The Missouri Caleb Grill has a 3-point range from the mid-court logo

As a Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinsky was asked for Missouri Shooting Guard Caleb grill Before training on Tuesday afternoon, his thoughts went to the Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteeville, Arkansas for 30 years.

There is the guard Al Dillard Was famous, not only for his 3-point shot, but also for its 3-point range.

“From the pig’s nose,” said Polinsky.

Dillard had from the nose of the pork on the razorback logo in the middle of the middle of the basketball palace of mid-America “or on the other side of the pig of the pig.

“This is what you see (with grill),” said Polinsky.

Up next: No. 4 Tennessee against No. 15 Missouri

That is what Tennessee No. 4 (18-4, 5-4 seconds) on Wednesday (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Sec Network) in the Food City Center against Grill and No. 15 Missouri (17-4, 6-2) viewed.

Grill shoots 49.0% with only 100 3-point attempts through 16 games, almost 13% higher than in none of his last five seasons of college basketball. Only UC Santa Barbara’s Cole Anderson has shot better for three this season and leads the country at 108 attempts with 53.7%.

And a number of grill dire is closer to the mid-court logo than the 3-point line.

“Behind the bow?” Polinsky asked when grills was expelled on Tuesday. “You mean almost half a place? This is a real problem. “

Grill is an average of 13.2 points per game and shoots 53.1% from the field, two more career highs. In 2022-23 he scored an average of 9.5 points per game in the state of Iowa and scored 39.3% of the field and 38.6% compared to three, his former career best.

“He has a large reach,” said Polinsky. “I think the most impressive is his ability to compensate for on his shot – Shot prep, quick publication. He is just a very hard cover because you can play really good defense and your offense could be better. “

Grill started his career in Iowa in 2019-20, switched to UNLV for one season, returned to two more seasons in the state of Iowa and is now in Missouri in his second season.

He made eleven threes in his last two games and made six in the state of Mississippi on Saturday, including one from the mid -court logo and five against Ole Miss on January 25th.

Grill made eight 3 points against Eastern Washington in November, had seven more games against Pacific and had six games in Florida three weeks ago.

“It’s impressive,” said Polinsky. “I mean when we prepared ourselves in the second game on Florida, I saw this game down there. He was phenomenal. I mean, the shots he made from the movement were NBA-ISH. “

Missouri projected as No. 5 Sowing in the NCAA tournament

Grill’s career season has reflected Missouris Turnaround. When Tennessee won 72-67 in Missouri last February, it was Mizzous 13th defeat in a row. In the last 23 games in one season, the tigers in the SEC play and 22 defeats freely win over a 0: 18 record and 22 defeats.

Now Missouri, led by guard Tamar Bates (13.5 points per game), grill and forward Mark Mitchell (12.8 points per game) is projected as a NCAA tournament No. 5 in the ESPN Bracketology, which is classified in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 21 in 15th place. Mizzou is also third in the SEC classification in half the conference game.

“Last year there was a brutal year for her,” said Polinsky. “Many injuries etc. They play great basketball. I think in January they were the country’s top offensive team.

“Your defense was always good and chaotic in an organized manner, so you are a very difficult matchup. But they are really improved. It is a really good basketball team. “