COLUMBIA, Mo. – Russ Nikko won’t be in the stands Saturday when his oldest boy plays his final game at Mizzou Arena. Instead, like he’s done before every game in four seasons at Missouri, Reed Nikko will look down at his No. 14 jersey and go through his pregame ritual during the opening notes of the national anthem.
“I always think about him, say thank you and ask him to watch over me,” Nikko said this week. “It's definitely the last thing I do literally before every game.”
There’s meaning behind the No. 14 he wears across his chest.