The Southeastern Conference wasn’t much of a basketball league back when Missouri moved in.
Kentucky had a down 2012-13 campaign, missing the Big Dance and losing its first-round NIT game at Robert Morris. Florida had an Elite Eight team under Billy Donovan, but Mizzou and Ole Miss earned the SEC’s only other NCAA Tournament bids.
Auburn, Mississippi State and South Carolina were pitiful at that point, ranking among the worst Power 5 programs in the country. Texas A&M lost 11 of 18 SEC games in its league debut after finishing 4-14 in its final Big 12 campaign.