Tigers dismayed by talk of NIT
Dallas ? Missouri started the basketball season ranked fifth in the nation, but the Tigers likely will be on the outside looking in Sunday when the NCAA Tournament selection committee announces its field of 65.
“It doesn’t feel right talking about the NIT,” MU senior forward Travon Bryant said Friday night after Kansas University knocked the Tigers out in the Big 12 Conference tournament quarterfinals, 94-69.
The loss dropped MU to 16-13 and virtually assured the Tigers will be relegated to the NIT, snapping a string of five straight NCAA Tournament berths.
“It’s not my first option,” said Bryant, who finished with eight points and five rebounds. “Everybody wants to play in the NCAAs, but it’s out of our hands right now. … It’s hard to sit around and wait, but that’s what we have to do. Nobody wants to talk about it, especially a team that came in with such lofty expectations. That’s reality, though.”
Missouri was ranked third in the nation after a 3-0 start, but the Tigers lost 10 of their next 16 before reeling off six straight victories.
Coach Quin Snyder said his team would accept an NIT bid if offered.
“Absolutely,” said Snyder, whose team lost to KU for the second time in six days and the third time this season. “There’s no shame in playing in the NIT. I don’t want to end our season like this. I’m going to talk to my team, but that would be my feeling. We’re going to keep playing anywhere we can.”
It’s uncertain whether that would include Hearnes Center. Mizzou formally closed its longtime home court Sunday with an 84-82 loss to KU in the regular-season finale.
The NIT plays first-round games at home sites, but Snyder didn’t know whether his team would have that option.
Missouri coach Quin Snyder argues after getting a technical foul in the second half.
“It’s possible that those things are above my head,” he said. “I’ve heard rumors. That’s unfortunate.”
It was a devastating loss for the Tigers, who might have secured an NCAA berth with a solid run in the Big 12 tourney. MU had a 24-12 lead in the first half, but KU finished the half with a 21-7 run and added spurts of 7-0 and 15-0 after halftime.
“In this game, everybody makes runs,” MU senior Arthur Johnson said. “They made a huge one in the second half, and they put us away with it.”
Johnson, who had 37 points and eight rebounds against KU on Sunday, had another huge night with 26 points and nine boards. But no other Tiger scored in double figures.
Senior guard Rickey Paulding was held to nine points — 6.5 less than his average — on 3-of-11 shooting. The Tigers shot 34.3 percent from the field (24 of 70), including 33.3 percent (9 of 27) from three-point range.
“We felt good going into the game,” Paulding said. “To lose like that is really disappointing. We got beat by a really good team.”
Snyder hasn’t given up on his team.
“I still think we’re a good basketball team right now,” Snyder said. “We got railroaded by a team that was as hot as it could be.”
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