COLUMBIA - There's no time for rest.
But this might be the best chance for several key players to get some.
The Missouri Tigers (4-0) host the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Jaguars (1-4) at 7 p.m. today (Fox Sports Midwest-TV) at Mizzou Arena, just two days after the Tigers pulled away late for a 72-63 victory against Gardner-Webb.
"We have a few players that have heavy minutes on them, so we're monitoring that," Missouri interim head coach Tim Fuller said. "But then we have some guys we're going to need that didn't play heavy minutes. We're going to get the work in necessary and have a balanced attack and have our full unit of 10, 11 guys ready to go."
Four Tigers played at least 32 minutes against the Runnin' Bulldogs, including Earnest Ross (32), Jordan Clarkson (33), Johnathan Williams III (33) and Jabari Brown (37).
The only bench player to see double-digit minutes was Wes Clark with 11.
It certainly looks like a strong possibility to change today, assuming the Tigers can coast past the struggling Jaguars, a team from the Summit League that's yet to pick up a win against an NCAA Division I opponent.
IUPUI's only victory of the season was an 88-53 win against Indiana University Northwest, a school that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Today's contest will be Missouri's second opening-round tilt of the Las Vegas Invitational, with the Gardner-Webb game being the first. The actual tournament begins Thanksgiving Day at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, as Missouri takes on Northwestern before facing Nevada the following day.
Ian Chiles leads three Jaguars who average double figures with 19.2 points per game. He knocks down 36 percent of his 3-pointers and grabs 4.6 rebounds.
Mitch Patton adds 16.8 points and pulls down 7.3 rebounds and Najee Khufu chips in 13 points. Marcellus Barksdale plays the role of distributor, dishing out more than four assists per game while harnessing a team-best 7.4 rebounds.
Brown and Clarkson are duking it out for the scoring lead for the Tigers with 18 points per game, while Ross contributes 13 points. Williams leads the way with nine rebounds per contest, helped by his 17-rebound performance Saturday against Gardner-Webb.
"He has a great second jump and he has a great nose for the ball," Fuller said of Williams. "He has very long arms, but he has a great second jump. He gets off the floor very quickly."
Added Brown: "He plays hard and with really good motivation."
Those numbers might go down today. But that's because the starters are on the bench resting, with the reserves carrying the Tigers to a potential victory.
IUPUI's four losses have come against Utah Valley State (74-66), Evansville (84-78), Southeast Missouri State (76-68) and Northwestern (63-61).