Mizzou Wins, SLU Doesn't. What Else is New?

By Keegan Hamilton Thu., Feb. 26 2009 at 11:49 AM

Just when Rick Majerus' Billikens beat A-10-leading Dayton and lull you into thinking they might be able to win a game on the road against one of the worst teams in their conference, they go and get trounced by St. Bonaventure, losing 72-55 to the Bonnies last night in New York.

It's one step forward, two steps back for SLU, who played their best basketball of the season over the weekend only to see their two best players, Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell, crap the bed last night.

Quoth Majerus of T-III's defensive performance against junior guard Jonathan Hall, who dropped a cool 31 points, "He kicked Tommie Liddell's butt. He came out, put him in his pocket and took him to school." So much for that 20-win plateau in Majerus' second season.

Mizzou, meanwhile, continues to tear through opponents like a St. Louis family at a free Denny's breakfast.

The Tigers routed Kansas State last night in Columbia 94-74, keeping them tied for the lead in the Big 12. Ranked eighth in the coaches poll and eleventh in the AP, Mizzou is setting itself up for a prime spot in the dance come March. If they can manage to beat Kansas this weekend, they should end up higher than the four-seed Joe Lunardi projected for them in the latest edition of Bracketology.

So what else is new in the world of college hooops? Connecticut's Jim Calhoun is overpaid, Maryland fans prank call Duke's hotel but their team loses anyway, Blake Griffin plugs his ears when the crowd noise gets too loud, and the Washington Huskies are poised to win the Pac-10 for the first time since 1985.