COLUMBIA, Mo. — Before he got on a plane to attend last month’s Southeastern Conference Basketball Tipoff in Birmingham, Alabama, Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin cautioned his players about the preseason media poll. The Tigers were going to be picked anywhere from ninth to 14th, Martin told them.

When he came back to Mizzou Arena the next day, Martin wrote one number on the team’s dry erase board: 13.

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After an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, the Tigers slipped to 15-17 last year and must replace the player who led them in points, assists and steals, senior guard Jordan Geist.