Iron man Robertson

Missouri senior guard Kassius Robertson — a graduate transfer from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. — is averaging 38.2 minutes in SEC games to lead all players.

That heavy workload would seem to make Robertson a candidate to wear down physically, especially against a team like Arkansas that wants to force a fast tempo, but he’s been holding up well.

Robertson is averaging 17.7 points in SEC play. He scored 26 points at Arkansas and hit 9 of 15 shots — including 6 of 11 three-pointers — when the Razorbacks beat the Tigers 65-63 in Walton Arena on Jan. 13. He also scored 26 points at Kentucky.

Robertson has carried a heavier-than-expected workload for the Tigers because injuries, transfers and the dismissal of Terrence Phillips has reduced their roster to eight scholarship players.

“They’ve had some guys that they’ve lost, and it’s amazing how sometimes when you have subtraction, you have addition,” Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. “Because you have some guys that step up to the plate. Robertson has become a tremendous player for their basketball team.”

Robertson has played

39 or more minutes in nine SEC games, including 44 against Mississippi State and 42 against Ole Miss in overtime games, and all 40 in a regulation game against Tennessee.

“He’s been playing real efficient,” Anderson said. “He’s running the show and he’s scoring for them. That says a lot about him.

“He’s a fifth-year senior, so I’m sure he takes care of himself from the standpoint of knowing he’s going to be out there. But our job is hopefully to make fatigue a factor in this game.”