Missouri star Kobe Brown to miss Saturday's game vs. Alabama due to ankle injury

A big-time SEC showdown is set to tip off at 5:00 p.m. CT but will not feature one of Missouri‘s best players. Tigers star Kobe Brown will miss Saturday’s game against the Alabama Crimson Tide due to an ankle injury. A huge blow as Missouri looks to pull off a big upset.

“Our student-athlete’s health is our top priority,” head coach Dennis Gates said in a statement. “For Kobe’s long-term future and success, I have elected to rest him tonight and not risk any further injury by allowing his ankle to properly heal.”

Brown is a native of Hunstville, Alabama, making games against the Crimson Tide a little personal. He has had success against his hometown school before and would have had an opportunity to put on another show. Instead, Brown will have to watch from the bench and cheer on his teammates.

Alabama will enter as a decent-sized favorite and this energy will not help Missouri’s case. Head coach Nate Oats currently has his team ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and will be trying to get a first career road win against the Tigers.

Brown has been a monster for Missouri this season, averaging over 15 points per game. He has added 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists as well, helping Gates get off to a better-than-expected start to his Mizzou tenure.

Alabama has been an opponent Brown has played well against in the past too, averaging 12.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Last season, Brown was able to put up a 30-point and 13-rebound double-double, dominating the game from start to finish.

If Missouri is going to be able to pull off any kind of upset, they will have to do so without Brown. The long-term status of the player has not been revealed by Gates either. We could watch a few games without Brown in the lineup.