COLUMBIA, Mo. — When the ice clears from the hilly streets around Mizzou Arena, Missouri men’s basketball will kick off the two-game homestand that will define its NCAA Tournament aspirations.
A season-long goal, set to be determined less than a week into Southeastern Conference play and with 15 regular-season games on the other side of this stretch. Normal, right?
Yes, it’s dramatic to say that the Tigers’ hopes of making the NCAA Tournament are on the line during home tilts against Louisiana State and Vanderbilt. But that’s closer to the truth than suggesting that MU will have nothing to lose this week.