COLUMBIA, MO. • Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Matt Insell caught himself counting the banners inside Mizzou Arena on Thursday, the ones collected by Robin Pingeton’s Tigers the last few years for postseason appearances. Last March, Mizzou broke through with its first NCAA Tournament appearance in Pingeton’s sixth season. The rafters will soon add more décor.
The No. 24 Tigers (20-9, 10-5 Southeastern Conference) head into Sunday’s regular-season finale at Alabama (17-11, 5-10) all but assured of a spot in the NCAA Tournament and could be seeded anywhere between third and sixth at next week’s SEC tournament in Greenville, S.