COLUMBIA, MO. • The Missouri women's basketball team will open the season ranked No. 16 in the USA Today coaches poll.
The Tigers, last week picked third in the media's preseason Southeastern Conference poll, are coming off consecutive 22-win seasons that both ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the coaches' poll, Robin Pingeton's team is ranked third among SEC teams, behind No. 2 South Carolina, the defending national champion, and No. 4 Mississippi State. Tennessee is No. 18.
Connecticut was the overwhelming choice at No. 1, receiving 25 of 32 first-place votes.