Senior forward Russell Woods’ performance this season has been a pleasant surprise amid Missouri basketball’s struggles.
Woods, a 6-foot-8 junior-college transfer from John A. Logan College in Illinois, averaged 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds as a junior in his first season with the Tigers.
He’s increased his on-court production to 8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, emerging as a leader for third-year coach Kim Anderson’s squad.
“I feel like I’ve made a big jump from my junior season,” Woods said.
Anderson said Woods has improved his defense dramatically during the season and overall has “maybe made more progress than anybody.