Loss at K-State would bump Missouri to 5th
By upsetting No. 6 Kansas State tonight at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan., Missouri would jump to second place in the Big 12 and put itself in prime position to hang on to one of the top four spots in the conference, which guarantees a first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament. But a loss tonight, a far more likely scenario considering how tough it is to win at “The Octagon of Doom,” and the Tigers fall to fifth.
Texas A&M and Baylor both won earlier today to move to 9-5 in Big 12 play. Missouri is 9-4 but will most likely be 9-5 at the end of the night. Because A&M and Baylor beat Missouri, both teams have the tiebreaker over the Tigers and would claim the third and fourth spots. Also, both teams could reasonably win their final two games, giving Missouri no chance to get in position for a bye.
Missouri will be expected to win at Iowa State on Tuesday, but No. 1 Kansas comes to Mizzou Arena on March 6 for the regular season finale. In other words, Missouri can save itself a lot of trouble with an upset tonight.
