Missouri Basketball

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Mike Anderson

It goes by many names, Run-and-Execute, 40 Minutes of Hell, The Show... etc, but as Tiger fans and Big 12 followers soon witnessed, Mike Anderson's first season at Mizzou became more about the team's rapid success, not just his innovative style of play.

In fact, Tiger fans soon found out that their new head coach was a man that got results... and got them quickly. Shortly after his hiring on March 26, 2006, Anderson began the arduous task of restoring Mizzou's basketball tradition and that restoration process began with reconnecting.

Anderson first reconnected with coaches from around the Show Me State. Days after his hiring, Anderson met with the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association in Indianapolis, Ind., to give a more detailed look at his coaching philosophy, his dedication to his student-athletes and how he makes his family-oriented approach to the game of basketball so successful... Anderson's efforts with the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association got results. The first-year Tiger sideline boss was soon invited to basketball clinics from around the region and Missouri Basketball Camp numbers remained strong despite his staff's late arrival.

Next, Anderson reconnected with the fans. Making better than 120 public appearances in his first year alone, Anderson met with the Tiger Nation anywhere and everywhere. From appearances at the state capital in Jefferson City, to late-night encounters with fans at the local Walmart. Like his swarming defenses, Anderson seemed to be everywhere... and similar to reaction of the high school coaching community, the Mizzou faithful responded. Mizzou Arena enjoyed a record three sellouts in 2006-07, including three consecutive games against Texas Tech, Nebraska and Kansas.

Anderson then turned his focus to recruiting. Hired just weeks before the start of the late signing period, the Missouri staff was seen from coast-to-coast, evaluating talent and searching for the right pieces to fit Mizzou's new brand of hardwood hysteria. That recruiting prowess paid immediate dividends, confirming once again, the man gets results. Anderson added the Big 12 Conference's unanimous Newcomer of the Year, Stefhon Hannah, rugged forward Darryl Butterfield, defensive stalwart J.T. Tiller and Vanderbilt transfer DeMarre Carroll. Anderson's recruiting prowess didn't stop there. He retained the commitment of junior college forward Vaidotas Volkus and reassured talented guard Keon Lawrence that Columbia, Mo., was where he wanted to be.

Anderson next cultivated the talent within the program. No Big 12 team saw greater scoring increases than Anderson's bunch. After averaging 1.5 points as a freshman, Matt Lawrence enjoyed a remarkable renaissance as a sophomore, averaging 11.2 points per game, while making 30 starts. Kalen Grimes and Leo Lyons enjoyed similar success as well. Last season the pair averaged a combined 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds, but saw that average jump to 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds.

Finally, Anderson instilled a winning attitude. Practices and drills each had competitive aspects. From scrimmages to shooting drills, Anderson went through the process of teaching his team how to win and similar to his connection with coaches and fans, his recruitment of new Tigers and development of current ones, Anderson's efforts paid off in the end. In just his first season, Missouri set the standard for improvement in the Big 12 Conference in 2006-07. Improving by six games over the previous year's 12-16 mark, Anderson and his staff guided a Mizzou club that returned just 37 percent of its scoring to an 18-12 overall record and an upper-division finish in the Big 12 Conference standings. That startling turnaround earned Anderson national acclaim from Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis, as he named Anderson the Nation's No. 1 Immediate Impact Coach.