The gigantic television screen in the Naismith room on volleyball Selection Sunday revealed that Missouri had been sent to Lawrence for the NCAA tournament and the Jayhawks immediately erupted, a show of emotion that proved today’s Border War match involves more than a spot in the Sweet 16, which in itself is plenty exciting.

“Growing up in Kansas, especially the ones of us that have, we have that rivalry in our bones,” said KU defensive specialist Anna Church, a Fairway native. “We’re pretty pumped to play Mizzou tomorrow.”

That beats denying that Missouri as the opponent adds an interesting wrinkle. The question then becomes what to do about it.

“I feel we will be focused on our side more, playing our game,” said Kansas senior Tiana Dockery, an explosive athlete with laser focus. “If we think too much about how they are playing, it loses focus a little bit. I think we will come together as a team and play our game because Missouri obviously is going to play their game. I feel it’s going to be great all around.”

Kansas' Cassie Wait (5) and Anna Church let out yells after winning a hard fought point during the Jayhawks' NCAA volleyball tournament first round match against Furman onThursday evening at the Horejsi Center. The Jayhawks swept the Paladins in three sets and will face the Missouri Tigers in the second round of the tournament. The first serve is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Horejsi Center

This is Missouri’s fourth year in the SEC after bolting the Big 12. The bitter rivals have not scheduled each other in any sports, but they have met in the postseason three times, twice in softball and once in soccer. Missouri has won all three times.

The rivalry, the buzz in the air, the talk around town all will serve as reminders to the competitors of the importance of the outcome to those outside the court. Emotion can be a double-edged sword in sports, which begs the question of how to play that angle.

“I thought Dock captured it pretty well,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “If you get so worried about what’s going on the other side of the net and the opponent, you lose track of what got you here and what you do well. Let’s try to stay in touch with that. I know it’s Mizzou, but more importantly, it’s to get to a regional.”

The energy from the stands figures to make its way onto the court, get the adrenaline flowing, which heightens focus and leads to sharper play. In other words, it could make for one phenomenal volleyball match inside intimate Horejsi.

“None of our kids have ever done this before,” Missouri coach Wayne Kreklow said of playing in a Border War rivalry match. “For all the old folks it’s a big deal, but for the kids, they look at you like, ‘I don’t really know what you’re talking about.’ So for them not as much as for the fans and the people who have been involved in it over the years.”

Until the first set starts anyway.

— Tom Keegan appears on The Drive, Sunday nights on WIBW-TV.