Missouri's Tiller leads the way with defense

COLUMBIA — Missouri's J.T. Tiller is again ready to show that leading a team back to the national stage doesn't have to mean scoring lots of points.

The senior guard from suburban Atlanta leads a Tiger team that finished with a school-record 31 wins last year and advanced to a regional final in the NCAA Tournament. Practice for Division I teams begins today.

Tiller averaged 8.4 points per game but scored a career-high 23 points in a tournament upset win over Memphis. He's the team's top returning scorer and one of 50 players nationwide nominated as a preseason candidate for the John R. Wooden Player of the Year award.

Missouri won't hold a Midnight Madness event this season. The Tigers will instead host the Black and Gold game Friday, Oct. 23.