KU-MU rivalry still ignites excitement

Friday, January 18, 2008

This weekend’s trip to Columbia, Mo., carries no special significance for Brandon Rush.

“This is my third time around,” Rush said. “I’m not really on that rivalry thing no more.”

Maybe Rush is right. Is this rivalry all that special anymore?

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We’re playing really well right now. We don’t want to take any steps back so we have to go down there and take care of business.

-Russell Robinson, senior guard

The Kansas-Missouri rivalry, still a favorite of fans and most players, hasn’t produced as many mesmerizing games and thrilling match ups the last few years. The Tigers are 3-11 against the Jayhawks since 2002, and Kansas has won those 11 games by an average margin of 13.5 points.

Missouri shouldn’t fret too much about that record, though. Kansas has been almost that good against everyone else. From 2002 through last year, the Jayhawks have been to two Final Fours and two Elite Eights. They’ve won five Big 12 regular season titles and two Big 12 Tournament championships.

While Kansas was playing some of its best basketball, Missouri began to flounder under former coach Quin Snyder. He led the team to the Elite Eight in 2002 then returned to the NCAA Tournament only once more before he resigned in 2006. Not only did he fail to reach the postseason, he didn’t beat the Jayhawks. Nine of the 11 Missouri losses in the series since 2002 came with Snyder as coach.

The poor record of the Tigers and Snyder combined with the Jayhawks’ consistent strong play may have made the rivalry less healthy, but they didn’t kill it. Regardless of one team’s power, the thrill of playing each other will never die. Rush may not care as much about rivalries, but most of the other players do. Freshman Tyrel Reed, who’s from Kansas, can’t wait to play Missouri for the first time.

“There’s always been some bad blood between Kansas and Missouri,” he said. “Each year it’s still a big game no matter what. Even if one team is more dominant, I think the rivalry is still there.”

And although Kansas has been doing most of the winning lately, its losses to Missouri have been painful, especially the last one. The Jayhawks lost to the Tigers in Columbia 89-86 in overtime in 2006. Former player Christian Moody missed two free throws at the end of regulation. One point would’ve given Kansas the victory.

Heartbreaking losses like that have provided fuel for the players to be ready to go every time they travel to Columbia. Senior guard Russell Robinson still thinks about the 2006 game.

“That kind of stuff kind of stays in the back of your head,” Robinson said. “We’re playing really well right now. We don’t want to take any steps back so we have to go down there and take care of business.”

Kansas will likely find it harder to do that this season. Forget the 3-11 record of Missouri since 2002, this year’s team is good, albeit inconsistent. The Tigers let the entire conference know they’d be tough when they manhandled Texas at home last Saturday, winning 97-84. Or did they get the Big 12’s attention? Missouri followed up that victory with a setback loss at Iowa State Wednesday night.

The loss didn’t help the Tigers gain any legitimacy, but Kansas coach Bill Self knows Saturday’s game will be a test for his Jayhawks. Coach Mike Anderson’s defense always speeds teams up. Newcomer DeMarre Carroll is having a good season so far, and Self said forward Leo Lyons is making the same type of progress for Missouri that Darnell Jackson is making for the Jayhawks.

Plus, it’s a rivalry. Both teams will be up for the game. Kansas’ dominance and Missouri’s swoon during the past few years may have sucked some of the life out of the rivalry, but it’s still alive, even if one team hasn’t been in the best shape recently.

“We won’t be overconfident going into Columbia,” Self said. “Missouri got everyone’s attention in the league the way that they handled Texas in the second half and dominated the game. That’ll be a great atmosphere. It always is and of course, that’ll be a big game.”

- Matt Hirschfeld

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