Missouri Tigers: 20-12, 10-8 in the SEC
Head coach: Cuonzo Martin (1st season)
Players to watch: Kassius Robertson (16.2 PPG, 42.5 3PT%); Jordan Barnett (13.7 PPG, 41.4 3PT%); Michael Porter Jr. (7.0 PPG, 2 games played)
Season recap: Missouri's most anticipated season in recent memory quickly hit a major obstacle when top-five recruit Michael Porter Jr. had back surgery that was thought to be potentially season-ending after playing only two minutes in a Tiger uniform in their season opener. Things got worse when Blake Harris—another top-100 recruit and a meaningful contributor during nonconference play—elected to transfer to N.C. State midway through the season.
Missouri overcame the adversity to finish better than .500 in SEC play, including one string of five straight wins that featured victories against NCAA tournament teams Alabama, Kentucky and Texas A&M. Led by sharpshooters Kassius Robertson and Jordan Barnett and forward Jontay Porter—Michael's younger brother—the Tigers stayed afloat well enough to earn their first NCAA tournament bid in five years.
Michael Porter also returned to the floor for their SEC tournament loss to Georgia and struggled, but is expected to play in the NCAA tournament.
How they make a run: With another week to shake off the rust and work himself into shape, Porter shows why he was one of the most coveted prizes in a stacked recruiting class carrying Missouri to a second-round upset of top-seeded Xavier to advance to the Sweet 16.
How they falter: The Tigers continue to struggle to integrate Porter, and the disruption to their team chemistry results in a first-round exit despite the infusion of talent.
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