When it was over, the forlorn Final Four fantasists from Missouri were immediately greeted in their living rooms by Charles Barkley.
On the postgame show Thursday after the 67-57 loss to Drake, the famed basketball analyst promptly pointed out that Dennis Gates’ Tigers went winless in Southeastern Conference play the previous season.
“One of the great coaching jobs,” Barkley said of Gates' leadership of the 2024-25 Tigers, “but it’s going to get overlooked because they got beat by a really good Drake team.”
No, no. It’s been properly “looked” all season long. From sportswriters to fans, Mizzou has been appropriately praised.