Bridgestone Arena was half full when Michael Porter Jr. subbed out of Mizzou’s NCAA Tournament loss to Florida State. Two minutes remained in a game that was out of reach. Missouri fans clapped sparingly for Porter Jr. as if he was just another player, rather than the man whose long-awaited return hung over the entirety of this now finished season.
Hope that he could be the Tigers' savior had evaporated.
“Go pro!” a man shouted as Porter Jr. walked to the bench.
When the Tigers exited the court and made their way to the locker room, the 6-foot-10 Porter was red in the face.