The committee gave the Tigers a favorable placement since Mizzou earned their place in the dance despite their sluggish season finale and their quarterfinal loss in the SEC Tournament (against the eventual SEC champions, the Florida Gators).
When it was revealed on Selection Sunday that MU would get a No. 6 seed in the Western Region of the tournament, it cemented their stellar season. The prize is a first-round meeting with the 11-seed Drake Bulldogs, the Arch Madness champions. Kansas and Arkansas are the sleepers in this area, while Texas Tech and St. John’s are the heavyweights.
Breaking: The departure of two key players marks the beginning of a major new chapter for the Tigers in Missouri.
As it happens, the Florida Gators, who the Tigers are now 1-1 against this season, are the No. 1 seed in the bracket. If both teams manage to get into a battle in the Elite 8, it’s obvious that Gates and the rest of the squad have considered this contest.
With the addition of Oklahoma and Arkansas, in addition to Mizzou and the Gators, four SEC teams will begin in this bracket segment, which is the most of any league on that side.
Fourteen SEC Conference teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament, demonstrating the conference’s strong performance. This shattered the Big 12’s record of 11 teams from the 2011–12 season. The Tigers finished 30-4 that season and were comfortably one of the 11 teams who qualified. They were defeated in the opening round even though they were given a No. 2 seed.
For head coach Dennis Gates and his Missouri Tigers, getting into the postseason was the ultimate aim throughout the season. The 2023–24 season’s setback made that appear like a tall aim for his roster.
Gates’ coaching and personnel changes became one of the season’s finest tales, making the comeback one of the most intriguing stories in college basketball this year.
by Norfolk State.
Leave a Reply