Note: This story was originally published on ClutchPoints.
Missouri basketball coach Cuonzo Martin saw the SEC preseason media poll.
Yes, the one where the Tigers were slotted 13th in the 14-team league.
Missouri fans aren’t exactly happy about it. As for Martin, like most coaches, he isn’t putting too much stock into an opinion-based preseason projection. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a little surprised by it.
“It doesn’t bother me at all,” Martin said at SEC Media Day in Birmingham on Wednesday. “And even for our players – if that has to fuel you, you’re not a very competitive basketball player. It’s about the work you put in and how hard you prepare yourself in the offseason. Wherever they pick you, it doesn’t matter.”
“I was a little shocked, but it doesn’t bother me and doesn’t stop our approach in what we’re trying to do as a team.”
Martin, who is set for his third season in Columbia, took his answer a step further when asked about why he felt the ranking was too low.
“I think when you have guys that have played major minutes in the SEC and the work they’ve put in and how they finished the season, I was a little shocked,” he said. “And then you’ve got Jeremiah Tilmon who is one of the most talented big guys in the conference.”
Personally, it’s hard to disagree since the Tigers have seven of their top nine scorers back in the mix. Mark Smith is set to return from injury after a hot start in his first season with the program. The sophomore trio of Javon Pickett, Torrence Watson, and Xavier Pinson all saw significant minutes as freshmen. Reed Nikko and Mitchell Smith are two experienced frontcourt players. Martin also adds a dynamic point guard in Evansville transfer Dru Smith and a top 40 recruiting class.
But there’s no question that Tilmon will be the focal point – not only for Missouri, but also for Missouri’s opponents.
The 6-10, 260-pound junior has all the necessary tools to play in the NBA. Martin mentioned that Tilmon has done a tremendous job working on his body in the offseason and that his overall game has really improved.
Tilmon has the size and strength to match up with anyone, and he doesn’t shy away from being physical in the paint.
Of course, sometimes he’s a little too physical. Tilmon’s fouling issues in his first two seasons have been well-documented, and improvement in that area continues to be a focus for Martin and his staff.
“The question everyone asks is how do you keep him out of foul trouble?” Martin said. “There are certain things we do to help in practice to be prepared for game situations. He wants to be a good player. He’s willing to listen, and he spends a lot of time trying to figure out what he needs to do to be successful. He spends a lot of time watching film on his fouls.”
“The biggest key is when adversity hits during the first game or second game – whatever the situation is that takes place – how he responds to that. It’s no so much the actual fouls, it’s what led up the fouls. Those are the biggest things with him.”
If Tilmon makes those adjustments, picking Missouri as the biggest sleeper team in the SEC is a smart move.
But if you look at recent trends, maybe the Tigers and their fans should be embracing their spot. Last season, Ole Miss made the NCAA Tournament after being picked last in the preseason. The year before that, Auburn and Tennessee – who were picked ninth and 13th – shared the SEC regular season title. And don’t forget South Carolina making the Final Four in 2017 after being projected to finish eighth in their own conference.
Like everyone else, Martin has seen the SEC flex its muscles nationally.
So, while Kentucky and Florida seem to be the teams with the best chance of finishing in the top two spots, preseason projections have become nothing more than
“You still have to play the game, and you still have to compete,” Martin said. “Those are just numbers. As a competitive player, you look at that as an opportunity. I don’t want to be around guys who say ‘they pick us this so I don’t want to compete’. If you’re hungry, you’re hungry.
“I think 1-14 is wide open.”
For more SEC and college basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.