.

Neither Porter nor Osborne remembers the game, but they remember the discussion.

Porter had about two rebounds, Osborne recalled, and Tolton was losing.

Osborne walked into the locker room, looked at Porter and said. “You want to be the guy? You are supposed to be the guy? Then play like the guy. You don’t get all the glitz and the glam without the responsibility,” Osborne said.

Osborne didn’t know how Porter would react.

He reacted the same way he always had.

“He looked me dead in my eye and said, ‘I got you,’” Osborne recalled with a laugh.

“He came out and had like 27 and 17 in the next half alone.

He had one of those 30 and 20 games.”

Tolton won.

“He was putting a lot of trust in me, but I had to trust him.

He was saying I could do it,” Porter said. “When a coach tells you that, you have ultimate confidence.”

With Porter leading the way, Tolton returned to the state quarterfinal, this time as a Class 3 school. Tolton lost to College Preparatory 76-74.

In two years, Porter suffered 11 losses.

He wouldn’t lose that many the rest of his high school career.

••• Resting on his laurels isn’t something Porter does.

Porters willingness to win, even in practice, stood out to Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin.

“He wants to be successful,” Martin said. “I thought it was just unique for his age. Now the balance is how do you manage that when it doesn’t go your way? That’s the next step for him, because he’s had success for so long.”

See PORTER, B3

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE Friday, November 10, 2017 B3

New-look Tigers have higher expectations

By Cameron Teague-Robinson Columbia Daily Tribune

Jordan Barnett’s experience walking around campus this fall is completely different to what it was last year.

Last year, during Missouri’s 8-24 season, he would hear things like, “You guys are doing well, keep trying, keep fighting,” he said.

Now it’s the opposite. “Now it’s, ‘National championship.’”

He likes the change.

“For me, personally, as a senior, I’m sure Kassius” Robertson “feels the same way, to go out this way with the potential to have a really good year is really special,” Barnett said.

Things have changed in the Missouri men’s basketball program, but in a good way.

Under new coach Cuonzo Martin, the expectations are higher, in part because of a recruiting class that ranks fourth nationally on Rivals.com.

Headlining that class is Michael Porter Jr., the No. 1 prospect. Also among the Rivals top-150 are Porter Jr.’s brother Jontay Porter, Jeremiah Tilmon, C.J. Roberts and Blake Harris.

But the freshmen aren’t the only new faces in Missouri uniforms this season. Robertson, a 6-foot-3 graduate transfer, is expected to start for at point guard for Tigers in Friday’s opener against Iowa State.

There are a lot of people getting used to one another in the men’s program right now. With those new faces, Martin said he is focused on taking the season a day at a time.

“I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s really one game at a time, because it’s all we can control,” Martin said.

“The returning guys are still getting to know me as a coach and what I expect.”

Among Missouri’s returners are its three top scorers from a year ago: Barnett, who led the team with 12.2 points; junior Kevin Puryear, who was second with 11.8; and Terrence Phillips, who was third with 10.4.

In the only open

PORTER Continued from B2

Entering junior year, Porter still had not won a state championship. After his sophomore season, he fine-tuned his game.

He came back to Tolton an even better shooter. He changed the release point of his jump shot so he could shoot over taller defenders and became a threat from everywhere.

“I could do almost anything,” Porter said. “That year at Tolton was a very big year in my growth.”

He was no longer that jump-shooting, slim freshman. He worked himself into a complete player.

In the process, he helped Tolton win its first state championship.

After his father took a job on the Washington men’s basketball coaching staff, Porter moved to Seattle.

He committed to play for the Huskies.

The move to Seattle had Porter excited about the basketball opportunities.

He knew he would get the chance to work with professional players such as Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas and others. He took that as a challenge.

“Even on that floor I was

scrimmage Missouri had this season, a 93-87 loss to Kansas on Oct. 22 at the Sprint Center, Barnett started and played 31 minutes, Puryear had 22 minutes off of the bench and Phillips had 19 minutes off of the bench.

Puryear, though, isn’t worried about whether he starts.

“I know whatever I do I’m going to go in there and be productive, or at least try to be,” Puryear said. “I’m going to go in there and play hard. Starting is cool, but there’s bigger things in the game than getting your name called out before the game. Whatever my role is, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”

The only players returning who averaged more than 10 minutes last season are Jordan Geist, Reed Nikko and Cullen VanLeer, whom Robertson said started at shooting guard in the closed scrimmage against Missouri State.

After last month’s Mizzou Madness event, Martin said that he would like to run a rotation of nine players. On Wednesday, in regards to the lineup, he said that his starting five is set for Friday, barring any injuries.

Iowa State will enter Friday’s game with a completely different roster than last season.

The Cyclones will need to replace their top four leading scorers from a year ago, including AllAmerican point guard Monte Morris.

The Cyclones do bring in a top recruit of their own in four-star prospect Lindell Wigginton.

Though the roster is different, Barnett expects the Cyclones to push the pace, as they always have.

“I remember seeing them last year. They played an extremely fast tempo and got shots up almost on the first pass.

From seeing them in film, they still don’t have any problem with that,” Barnett said. “We expect it to be a very high-tempo game. A lot of shots are going to go up. We are hoping to make more than they do.”

MISSOURI MEN

2 0 1 7- 1 8 S C H E D U L E

2016-17 STATISTICS FG-FGA 101-231 132-323 100-274 77-260 66-182 69-175 73-151 29-53 58-160 28-55 10-17 1-5 0-1 0-6

Barnett Puryear Phillips Hughes Geist Walton Woods Jackson Vanleer Nikko Smith Wolf Rau Glassman Team Total Opponents

744-1893 779-1821

AVG .437 .409 .365 .296 .363 .394 .483 .547 .363 .509 .588 .200 .000 .000

3PT-A 36-120 20-62 53-149 45-168 22-77 5-23 0-0 0-1 44-132 0-0 0-0 0-2 0-0 0-5

.393 225-739 .428 247-719

AVG .300 .323 .356 .268 .286 .217 .000 .000 .333 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000

FT-FTA 43-55 92-125 81-102 30-53 71-94 70-116 67-114 7-10 20-24 13-25 6-14 0-0 0-0 0-0

.304 500-732 .344 528-775

AVG .782 .736 .794 .566 .755 .603 .588 .700 .833 .520 .429 .000 .000 .000

REB AVG PTS AVG 132 5.7 281 12.2 191 6.0 376 11.8 117 3.7 334 10.4 78 2.6 229 7.6 95 3.0 225 7.0 106 3.3 213 6.7 138 4.3 213 6.7 51 4.6 65 5.9 57 1.8 180 5.6 63 2.3 69 2.5 19 1.7 26 2.4 3 0.3 2 0.2 2 0.4 0 0.0 4 0.7 0 0.0 112 .683 1168 36.5 2213 69.2 .681 1260 39.4 2333 72.9z

MISSOURI ROSTER No. 0 1 2 3 5 10 11 13 14 15 21 23 24 32 33 55

Name C.J. Roberts Terrence Phillips Ronnie Suggs Kassius Robertson Mitchell Smith Brett Rau Jontay Porter Michael Porter Jr. Reed Nikko Jordan Geist Jordan Barnett Jeremiah Tilmon Kevin Puryear Adam Wolf Cullen VanLeer Blake Harris

Ht. 6-0 5-11 6-6 6-3 6-10 6-4 6-11 6-10 6-10 6-2 6-7 6-10 6-7 6-7 6-4 6-3

Wt. 180 185 190 180 215 175 240 215 250 180 215 252 238 219 208 195

Pos. G G G G F G F F F G F F F F G G

Cl. Fr. Jr. Jr. Gr. So. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr.

Nov. 10 vs. Iowa State Nov. 13 vs. Wagner Nov. 16 at Utah Nov. 20 vs. Emporia State Nov. 23 vs. Long Beach State# Nov. 24 vs. TBD# Nov. 26 vs. TBD# Nov. 30 at UCF Dec. 5 vs. Miami (Ohio) Dec. 9 vs. Green Bay Dec. 16 vs. North Florida Dec. 19 vs. Stephen F. Austin Dec. 23 vs. Illinois$ Jan. 3 at South Carolina Jan. 6 vs. Florida Jan. 10 vs. Georgia Jan. 13 at Arkansas Jan. 17 vs. Tennessee Jan. 20 at Texas A&M Jan. 24 vs. Auburn Jan. 27 at Mississippi State Jan. 31 at Alabama Feb. 3 vs. Kentucky Feb. 6 at Ole Miss Feb. 10 vs. Mississippi State Feb. 13 vs. Texas A&M Feb. 17 at LSU Feb. 20 vs. Ole Miss Feb. 24 at Kentucky Feb. 27 at Vanderbilt March 3 vs. Arkansas March 7-11 SEC Tournament #—AdvoCare Invitational in Orlando, Fla. $—Braggin’ Rights Game in St. Louis

8 p.m.

8 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

10:30 a.m.

TBD TBD 8 p.m.

8 p.m.

8 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

12 p.m.

8 p.m.

5 p.m.

8 p.m.

3 p.m.

8 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

1 p.m.

8 p.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

1 p.m.

8 p.m.

TBD 6 p.m.

5 p.m.

TBD

Aiming for the Top 25

ABOVE: After an 8-24 record a year ago, Missouri begins the season just outside the Top 25 — with expectations of a return to relevancy in both the SEC and nationally.

Martin’s hiring was followed by the arrival of perhaps one of the best recruiting classes in school history.

[BRIAN DAVIDSON/SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE]

crobinson@columbiatribune.com573-815-1781 trying to be the best player on the floor,” Porter said.

“I was around them so much, they are in Seattle all summer, so it became like a community up there. It was cool being on the same floor as them, but at the same time, I was trying to do my thing.”

Again, Porter succeed.

Nathan Hale High School finished the season undefeated with a state championship. His second in a row. Then came the firing of Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar, Porter’s godfather. Martin took the job at Missouri, and he hired Michael Sr. Michael Jr. decommitted from Washington, reopened his recruitment and committed to Missouri. The hype has only grown since.

Season tickets have sold out, the athletic department announced Tuesday.

In total, the 2017-18 public season-ticket-sales total of 9,572 is a Mizzou Arena record and an increase over last year’s final total of 5,802, the athletic department said.

Those ticket sales aren’t solely because of Porter, but he understands the importance of succeeding anyway.

“This is the biggest year of my life so far,” he said. “This is my chance to make a mark on history. I can really make

a difference in the history at Mizzou. I’m excited.”

Porter was named to The Associated Press preseason All-America team. He became only the fifth freshman ever to make the team.

He was a Southeastern Conference preseason coplayer of the year and hasn’t even made a regular-season basket yet.

He’s been projected to go anywhere from first to as low as fourth in this year’s NBA draft, but, for the time being, he isn’t worried about that. He isn’t on social media much either.

His Twitter account is gone.

He knows Twitter opinions can change in seconds.

He wants to focus, and restoring the rich history of the Missouri men’s basketball program comes first.

Does he feel the pressure or sense the hype? Yes, but what else is new?

He’s been dealing with that all of his life.

“You always want to make everybody happy, but, at the same time, I’m not too worried about people putting pressure on me,” he said. “I just want to keep having fun with the game I love. I don’t try to make it more complicated than that.” crobinson@columbiatribune.com 573-815-1781

Columbia 573-449-4153

Wishing Coach Cuonzo and the Mizzou Men’s Basketball team the best of luck on the upcoming season.

Reid i Millard i 69508

B4

Friday, November 10, 2017

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE

For Porters, family is everything

Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr., left, laughs with his brother Jontay Porter during a practice at Mizzou Arena. The brothers followed when their father, Michael Porter Sr., accepted an assistant coaching job with the Tigers. [TIMOTHY TAI/TRIBUNE]

Thanks to siblings, excitement around Missouri programs has exploded

By Cameron Teague-Robinson Columbia Daily Tribune

It’s about 8 p.m. on a Monday evening, and Bri, Cierra, Jontay and Michael Porter can be found at Kayla Michael’s house, not on the basketball court.

Kayla, a redshirt senior on the women’s basketball team, has no problem opening her home to the siblings. This visit isn’t about basketball, though.

They use the time to connect and build their faith in God through a weekly bible study session.

Eight people usually meet at Kayla and her husband, Cameron’s, house, including Jordan Frericks, from the women’s basketball team, and Bri’s fiance.

“We talk about anything ranging from relationships, hard things, to school and questions we have about God,” Kayla said.

The evening begins with a video, about 10-15 minutes. A discussion about the video follows, then the group breaks into its Bibles to begin discussions.

The group prays and breaks into a game of Catch Phrase.

The girls hold the all-time record.

The best player? “Probably, Bri.” The worst? “Probably, Mike,” Kayla Michael said laughing while recalling the games.

On these nights, basketball is the last thing on their minds.

“I think for each of us, we try to make our faith the most important thing in our lives.

Since we are all in the same season of life, with basketball taking up a lot of our time, it’s good to take a step back and help each other make God the No. 1 priority in our life,” Kayla Michael said. “It’s become a close-knit group of friends.”

The girls met for Bible study frequently last year, but when the Porter family moved back to Columbia from Seattle, the group expanded. That expansion brought the boys into the fold, and it’s been a seamless transition.

The move did more than impact their Bible study group.

It gave Missouri a Porter in each basketball program. Bri, the oldest, is a senior who will get a medical hardship waiver on the women’s team. Cierra is a junior post player for the

women’s team. Michael Jr., the oldest boy, is a top NBA prospect and a freshman on the men’s team, joined by Jontay, who is 17 and skipped his senior year of high school to play at Missouri.

Add in Michael Porter Sr., an assistant on the men’s team, and women’s coach Robin Pingeton, the Porter siblings’ aunt, and you have a family impact that Missouri has never seen.

It’s a vision Pingeton has had since the Porter siblings were kids.

“There was always a vision for that, and, trust me, I planted those seeds as much as I could, as often as I could, for as long as I could, just because I thought, what an opportunity,” Pingeton said.

The vision for Pingeton and the Porter family is about more than basketball success.

This might be the final year they are together, in the same state. Where some might see Columbia basketball celebrities, whom they want pictures with, Cierra sees siblings growing closer together.

“It’s been so much fun,” said Cierra, who averaged 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds last year. “It really has grown our friendship. We went from sibling friends to actual friends.

Like, even if we weren’t siblings, I think we would still hang out together.”

••• Everybody has a Porter family story, but Pingeton’s goes back to the beginning.

Back to when Cierra and Bri were taking summer trips to Illinois State women’s basketball camps, where Pingeton was the head coach until 2010, and when Pingeton was taller than the eldest Porter siblings, she jokes.

Cierra and Bri, now each taller than 6-foot-3, are the daughters of Lisa Porter, Pingeton’s older sister.

On those trips to Illinois State camps, there was no way Pingeton was letting Cierra and Bri go home without a simple message.

“She was always saying, ‘You are going to come play with me some day,’” Cierra recalled, laughing. “We were always like, ‘Yeah, we are.’”

Pingeton never let the thought of the sisters playing for anybody but her cross her mind.

“I just tried to brainwash them that, wherever they were at, that they needed to play for

their aunt,” Pingeton said. “I don’t think I ever backed off of that. I just made sure they always knew that they need to play for their aunt.”

Pingeton didn’t soften on her stance when she took the job at Missouri in 2010. She did bring over Michael Sr. as the program’s director of basketball operations, and he eventually rose to an assistant coach.

That hire was more about her trust in her brother-inlaw than recruiting Cierra and Bri’s father.

“I knew bringing Mike, he would just bring so much value, not only on the court, but he was doing missionary work at the time and coaching AAU teams,” Pingeton said. “He was having a lot of success, the character, integrity, the relationship skills, the substance, in addition to his knowledge on the court, it was just a no-brainer.”

It was also a no-brainer that Cierra and Bri were committing to Missouri after moving with their family from Indianapolis to Columbia.

“We moved out here, and it wasn’t even like a huge sit-down discussion. It was just understood that that’s what was going to happen,” Cierra said.

••• Pingeton holds firm to the opinion that most people haven’t seen Bri at her best.

The eldest sister has had her fair share of knee injuries since her time at Rock Bridge.

Rock Bridge girls coach Jill Nagel agrees.

“I’ve always said it, but Bri has probably the smoothest jump shot of any athlete I’ve seen come through Rock Bridge,” said Nagel, who has won five state championships at Rock Bridge.

One of Nagel’s favorite Porter family story involves Bri being on the court.

It was Bri’s senior season at Rock Bridge and Cierra’s junior year. Bri had yet to put together a full season in a Rock Bridge uniform, hampered with injuries each year.

But on the Bruins’ run to a third straight championship, Bri was healthy. Rock Bridge was cruising, beating every team in the postseason by double digits.

The Bruins defeated Lee’s Summit North 62-45 in the state championship game.

That was a special moment.

It was Bri’s final year, and she was able to share it with

Cierra.

“Bri finally got to put together a full season, and Cierra wanted that as much for Bri as Bri wanted it for herself. I think Cierra probably wanted it more,” Nagel said.

“It was just a cool moment for those two sisters to be on the court for Bri’s last game in a Rock Bridge uniform.”

Growing up, Cierra and Bri shared a bedroom, so it’s no surprise they are so close.

“We were literally inseparable,” Cierra said.

Nothing has changed in that aspect.

On the court, Bri won’t play this season, but Cierra will.

Pingeton expects them both to play large roles, regardless.

Bri “will continue to be a great impact by our team.

Her voice makes a difference,” Pingeton said. “She will still travel, which we will love, but her class schedule doesn’t allow her to be at practices a lot, but she maximizes the times she can. She will be around our team, and we want her to feel good about her senior year.”

Cierra “impacts our program in a huge way,” Pingeton added. “She is a hard guard, defensively she can change shots and is a great rebounder.

There is always a lot of talk about Sophie” Cunningham “and buzz about Jordan” Frericks “coming back, but CP is a huge piece of the success we are going to have this year.”

••• There weren’t many games that Cierra and Bri played in, whether it was at Rock Bridge or at Missouri, that the Porter family wasn’t in the stands cheering them on.

“Our family is just really close. We try to get to each other’s games as much as possible,” Cierra said. “To always know you have at least one parent and, hopefully, some siblings in the stands at all times, to know you have that support, is huge.”

Tolton High School basketball coach Jeremy Osborne’s favorite story is set to March 12, 2016, and it revolves around not only their family support, but community support.

Tolton just won its first state championship, with Michael Jr. and Jontay leading the way, and were getting off the bus for the pep rally.

Cierra, who was in attendance at the game, was standing outside the bus congratulating everybody that

came off.

Osborne stops the story to add, “Now, you have to remember we had 6-foot-8, 6-10, 6-4 on that team.”

He nodded and continued the story.

Osborne, who didn’t match up to the height on his team, walked off the bus. Cierra saw Osborne and said “What’s up, little guy?” Osborne said before breaking into a laugh.

“They were just always cool. The way they treated my family and my daughters, it was always great,” Osborne added. “I have a lot of respect for them and the type of people they are. They are family-first, and it’s good to see that people who do it the right way are successful, you root for people like that.”

From the outside, the Porter family is seen as a basketball family. While that’s true, there is nothing more important to them than one another and their faith.

They can often be found together on Sunday mornings at The Crossing. There aren’t many days that go by when Michael Jr., Jontay, Bri and Cierra aren’t back at their parents’ house or when Pingeton is there, as well.

“That’s what is the coolest thing about coming back here.” Michael Jr. said. “I don’t know what I would do without my family in the same school.”

••• The idea of all of the eldest Porter siblings being at the same college is something Cierra always hoped would happen, but Michael Jr. wasn’t sure it would.

For a year, he was verbally committed to Washington, where Michael Sr. was hired as an assistant coach under Lorenzo Romar.

Pingeton knew it was only a matter of time before Michael Sr. took another job. The two are close friends, and Lisa is one of Pingeton’s biggest role models, so there were no secrets.

In fact, Pingeton was the one usually receiving the calls when schools asked to speak to Michael Sr. “I felt like I was getting recruited because I had so many coaches on the men’s side calling me, wanting to know if they could reach out to Michael,” Pingeton said.

“It wasn’t a surprise. … I was bummed, but really excited for him at the same time.”

See FAMILY, B5

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE Friday, November 10, 2017 B5

FAMILY Continued from B4

Pingeton and the Porters kept in touch throughout their time in Seattle.

When rumblings that Romar might get fired at Washington began, “I kept saying come back, come back, this is going to be great,” Pingeton said.

Romar was fired at Washington, as was Kim Anderson at Missouri.

There was an opening, and Pingeton went to athletic director Jim Sterk, who had been hired in August 2016, about the hire.

“I might have been out of line in reaching out to Jim,” Pingeton said. “But I knew that hire was going to be important, and if it was the right hire that we would have a chance to get that Porter family back.”

Pingeton, with Sterk’s last job being at San Diego State, wasn’t sure how much Sterk knew about the Porter family.

“I just wanted to make sure he was aware of who that family was and Michael Jr. and Jontay. Just how I personally felt like it could impact our men’s program, athletic department the community and the university,” Pingeton said. “I was really just trying to give him a head’s up and make sure he knew that this, not that he didn’t already know that the hire was big, but that there would be a chance, and if it was the right guy that they might be willing to come back.”

Missouri hired former California coach Cuonzo Martin.

Martin hired Michael Sr. as an assistant, and the Porter family was on its way home.

To the excitement of many.

Michael Jr. decommitted from Washington, reopened his recruitment and committed to Missouri. Jontay reclassified to the 2017 class and landed at Missouri a year early.

All the stars aligned.

“My mom is over the moon about it,” Cierra said. “This is what she has always wanted.”

The excitement around each team has exploded.

The women’s team is ranked 16th in the preseason AP poll.

The men’s team, with the fourth-ranked recruiting class, according to Rivals, received 19 votes in the preseason AP poll.

Expectations are high for both programs, but the approach doesn’t change.

••• After the initial move from Indianapolis to Columbia, Pingeton said the families missed opportunities to be together.

That wasn’t going to happen again.

“We want to make sure we maximize our time together,” Pingeton said.

Being a coach is a yearround job, so Pingeton hasn’t had a chance to sit down and process everything that has happened in the last few months.

But, if you look close enough, you will surely see the Porter family at each game.

They sat right behind Pingeton, in the stands, at the two women’s scrimmages and will be there for the men’s games, as well.

The vision of everybody being together at one college has always had basketball implications, but this year, just like their Monday Bible study sessions, is about way more than basketball.

It’s about family. For the Porters, it always has been.

“We know our time is limited, which we don’t ever want it to end, but we know it is limited. We just have to try to get to everything for each other,” Cierra said. “We want to get to each other’s games all the time, not miss a thing and spend as much time together as possible. It could be the last year we are all in the same state. We don’t know what the future holds.” crobinson@columbiatribune.com573-815-1781

Robin Pingeton was a central figure in rejoining the Porter family in Columbia. Pingeton — the aunt of Bri, Cierra, Michael and Jontay — had approached athletic director Jim Sterk to make sure he was aware of the opportunity. [TIMOTHY TAI/TRIBUNE]

com·mu·ni·ty It means having common interests, aspirations and goals.

Community.

It’s who we serve. It’s what we value.

It’s where we live.

Sports reporter Cameron Teague Robinson understands the importance of athletics to our community. From features that highlight local athletes to games and breaking news coverage, Cameron covers sports across the board with objectivity and passion. As a former athlete himself, he knows how much his coverage can mean.

Join us and subscribe today.

Cameron Teague Robinson, Tribune Missouri Sports Reporter, covers all the bases when it comes to Missouri sports.

Call 573-815-1600 or email circulation@columbiatribune.com.

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Friday, November 10, 2017

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE

Court is now in session

Missouri point guard Lauren Aldridge sits for a portrait in the rare book room of the University of Missouri School of Law. Aldridge, a transfer from Kansas, is a first-year law student.

After sitting out a season, Aldridge is looking forward to returning to the court. [TIMOTHY TAI/TRIBUNE]

Missouri’s Aldridge works to balance law school, basketball Missouri’s Lauren Aldridge (5) celebrates with classmates from law school after the Tigers defeated Southwest Baptist 77-55 in an exhibition game Nov. 2 at Mizzou Arena. [PHOTO

By Nick Kelly Columbia Daily Tribune

After 606 days, it was game day again for Lauren Aldridge.

Finally, after a transfer from Kansas to Missouri and sitting out a year because of NCAA transfer rules, Aldridge would get to play in a Division I basketball game Nov. 2.

There was no time for her to count down the hours, though.

She still had to take her first law school exam.

And it was no insignificant exam.

“I was stressed the whole day, and I didn’t have to go play a Division I basketball game that night,” said Ally Adrian, a classmate and friend.

This November day is a microcosm of the daily life Aldridge leads as the Tigers’ starting point guard and a law school student. Her schedule provides a lot of stress and little free time, but Aldridge sees it as a necessary means to doing two things she likes.

“I think to everybody else, it sounds miserable,” Aldridge said. “But I am loving what I’m doing.”

Miserable, sure. But what those around her want to know: How? “It is impossible to fathom how she is doing what she is doing,” Adrian said. “I put in a lot of hours at law school, and she is doing maybe better than I am.”

Brook Gotberg, Aldridge’s contracts professor, has never heard of a Division I athlete attending law school. Neither have professors at other schools with whom Gotberg has spoken. She said they’re often surprised.

Rightfully so. Gotberg said law school is a full-time job.

Many consider being a Division I athlete to be the same.

To fit two full-time jobs, Aldridge plans out almost every minute of her day. She’s intentional and strategic about how she spends her time.

Her alarm blares at 6:05 every morning. She grabs breakfast at the Mizzou Athletic Training Complex. She studies for 1-2 hours before class starts at 9 a.m. She has about 90 minutes between this class and the next, which she typically uses to read for class. She doesn’t have time for a formal lunch, so she packs a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana while at the MATC.

COURTESY OF JENNIFER ALDRIDGE]

She has contracts class until 2:50 p.m., which she always sprints out of to make it in time to get to Mizzou Arena for a three-hour practice that starts at 3:30 p.m. Then, she eats dinner.

Yes, she has a daily coffee stop. Just not in the morning.

She typically stops by the Grind Coffee House after dinner to pick up a large iced coffee with soy milk.

“Emphasis on the large,” she said.

She uses the caffeine to fuel her studying that lasts until about 10:30 p.m. She goes to bed by 11 p.m. just to do it all again the next day.

And she does it all without letting it affect her demeanor.

“I haven’t seen any kind of fatigue or shortness,” Adrian said. “She is always put together and friendly and asking how I’m doing. It’s amazing.”

She maintains that energy in practice, too.

“She goes like 120 percent on everything,” teammate Cierra Porter said.

Aldridge’s performance and outward appearance have not suffered, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t faced inner struggles. Aldridge said she felt

overwhelmed through the first couple of weeks.

“I didn’t know which way was up,” she said.

Missouri coach Robin Pingeton helped her find direction and change her perspective.

Pingeton told Aldridge that trying to work through her anxiety in her head would only make it worse.

“She just encouraged me with starting your day with a daily, ‘God, thank you so much for this opportunity to be able to go to law school and play basketball,’” Aldridge said.

Aldridge, who helped start Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Kansas, also turned to the Bible verse, John 16:33. It reads: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

It applied well to her situation.

“Juggling law school and basketball, there’s a lot of trouble,” Aldridge said.

It doesn’t help that she’s also a perfectionist. Just like her mother, Jennifer Aldridge.

“I tell her mom all the time, ‘She’s you on steroids,’ her father, Steve Aldridge, said.

“Though it has great upside, it

can cause a lot of turmoil from time to time, as well.”

The contents of her schedule are a perfectionist’s nightmare. The Socratic method of teaching, which Gotberg said is intended to test boundaries and answers, is the main reason. A correct answer is not always the best correct answer.

Often, the answers students spit out aren’t close to correct.

“On the times you don’t know the answer, you get it wrong and you just have to bite the bullet and say, ‘How am I going to use this to make me better?’” Aldridge said.

It’s allowed Aldridge an opportunity to improve her positive self-talk. Sometimes the positive element of that self-talk can be difficult for Aldridge to muster when she goes through the struggles of law school for about six hours then practice, another venue where failure is welcomed and expected.

“By the end of it as a perfectionist, you just kind of get beat down through it,” she said.

In these times, she has to remind herself of her end goal — she would like to use her background in athletics and a law degree to one day become an athletic director.

“I’m willing to kind of bite the bullet now, and then, hopefully, reap the benefits later,” she said.

Her teammates also help when she’s feeling stressed or beat down. When Aldridge told teammate Sophie Cunningham about her meager daily lunch, Cunningham offered to bring her lunch any day she wants.

“They’ve been great and have been a vital part of me being able to do both,” she said.

So, too, have her law school classmates, who root for her success. Literally.

Before Aldridge left the Mizzou Arena court after the Nov. 2 exhibition game, she walked up the bleachers behind the basket where 18 of her fans waited for her.

None were family members.

Just law school family members who came to watch their classmate play in her first Division I basketball game in 606 days.

They took a group photo.

Despite a lack of energy, Aldrige mustered a smile. The action-packed day was almost over.

She couldn’t relish in the victory for too long, though.

Her 6:05 alarm was going to go off again in a few short hours.

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE Friday, November 10, 2017 B7

Sweet 16: Excitement surrounds ranked Tigers

By Nick Kelly Columbia Daily Tribune

There’s been no lack of hype paid to one Missouri basketball team with a player named Porter, but the other Tigers basketball team with a Porter could have a better year.

The Missouri women’s basketball team is ranked — both the AP and coaches’ polls have the Tigers ranked No. 16 in the preseason.

It’s Missouri’s highest ranking since Nov. 15, 1984.

All but one team ranked in the Oct. 26 coaches poll finished with a better 2016-17 record than the Tigers.

That’s not a fluke; the Tigers return some players who they didn’t have last year. Combine that with a strong group of returners, and Missouri is eyeing a deep postseason run.

“This is a group that’s really hungry, they don’t mind working hard, and they are fun to coach,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. “I am really looking forward to the upcoming season.”

This wasn’t just coach-speak.

Pingeton was giddy as she spoke.

Many coaches would be, too, if they had this lineup. The expected starting five: juniors Sophie Cunningham, Lauren Aldridge and Cierra Porter, senior Jordan Frericks and sophomore Amber Smith.

Cunningham returns to the starting lineup after leading Missouri in total points, points per game, assists per game, free-throw percentage, fieldgoal percentage and total field goals made in 2016-17. Her 17.5 points per game ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference.

Cunningham’s efforts earned her first-team All-SEC honors and AP All-America honorablemention recognition.

The honors have not abated.

The SEC’s coaches and media named Cunningham to the preseason All-SEC first team. She’s also one of 20 candidates on the Cheryl Miller Award watch list, given to the top small forward in women’s NCAA Division I basketball.

So it’s no surprise that Mizzou Arena fell silent when Cunningham went down in the Nov. 2

exhibition game. She went to the locker room and did not play in the second half. She played in the second exhibition game, and Pingeton said she is good to go.

“I would not have played her in that exhibition game if she had any kind of pain in that knee whatsoever,” Pingeton said.

“She would not have practiced the day before and would not have played in that exhibition game. She assured me and our trainers assured me it felt great, and we decided to roll with it.”

Frericks knows a thing or two about dealing with injuries. She missed all of the 2016-17 season with a torn ACL. But she’s back and is expected to play a sizable role.

Frericks, a 6-foot-1 forward, finished 2015-16 on the All-SEC second team after she became the 33rd player in program history to score 1,000 points.

Pingeton said Frericks has needed to adjust to getting her timing back with her teammates.

But in terms of the knee, Pingeton said Frericks has not shown any hesitation.

“I think she’s playing really free and confident,” Pingeton said. “Looks really explosive and did a lot of really good things for us.”

Frericks’ bench-mate from last season will also join her in the starting lineup. Aldridge will start at point guard for the Tigers this season after she sat out a year because of NCAA transfer rules.

During her sophomore season in 2015-16, Aldridge started in all 31 games for Kansas, averaging 11.1 points and 2.4 assists.

“I’m excited for everyone to get to see her play,” Cunningham said. “Can’t wait to play with her myself.”

Cunningham also mentioned Aldridge’s strong passing ability and knack for 3-point shooting.

Aldridge flashed this capability in the first exhibition game against Southwest Baptist as she hit three from beyond the arc.

The Tigers will need this after losing reliable perimeter shooters Lianna Doty, Sierra Michaelis and Lindsay Cunningham to graduation. Lindsay Cunningham finished second all-time in program history in 3-point fieldgoal percentage, shooting 40.6

percent.

“I think Lauren is one of our best 3-point shooters on the team,” Pingeton said after the first exhibition game.

Smith also isn’t shabby from 3-point range. She shot 40 percent during her freshman year.

Smith, a 5-11 guard, averaged 5.9 points in a season in which she was named the SEC co-freshman of the year.

“I think she’ll be a huge factor for us,” Pingeton said. “She’s got great size and strength. Gives us a chance to have a really big lineup out there.”

Rounding out the starting five is Porter, a 6-4 forward. She will start again this season after she started in all 33 games last season. Her 141 free throws in 2016-17 led the SEC. She also led the team in rebounds, rebounds per game and blocked shots.

Redshirt senior Kayla Michael will also likely play significant minutes. A 6-2 forward, Michael looks healthy, redshirt sophomore Hannah Schuchts said.

“I think we all know that just based on practice she deserves to be a starter, but so do the other five,” Schuchts said. “She’s really good at knowing her role and contributing.”

Schuchts will also play a similar role. She played in all 33 games and started two in her first season in 2016-17.

Sophomore guard Jordan Roundtree, a Kirkwood native, could see an expanded role this season after playing only about four minutes per game in 2016-17.

Fellow sophomore guard Jordan Chavis will also compete for time.

Freshman Nadia Green, Elle Brown, Haley Troup, Kelsey Winfrey and Emmanuelle Tahane fill out the rest of the roster.

Bri Porter, a senior, is not expected to play this season after she tore an ACL for the fifth time last year.

The Tigers will kick off their season against Western Kentucky, a 2016-17 NCAA Tournament team, on Friday at the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. Missouri will play its first home game Nov. 16 against Wright State.

2017-18 schedule Nov. 2 Ex.: vs. Southwest Baptist Nov. 6 vs. McKendree (exh.)

Nov. 10 vs. Western Kentucky# Nov. 11 vs. Iowa/Quinnipiac# Nov. 16 vs. Wright State Nov. 19 at Missouri State Nov. 24 vs. Coppin State$ Nov. 25 vs. California/Manhattan$ Nov. 30 vs. Kansas State Dec. 2 vs. New Orleans Dec. 8 vs. Saint Louis Dec. 10 vs. SIUE Dec. 17 vs. Indiana% Dec. 18 vs. Xavier% Dec. 22 vs. Illinois Dec. 31 at Alabama Jan. 4 vs. LSU Jan. 7 vs. South Carolina Jan. 11 at Vanderbilt Jan. 18 at Ole Miss Jan. 21 vs. Arkansas Jan. 25 at Georgia Jan. 28 at South Carolina Feb. 1 vs. Mississippi State Feb. 5 vs. Florida Feb. 8 vs. Kentucky Feb. 11 at Arkansas Feb. 15 at Auburn Feb. 18 vs. Tennessee Feb. 22 vs. Vanderbilt Feb. 25 at Texas A&M Feb. 28-March 4 SEC Tournament #—Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa $—Cal Classic in Berkeley, Calif %—West Palm Invitational in West Palm Beach, Fla.

W, 77-55 W, 80-30 2:30 p.m.

TBD 7 p.m.

2 p.m.

6 p.m.

TBD 8 p.m.

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

4 p.m.

12 p.m.

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

5 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

8 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

TBA 7 p.m.

3 p.m.

TBD

MISSOURI ROSTER No. 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 12 13 20 21 22 23 24 34

Name Haley Troup Kelsey Winfrey Jordan Roundtree Sophie Cunningham Bri Porter Lauren Aldridge Nadia Green Elle Brown Hannah Schuchts Kayla Michael Cierra Porter Jordan Frericks Amber Smith Jordan Chavis Emmanuelle Tahane

Ht. 5-10 5-9 5-9 6-1 6-3 5-7 5-10 5-11 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-1 5-11 5-7 6-1

Pos. G G G G F G G G F F F F G G F

Cl. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. So. Fr.

2016-17 STATISTICS Fg-Fga S. Cunningham 177-367 Porter 143-305 Michaelis 156-374 L. Cunningham 77-179 Smith 79-174 Doty 41-95 Chavis 36-114 Schuchts 25-60 McDowell 6-32 Roundtree 6-22 Team Total 746-1722 Opponents 718-1897

Avg .482 .469 .417 .430 .454 .432 .316 .417 .188 .273

3pt-A 47-124 8-23 69-214 44-109 16-40 19-44 28-87 1-7 1-11 1-8

Avg .379 .348 .322 .404 .400 .432 .322 .143 .091 .125

Ft-Fta 140-165 141-174 37-45 55-67 21-27 29-43 15-20 13-16 16-10 6-10

Avg .848 .810 .822 .821 .778 .674 .750 .813 .600 .600

.433 .378

234-667 218-643

.351 .339

463-577 411-590

.802 .697

Reb 164 266 165 143 92 92 47 57 46 22 116 1210 1054

Avg 5.3 8.1 5.0 4.3 2.8 2.8 1.4 1.7 2.1 0.8

Pts 541 435 418 253 195 130 115 64 19 19

Avg 17.5 13.2 12.7 7.7 5.9 3.9 3.5 1.9 0.9 0.7

36.7 31.9

2189 2065

66.3 62.6

One of the best Missouri guard Sophie Cunningham (3) scored 17.5 points per game, fourth best in the Southeastern Conference, last season on her way to first-team All-SEC and honorablemention All-American nods.

Cunningham has 989 points through two seasons, the second most by any Tiger sophomore in program history.

[TIMOTHY TAI/ TRIBUNE]

TRIBUNE SPORTS. STATS, ANALYSIS AND OPINIONS. Sports news you won’t get anywhere else.

In print, online and in the Tribune’s Mizzou Sports podcast. p columbiatribune.com/sports @mattjnestor @cj_teague @daniel_m_jones @_NickKelly 69555

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Friday, November 10, 2017

www.columbiatribune.com COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE

Consistency key for Columbia Program's winning tradition important for seniors to maintain

2017-18 schedule

By Briar Napier Special to the Tribune

How do you leave a powerhouse men’s basketball program like Columbia College’s in better shape than when you entered it?

That’s the million-dollar question for senior Nic Reynolds and the seventh-ranked Cougars this season.

Since the guard from Peoria, Ill., joined the ranks in 201415, the Cougars have posted a combined record of 84-19 with a 55-11 record in American Midwest Conference play and three successive NAIA Tournament appearances.

So, what in the world is there left to prove?

“I am here to make my mark as a senior and to help carry on Columbia’s tradition of winning,” said Reynolds, who led the Cougars with 14 points per game last year.

“That’s the most important thing. … All the other statistics don’t matter. It’s all about playing hard, playing the right way. … All the other good things come with that.”

It’s instilling that winning mentality that has worked time and time again for legendary Cougars coach Bob Burchard, who is entering his 30th season at the helm. He’s won 13 AMC titles, and Columbia is widely considered to be the favorite this year.

“It’s always positive when you have seniors that have been in this program for a while,” Burchard said, referring to the five players entering their final year with the Cougars. “It’s a calming feeling to understand that our players are experienced and confident. … We’re marching towards a great year, I think.”

Two seniors will especially make things go for Columbia.

Reynolds and guard Jackson Dubinski, the team’s leading scorers last season, will lead the charge for an undersized squad that will rely heavily on

Columbia senior guard Nic Reynolds (left) discusses a play with senior forward Lucky Ogbomo during a practice at the Southwell Complex.

The Cougars, who have five seniors, begin American Midwest Conference play Thursday against St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

[BRIAR NAPIER PHOTOS/SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE]

guard play.

Perhaps a new scoring threat emerging for Columbia, however, is Preston Whitfield, a junior guard from St. Louis.

In wins last weekend against Olivet Nazarene and CulverStockton at the Cougars vs.

Cancer Tip-Off Classic, Whitfield posted 22 points in both to lead the team.

Burchard has no shortage of talent to turn to along the perimeter.

“Our primary ball-handlers being mature are always helpful,” Burchard said. “The college game seems to be ruled by guards anyway. It’s reassuring that we have the experience at those positions with it being so important.”

Where Columbia will get its post presence is a question mark. Senior forwards Nathan Biggs and Lucky Ogbomo will have to fill the voids left by Malik Ray and Jesse Brown, who last year were Columbia’s firstand third-leading rebounders, respectively.

Biggs should be comfortable, being an every-game starter in 2016-17 and the second-leading

rebounder, but Ogbomo — a lanky, athletic 6-foot-7 forward who played off the bench last year — will need to prove his worth.

“Even though we have returning guards, we just aren’t as big as we’ve been in recent years,” Burchard said. “We’re going to combat that all year. … We have to do better defensively around the perimeter because of that.”

The players have a different viewpoint on what can be improved on a very talented squad, and unlike a lack of height, it is a factor that the players can control: consistency.

Perhaps the Cougars still have a sour taste in their mouths after a fiery start but sub-par finish to 2016-17. Columbia began the year 20-1, ranking as high as third in the country, before sputtering to lose three of their final four games, including a first-round loss in the AMC Tournament. Though still qualifying for the national tournament, they met a secondround exit to the University of Pikesville.

Nov 3 vs. Olivet Nazarene# W, 81-59 Nov 4 vs. Culver-Stockton# W, 104-71 Nov 8 vs. Westminster College W, 86-52 Nov 10 vs. Central Christian College of the Bible 7 p.m.

Nov 16 vs. St. Louis College of Pharmacy 7:30 p.m.

Nov 21 vs. Missouri Valley 7 p.m.

Nov 24 vs. Culver-Stockton$ 7:30 p.m.

Nov 25 vs. Peru State$ 3 p.m.

Nov 30 vs. Lindenwood-Belleville 7:30 p.m.

Dec 2 at William Woods 3 p.m.

Dec 7 vs. Avila 7:30 p.m.

Dec 14 at Freed-Hardeman 7:30 p.m.

Dec 16 at Williams Baptist 3 p.m.

Dec 28 vs. Hannibal-Lagrange 7:30 p.m.

Dec 30 at Harris-Stowe State 3 p.m.

Jan 2 at Park University 7:30 p.m.

Jan 4 vs. Lyon College 7:30 p.m.

Jan 6 vs. Central Baptist 3 p.m.

Jan 13 at Missouri Baptist 3 p.m.

Jan 18 at St. Louis College of Pharmacy 7:30 p.m.

Jan 25 at Lindenwood-Belleville 7:30 p.m.

Jan 27 vs. William Woods 3 p.m.

Feb 1 vs. Freed-Hardeman 7:30 p.m.

Feb 3 vs. Williams Baptist 3 p.m.

Feb 8 at Hannibal-Lagrange 7:30 p.m.

Feb 10 vs. Harris-Stowe State 3 p.m.

Feb 13 vs. Park University 7:30 p.m.

Feb 15 at Lyon College 7:30 p.m.

Feb 17 at Central Baptist 3 p.m.

Feb 24 vs. Missouri Baptist 3 p.m.

Feb 28-March 5 Amc Tournament TBD #—Cougars Vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic Presented By Cost Cutter $—2017 Thanksgiving Classic Presented By Hampton Inn

Columbia senior forward Hank Mathews (12) shields the ball away from senior guard Jackson Dubinski. Dubinski was second on the team with 11.7 points per game and led the team with 123 assists last season.

With Reynolds being one of the Cougars’ unquestioned leaders, he believes he has a duty on his shoulders to get the team ready to play for every single game in his final season.

“For our group, the biggest thing” to improve upon “is our consistency,” Reynolds said.

“We’ve got to play hard every night, making up for guys that we lost … trying to fill those holes and keep on winning.”

AMC play begins for the Cougars Thursday, as they host St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the Southwell Complex. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Possail goes in full-speed ahead Former assistant charged with taking Cougars to the next step

2017-18 schedule

By Briar Napier Special to the Tribune

Complacency is not a word in Taylor Possail’s vocabulary.

Possail, the first-year coach of the Columbia College women’s basketball team, is not your normal rookie mentor. He exerts a type of confidence and maturity rarely seen with younger coaches in today’s game.

An assistant for three seasons under former coach Jessica Keller, who left to take an assistant position at Illinois State, he’s seen first-hand the formation of a dangerous program.

His final two seasons as an assistant saw Columbia make back-to-back NAIA Tournament appearances, despite injuries affecting key players on the roster. To top it all off, last year, Possail was rewarded for his work by earning the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year Award.

Possail is now thrust as the man to help the program take the next step forward, and he does not plan on stopping the momentum.

“We have expectations on a national stage, and we talk about it every day,” Possail said. “We want people to know that when you play Columbia, that’s going to be a tough matchup. We want people to know that Columbia is elite. … We’re establishing a national presence.”

Possail’s goal to get to the top is off to a strong start. The Cougars were ranked 16th in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 poll, third in the American Midwest Conference

Columbia College coach Taylor Possail huddles with his team after a practice last week at the Southwell Complex. Possail, who was an assistant under former coach Jessica Keller, said he discusses national expectations with the Cougars. [BRIAR NAPIER/SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE]

behind third-ranked FreedHardeman and 14th-ranked Lyon College.

A hallmark of Possail’s coaching philosophy is his desire to go fast and outrun his team’s opponents down the floor. He had success implementing it at a previous stop coaching at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School in Janesville, Minn., setting school records for points per game and single-game points scored.

Last season’s team average of 74.2 points per game under Keller — which ranked 19th in NAIA — has been surpassed in the Cougars’ first two games this year: an 89-59 win over Mount Mercy and a 79-69 victory against Culver-Stockton.

“There’s a lot of things that we did keep” from last year … but “in my nature, I am a little bit faster-paced,” Possail said. “The biggest change we’ve had so far is upping our tempo. We’re trying to run up and down the floor, and controlling the flow of the game is what we are really focusing on right now.”

Team leaders from a year ago are happy with what they

are seeing from Possail. He inherits a deep squad that is quickly gaining experience: Columbia returns its top six leading scorers from a season ago, none of whom is older than a junior.

Perhaps the most intriguing player on the roster is sophomore guard Jordan Alford, who started 14 games last season and averaged a teamhigh 14.5 points before seeing her year come to close with an injury, missing out on the Cougars’ run to the national tournament.

If both Alford and the rest of the Cougars can avoid the injury bug, a big year could be on the horizon.

“We’re a completely different team with the new coaching,” Alford said. “I’m really excited to get going. …

We’re still a young team, but we’ve developed well since last year. … We know when to get serious and crack down.”

When asked about practice mentality under Possail, which had had moments when the team was focused and moments when the players were joking around, Alford believes that it makes both

Nov 3 vs. Mount Mercy# W, 89-59 Nov 4 vs. Culver-Stockton# W, 79-69 Nov 14 at Baker University 7 p.m.

Nov 16 vs. St. Louis College Of Pharmacy 5:30 p.m.

Nov 18 at Stephens College 1 p.m.

Nov 24 vs. Shawnee State$ 2 p.m.

Nov 25 vs. Vangaurd$ Noon Nov 3 vs. Lindenwood-Belleville 5:30 p.m.

Dec 2 at William Woods 1 p.m.

Dec 7 vs.College Of The Ozarks 5:30 p.m.

Dec 14 at Freed-Hardeman 5:30 p.m.

Dec 16 at Williams Baptist 1 p.m.

Dec 28 vs. Hannibal-Lagrange 5:30 p.m.

Dec 30 at Harris-Stowe State 1 p.m.

Jan 2 at Park University 5:30 p.m.

Jan 4 vs. Lyon College 5:30 p.m.

Jan 6 vs. Central Baptist 1 p.m.

Jan 13 at Missouri Baptist 1 p.m.

Jan 18 at St. Louis College Of Pharmacy 5:30 p.m.

Jan 20 vs. Stephens College 1 p.m.

Jan 25 at Lindenwood-Belleville 5:30 p.m.

Jan 27 vs. William Woods 1 p.m.

Feb 1 vs. Freed-Hardeman 5:30 p.m.

Feb 3 vs. Williams Baptist 1 p.m.

Feb 8 at Hannibal-Lagrange 5:30 p.m.

Feb 10 vs. Harris-Stowe State 1 p.m.

Feb 13 vs. Park University 5:30 p.m.

Feb 15 at Lyon College 5:30 p.m.

Feb 17 at Central Baptist 1 p.m.

Feb 24 vs. Missouri Baptist 1 p.m.

Mar 1-6 AMC Tournament TBA #—Cougars Vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic Presented By Cost Cutter $—Jackson Rotary Invitational in Jackson, Tenn.

her and the team enjoy getting better in practice each day.

“It’s been a big change from last year. … Last year wasn’t terrible, but since this year is more of a fun atmosphere, we enjoy it a lot more,” Alford said. “We want to work harder and get competitive with each other, but we also know the differences between fun and serious time.”

Possail knows that he has plenty of talent on hand offensively, but defensive tactics need a little more fine-tuning.

He sounded confident that issues guarding the ball can be fixed, but that it would take

some time to get to the levels that he wanted.

“We still have a little ways to go defensively,” Possail said. “We’re getting there.

I really like where we are at offensively … but we need to do a better job of closing gaps defensively. It’s not a lack of want or a lack of effort. … And once we get into the season and get into the scouting reports, we will begin to pick defense up a little bit better.”

Columbia begins AMC play Thursday when it hosts St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the Southwell Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.