FAYETTEVILLE -- Missouri is still trying to stop the losing streak Arkansas contributed to when the Razorbacks won 61-60 at Mizzou Arena on Jan. 24.
That loss pushed the Tigers' losing streak to five games. Now it's 11 games -- Missouri's worst losing streak in 48 years.
Missouri (7-18, 1-11 SEC) will have to beat No. 18 Arkansas (20-5, 9-3) on Wednesday night at Walton Arena to avoid tying the school record for most consecutive losses. The Tigers had 12-game losing streaks during the 1965-1966 and 1966-1967 seasons.
"It's difficult," Missouri Coach Kim Anderson said. "Probably no one involved with this team has ever lost 11 games in a row. I think our guys all come from successful programs.
"Our biggest problem has been consistency and being able to finish a game. We'd have several games where we've had opportunities to win down the stretch, and we haven't been able to make plays."
Missouri has lost five SEC games by eight or fewer points, including a 77-74 loss to Mississippi State last Saturday.
The Tigers' best chance to break their losing streak came against the Razorbacks, but sophomore guard Wes Clark missed two free throws with 2.9 seconds left and Arkansas holding a one-point lead.
Clark, averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 assists per game, is out for the season with a dislocated elbow he suffered last week in Missouri's 65-60 loss at South Carolina.
Anderson said the Tigers will miss Clark's defense along with his scoring and play-making ability. Clark defended Arkansas guard Michael Qualls the majority of the teams' first game when Qualls shot 3 of 15 from the field, including 0 of 5 on three-point attempts.
"Wes had really emerged as a guy that could guard just about any guard," Anderson said. "Qualls is a little bit bigger, but that didn't seem to bother Wes."
Anderson said Arkansas will need Montaque Gill-Caesar, Namon Wright and Deuce Bello to rotate guarding Qualls, who is averaging 15.3 points per game.
Gill-Caesar and Wright, both freshmen, played off the bench against Mississippi State after each was were suspended for two games for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. They combined for eight points against Mississippi State -- while shooting 3 of 15 -- and had five turnovers.
"It'll take them a while to get back to where they were, but they better hurry," Anderson said after the game. "We don't have a lot of time."
Missouri sophomore forward Johnathan Williams scored a career-high 27 points against Mississippi State, hitting 9 of 15 shots.
"I was really angry," Williams said after the game. "I just came out there and tried to play as hard as I can."
Missouri freshman guard Tramaine Isabell has missed the past five games after being suspended for what Anderson called unacceptable behavior toward his teammates and coaches.
Anderson said Monday he'll wait until closer to Wednesday's game to announce Isabell's status for the Arkansas game.
Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said despite Missouri's issues with suspensions and Clark's injury, the Tigers are a dangerous team.
"It's going to be a team that comes in here with nothing to lose and everything to gain," Mike Anderson said. "When we played at their place, we were fortunate to escape with the win.
"I expect to get their best shot."
Arkansas is 7-1 in its past eight games, but the Razorbacks said they won't overlook Missouri.
"I don't think we'll get complacent at all," senior guard Ky Madden said. "We can't afford to look at anybody's record, because we're not the best team, either.
"We've got to come out and prove ourselves every night as well."
Sophomore guard Manuale Watkins said the Razorbacks remember Missouri won at Arkansas last season.
"This is the SEC and teams are going to come after you every single game," Watkins said. "We're not going to take anybody lightly."
Mike Anderson, Missouri's coach for five seasons in 2007-2011. leading the Tigers to NCAA Tournament appearances his last three seasons, said it's tough to see the program struggling again.
"When you've been a part of a program, hopefully to build it to where we left it in pretty good shape, you want to see that continue to flourish," he said. "To see what you built not necessarily at that level, it can be kind of disheartening."
Mike Anderson said he's confident Kim Anderson -- in his first season as Missouri's coach after Frank Haith bolted for Tulsa -- will have the Tigers winning big again.
"Kim Anderson is going to do a great, great job," Mike Anderson said. "It's just a matter of time. It'll rebound, and rebound in a big way, too."
This season is unlike any experienced by Kim Anderson, a star forward and assistant coach under Norm Stewart when the Tigers often won 20 or more games, including 28 victories during the 1975-1976 and 1993-1994 seasons when the team reached NCAA Tournament regional finals.
Kim Anderson had a 279-94 record the previous 12 seasons as Central Missouri's coach. Last season, the Mules were 30-6 and won the NCAA Division II national championship.
"It's been a tough on me, just because I'm not used to this," Kim Anderson said. "But it is what it is.
"Nobody is more disappointed than me about where we're at, but nobody is more excited than me about where we're going.
"We have a lot of work to do to get this program back to where it has been. The only way to do it is to roll your sleeves up and go to work."
Sports on 02/17/2015