Zags’ sights on another Big 12 team

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Short preparation and short recovery.

Gonzaga University must deal with both tonight – along with a young, but immensely talented Missouri men’s basketball team – as the 12th-ranked Bulldogs (10-1) attempt to build on their early-season success in a non-conference matchup against the Tigers (6-5).

Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at Mizzou Arena as the Zags hope to make it two in a row over teams from the perennially tough Big 12 Conference after upsetting No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State 78-75 in Tuesday night’s All-College Classic in Oklahoma City.

Tonight’s game, like the one against OSU, will be nationally televised on ESPN2. The Bulldogs come in as the favorites, having already beaten three Top 25 teams and having clipped Missouri 87-80 in overtime in last year’s inaugural Battle in Seattle in KeyArena.

But Zags coach Mark Few warns that Missouri’s non-conference record might be as deceiving as any in the country – especially in the wake of the recent recruiting work done by Tigers coach Quin Snyder.

“Quin’s done an unbelievable job of recruiting,” Few said. “He’s gotten some top-level, amazing athletes who are starting to figure things out. I think they’re still a little young, but they’re the best of the best.

“The last couple of years in recruiting, he’s gone toe to toe with the Dukes and Carolinas for players, and he’s gotten his share. They’re really athletic and really talented.”

Despite the fact that the Tigers lost three starters from last year’s team – including leading scorers Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding – they boast one of the country’s most productive big men in 6-foot-8, 245-pound sophomore Linas Kleiza, who is averaging a team-leading 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds.

“He’s just a man-child,” Few said of the Lithuania native, who scored 16 points in last year’s loss to the Zags. “And we didn’t deal with him very well at all last year, so I expect quite a battle.”

Gonzaga will once again be at less than full strength up front, because of the lingering ankle problems of senior forward Ronny Turiaf, who played 18 minutes in the win over OSU.

The 6-10 senior co-captain, whose scoring averaging has dropped to 19.1 points per game, practiced sparingly on Wednesday. He was obviously still in pain from the sprain he suffered during a Christmas Day practice.

In addition, the Bulldogs will play in front of a hostile crowd in Missouri’s new $75 million arena, which seats 15,061.

“This will definitely be a road game for us,” Few said, “on their home floor and on their home rims.”

Missouri is 6-2 at home this season, having lost to Davidson (84-81) and Arkansas (62-52), and has not played a true road game.

The Tigers’ other three losses came on neutral courts to Creighton (78-54), Houston (57-55) and top-ranked Illinois (70-64).

They will be hampered again tonight by the absence of backup guard Spencer Laurie, who was declared out for the season earlier this week after it was discovered that the 6-1 backup sophomore guard tore a meniscus in his knee during a recent practice.

Unlike the travel weary Bulldogs, the Tigers come in extremely rested, having not played since their Dec. 22 loss to Illinois.