Players huddle around Kim Anderson during a timeout at a recent home game.  (photo/Mizzou Athletics)

Since an earlier four-game win streak which included an 82-80 win over 4th ranked Kentucky at the time, the wheels haven’t completely come off, but another Rick Barnes led team looks shaky down the stretch.

They’ve lost three out of four including the latest, an 83-58 loss to the Wildcats, which Barnes called the Vols’ worse game of the season.

At 6-7 in the SEC with an overall 14-12 record, if Tennessee wants to be considered for the NCAA Tournament, they’re going to have to get hot again right away.

That’s where Missouri steps in.  There will be no postseason for the Tigers, but this is where Kim Anderson’s team can at least start to play spoiler in the final handful of regular season games.

We all agree with the exception of the Florida loss, this team at the very least has been competitive into the second half of many recent games and they’ve played hard all year.

Here’s what I’m looking for today, and you can follow me on Twitter @Missourisports

How will Kim Anderson’s team respond today on the road in Knoxville?  The Tigers are coming off a loss that in my opinion, was a tough loss to swallow.  They held Alabama to just five field goals in their first 29 attempts and still lost, withering away again at the end. Mizzou was 2-for-10 in the final eight minutes.  Anderson burned all if his timeouts and couldn’t set up a play late.  Instead the Tigers settled for an awkward layup/short jump shot by Russell Woods that could have give the Tigers the lead.  The team crumbled late and Anderson’s poor management didn’t help.

How will Missouri handle playing a team that is in desperation mode?  While the Tigers may be playing for Anderson’s future,  Tennessee is playing for an NCAA bid.  They don’t want to lose against a team that hasn’t won on the road in…well I won’t go there.

The Tigers have won only two SEC games this year and are looking to tie last season’s win total when they won only three SEC games last year.  However, one was against Tennessee.