Columbia, Mo. ? It’s billed as Senior Day at Missouri.

But in actuality, today is “Clarence Gilbert Day” at Hearnes Center with MU’s sweet-shooting point guard the only Tiger officially in his final season at MU.

Of course, junior Kareem Rush, who is expected to bolt for the NBA after this season, may also be playing his final home game at MU today.

Tipoff for the Kansas-Missouri battle is 1:05 p.m. with a live telecast on CBS.

“It’s something special being the only senior,” said Gilbert. “This has been the best time of my life, great, unbelievable.”

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native is the second-leading three-point shooter in Big 12 history. His 307 three-pointers rank behind KU senior Jeff Boschee’s 313.

Gilbert could have been joined by three others in senior ceremonies today. High school teammate Keyon Dooling left for the NBA after his sophomore season, and Missouri natives Pat Schumacher and Matt Rowan transferred.

Gilbert said a perfect ending would be a home victory over KU.

“It would be special,” he said, “because of the rivalry and all the talk, but especially because of the beating we took in Lawrence.”

Gilbert scored 19 points in MU’s 105-73 loss to the Jayhawks on Jan. 28 at Allen Fieldhouse.

“There are two guys in the league and they both happen to be on their team that I think can score more points against a good defender than anybody I’ve ever seen, or for sure anybody in the league right now, and that’s Clarence and Kareem,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “We will emotionally get the best shot he can give us.”

Gilbert hit a Big 12 record 12 threes and scored 40 points in a 96-83 win over Colorado on Feb. 23 in Boulder.

The eighth-leading scorer in MU history with 1,547 points, Gilbert today is expected to be guarded by Boschee with Kirk Hinrich again on Rush. Hounded by Hinrich in Lawrence, Rush scored 13 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Gilbert hit five of nine threes en route to his 19 points.

“The thing about guarding Clarence is you cannot let him get hot early and you can’t let him get the open looks,” KU point guard Aaron Miles said.

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Chasing perfection: KU is trying to become the first team in school history to go unbeaten in league play since the 1970-71 Jayhawks.

“They’ll be up for us, and it’s set up perfect for them,” junior Drew Gooden said. “They don’t want us to go undefeated. They’re trying to get to the (NCAA) tournament, or at least they’re a bubble team. They’re going to be motivated. They know if they can get a win against us, the committee would have to look at that for the tournament.

“What would it mean to beat them? It would mean we go undefeated and have the perfect conference season. That would be a big accomplishment.”

Of the 20-9 Tigers, Gooden said: “I think those are the most dangerous teams, teams that have up-and-down seasons because they could strike at any time.”

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Carey’s dad a Tiger: KU senior Jeff Carey’s dad, Ray, is a former MU great. “He’s a huge (Mizzou) fan except for two times out of the year,” Carey said. “He’s got to cheer for his alma mater other than those two days.”

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Snyder on KU’s fast break: “That’s one of those things like (USC football’s) ‘Student body right,”’ MU coach Quin told the Columbia Tribune. “You know what they’re going do, but stopping it is a whole other story. Obviously, you have to have unbelievable energy getting back. Our margin for error is very, very small. We’ve got to walk a very thin line.”

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MU success story: Five of the last six times the Jayhawks have been ranked in the top five and played at Missouri, they’ve lost. That includes the 1997 game when KU was No. 1 and lost in double overtime.

“It’s always a great game, no matter who goes in and is supposed to win,” Snyder said.

Missouri handed Kansas its lone conference loss in both ’97 and ’98.

“I think Missouri’s been pretty doggone good those years as well,” Williams said. “It’s a huge rivalry and they get more fired up to play us than they do anybody else. It would be hard to figure out how it could get any bigger.”