The Mizzou men’s basketball team is set to begin its postseason journey on Thursday, facing either No. 9 seed Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Second Round. The match is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on SEC Network.
Tigers’ Tournament Preparation
Missouri enters the SEC Tournament with an overall record of 20-11. The Tigers concluded the regular season tied for seventh in the SEC standings at 10-8, securing the No. 8 seed for the conference tournament.
Mark Mitchell, an All-SEC honoree, has been a key player for MU during his senior year, leading the team with 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. The Tigers’ offensive capabilities are further demonstrated by the fact that three players score in double figures, with six players tallying at least eight points per game, including Jayden Stone (13.5), Trent Pierce (10.8), Anthony Robinson II (9.1), T.O. Barrett (8.8) and Jacob Crews (8.7).
The Tigers have a scoring offense of 79.9 points, while their scoring defense allows 75.3 points per game.
NCAA Tournament Hopes
As the postseason commences, the Tigers are focused on strengthening their resume for the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers rank No. 39 nationally in Wins Above Bubble this season. Mizzou also has 10 wins against quad one and two schools and zero losses vs. Q3/4.
The Tigers are targeting back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since five-straight invitations from 2009 to 2013.
Health and Performance
Mizzou’s resume is strong, and its metrics rank even higher when fully healthy. Since the return of two starters to the lineup in January, Mizzou has seen its NET ranking rise from No. 94 to No. 60. The Tigers rank No. 36 in efficiency since the start of league play with the return of Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce and No. 28 since Pierce entered the starting lineup on Jan. 31.
SEC Tournament History and Kentucky Series
Mizzou is participating in its 12th SEC Tournament since joining the league in 2012-13, holding an 8-11 record in its first 11 attempts. Under head coach Dennis Gates, the Tigers have a 2-3 record, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in 2023 with a first-round appearance in 2024 and a quarterfinal finish last season.
- Mizzou has a 4-4 all-time record in the second round of the SEC Tournament and has advanced to the quarterfinals five times previously.
- MU has a 7-2 record as the higher-seeded team, including a 4-1 record in the second round.
- Mizzou is 0-1 against LSU at the SEC Tournament, while never having played Kentucky.
Kentucky leads the series history over the Tigers with a 16-4 record, dating back to 1960. However, the teams have split four games with Coach Gates as MU head coach. Earlier this season, Mizzou earned its first-ever win in 10 attempts in Lexington, finishing the game on a 15-2 run for a 73-68 road victory. Mark Mitchell and Jayden Stone led Mizzou to the victory with 21 and 20 points.
The Tigers aim to continue to put the finishing touches on a strong resume for the NCAA Tournament.