Off days from a couple of key cogs sapped some effectiveness from Missouri’s more reliable combinations — but not enough to keep the Tigers from protecting their home floor.

MU endured a humbling visit to the Plains, where the SEC favorite dispassionately dismantled any group of Tigers on the floor.

While the Tigers earned a comfortable win, their outing against Alabama State showed that depth doesn’t always produce lineups with pop.

The Tigers mostly executed a sound scout. They got production from headliners. But boring as it sounds, this edition of Braggin’ Rights hinged on shot selection and individual brilliance late.

The Tigers’ offense hummed, but it took a lineup capable of carrying out the tedious work of rebounding to push MU past a feisty mid-major.

Scoring a marquee upset against the top-ranked Jayhawks meant the Tigers stripped their rotation down and leaned on top options. 

Assessing lineups from the comeback from 18 points boils down to whether a Tiger was on the floor when MU dug its hole or when it clambered out.

A few stellar outings and a dozen minutes of competence helped the Tigers overcome a mostly flat performance and enjoy a comfortable 20-point win.

Once they went small, the Tigers got traction in a romp Sunday over UAPB. So, why not start that way with a few buy games left?