INDIANAPOLIS — Missouri men's basketball needed to buck a trend to keep its season alive in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Oklahoma.
Seeded at No. 9 after losing six of its final nine games in the regular season and Southeastern Conference Tournament combined, Missouri showed signs of the woes that made it fall from the top 10 in the country to out of the rankings in three weeks.
The Sooners looked to snap out of their recent downturn as well after falling in five of six contests heading into the win-or-go-home battle at Lucas Oil Stadium.