As the Missouri basketball season rolls on, with the team sitting at 13-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play, a question lingers on for many fans, that of which being “does Missouri need to evaluate the point guard position?”

In Missouri’s loss against LSU last Saturday, Anthony Robinson had a good old-fashioned stinker. Robinson was 1-4 from the field, with four points and three turnovers. TO Barrett that game played exponentially more, racking up 29 minutes, with 11 points on 3/8 from the field, along with 5 recbounds and 4 assists. Barrett had 5 turnovers as a blemish to the performance, but one thing remained clear. Dennis Gates trusted Barrett down the stretch.

In the next game against Georgia, the numbers began to balance out, but Barrett still maintained a slight edge. Robinson received 26 minutes, Barrett allotted 28. While those are close, the production on the court told a different story. Yet again, Barrett outperformed Robinson. Anthony Robinson struggled to find his footing for the second straight outing, going 1/7 with 4 points yet again. Barrett didn’t necessarily light up the scoreboard, as the sophomore scored 9 but also snagged 6 boards and dished out 3 assists.

I think you’re seeing where I’m going with this. Let me make one thing clear, however. Anthony Robinson is an extremely talented basketball player, and it’s clear that his last two performances aren’t indicative of him as an overall performer. Robinson is a talented guard, and there’s a clear reason why Gates and his staff are complimentary of him. Despite that being true, though, there’s also another truth beginning to arise. TO Barrett is starting to find a rhythm and learning how to play SEC ball.

So, the question arises. Does Mizzou need to shuffle its lineup and switch Barrett and Robinson in the starting lineup? The evidence seems to show yes, but is it truly that simple? On one hand, you have a talented guard, that clearly is a better offensive player than the other, clearly talking about Robinson here. But, on the other hand, you have a guard that is seemingly more consistent, a great defender, and will rebound well each time he’s on the court. It’s a tough place to be in.

Here’s the thing. With Mizzou sitting at 3-3 in conference play, it doesn’t have all day to figure this out. Currently, the Mizzou starting lineup is a negative in the plus and minus department, and Mizzou needs to start and keep winning if it wants to make the NCAA tournament. Had this conversation come up after the Illinois game, I honestly would have said: “Who in the world even cares?” However, all of that was completely disposed of after Missouri beat Florida at home, then went on the road to Rupp Arena and stole a victory. Sure, this team is quite frankly not a title contender, but the tournament is still within grasp.

TO Barrett was entrusted with the ball in the final seconds of the game against Georgia, not Anthony Robinson. Sure, that may not be any indication of the state of the position, but who knows? One thing is for sure. The point guard position for the Tigers is severely lacking, and if the team wants to find its way into the big dance, it better start digging for an answer soon.