COLUMBIA - Willie Jackson rated the intensity of Missouri men's basketball practices as a 10 out of 10.
The team decided to come up with a "no layup, no dunk rule." If a player wants to make either of those, they have to earn it.
"It's for you to be mentally prepared to get up, it's basically just a toughness thing," Jackson said of the mentality. "It's playing tougher and knowing at the end of the day that's your teammate but he's making you better."
The exercise started about three weeks ago. The Tigers don't try to hard foul each other just so teammates will miss, but instead to prepare each other for when other teams hard foul them.
Practices have gotten physical for Missouri. Maybe almost too physical.
Last season, no one on the roster wore mouth guards in practice. Four do this season.
"There's a lot of physicality, high energy, very high tempo," sophomore forward Kevin Puryear said, "competition level is great every single day."
Coach Kim Anderson invited Southeastern Conference officials to referee some of the team's scrimmages. Anderson estimated his team has committed about 70 fouls and shot 57 or 58 free throws in the team's 16 practices.
"I think it will take some adjustment," Anderson said Tuesday, "but having those guys come in and call the game it was really, really good for us."
That effort in practice consistently carrying onto the court is one main goal Anderson has for his team. Who will be starting on the floor, though, is still undecided.
If Anderson had to guess he would say his starting five right now would consist of returning players, such as Puryear, guards Terrence Phillips and Cullen Van Leer. Yet he did not rule out freshmen such as Jackson or Frankie Hughes.
Jackson's rebounding instincts has brought "a new dimension to our rebounding" Anderson said. Hughes, who was high school teammates with Jackson at Garfield Heights in Cleveland, has seen him carry that mentality all his life.
"Ever since we were growing up Willie has been one of the aggressive-types," Hughes said. "I believe he uses that to the best of his ability in the game.
"If he sees a shot go up, he's not going to complain about 'oh they're not passing me the ball,' because he understands what he's capable of and every day in practice he goes and grabs multiple rebounds in one possession, three or four in one possession, that's kind of rare for a freshman. Like his ability is God-given."
Puryear has watched Jackson's footwork never stop moving as an offensive rebounder, and started to do the same. Anderson and other coaches have noticed the change.
Size is still a concern for Anderson, though still thinks the 6-foot-4 Jackson can do well on the boards. Outside shooting is another area Anderson is unsure about.
"Some days I think we're really good, and then some days I'm concerned," Anderson said. "But I think Cullen Van Leer has shot the ball really well. From this summer on he's shot the ball really well. Frankie Hughes can really shoot the ball, has been a little bit streaky probably but a guy who can elevate and get his shot off against basically just about everybody."
Hughes' shooting ability could make him a go-to outside shooter at guard, though he still is inexperienced. With so much inexperience and youth on Missouri's - plus finishing in last in the SEC with a 3-15 record last season - did lead to the Tigers being picked to finish last at last week's SEC media days in conference again this season.
Anderson said he didn't blame the voters for putting Missouri last and added if he had a vote, he likely would have done the same.
"But that's certainly not where I think where we'll finish," Anderson said. "I think we've got some guys, you know when they saw that it hopefully motivated them to be better. The great thing about being pick in 14th place, or last place, is if you do well, if you do have a good season it's a lot easier for your players to get picked to the all-conference team or if they do really well an All-American team."