In Missouri’s last exhibition game, the Tigers went to Bramlage Coliseum and played well, getting a 71-67 win over Kansas State. Granted, Kansas State won’t be great, but seriously, go buy stock in Casey Alexander.

We learned last game that Jason Crowe Jr. is a certified bucket, a good passer, and will be the pipe that this team runs through. We learned that this team’s athleticism and size will grant them the ability to rebound at a high clip, especially on the offensive glass. We also started to see the Leonard Hamilton imprint, with the Tigers starting lineup having three players over the height of 6’10.

So, what can we learn from tonight’s game? After all, it’s just an exhibition, so it’s best not to overreact to anything from last week, or tonight, for that matter. However, there are some trends to be looking out for, as well as some new developments. Let’s break this thing down, shall we?

1. Aaron Rowe, it’s time to step up:

Aaron Rowe played in a limited capacity against Kansas State, seeing the floor sparsely in the first half. After those 4 minutes and 46 seconds, Rowe would not check back in.

Now, Rowe did not play horribly, but he didn’t instill confidence in Gates either. After the game, Dennis Gates said that Rowe looked rusty and that he would look to give him more minutes against UNLV.

I think that this is the team’s biggest weakness/question. When Jason Crowe Jr. is off the court, who steps in to take his place? I think this staff desperately wants it to be Aaron Rowe, but after the last game, it looks like Cord Stansberry is taking his best shot at that.

Aaron Rowe NEEDS to show something this game if he wants viable minutes to start the season. Do I think he will get opportunities in the regular season? Yes, I do. However, if Rowe wants to be that first option as the backup PG, he needs to put it on display in Vegas tonight.

2. Jaylen Carey minutes:

Considering that we didn’t get to see Carey play against Kansas State, I would really love to see him play tonight. Carey won’t wow anyone with his offensive skill set, but he will be a tough, gritty player who is more than serviceable on the glass.

Missouri showed last game that it could be a good rebounding squad, and Carey could be yet another piece to the puzzle to keep that trend going

3. Better 3-point shooting:

Missouri finished 27% from beyond the 3-point line against Kansas State. I think they did a good job about generating the looks that they wanted, but they have to convert those looks tonight.

I think Missouri has a few good shooters, but mostly guys who are capable. I’d like to see guys like Chronister, Davis, and Crowe all get their percentages up tonight.