Evaluating Mizzou's Latest Bracketology Ranking: The Extra Point

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

ESPN Analyst Joe Lunardi recently updated his Bracketology predictions, bumping up Missouri to a projected eight seed in March Madness, and taking on Baylor for a first-round matchup. While the ranking is an improvement from Lunardi's last iteration, it's still two seeds lower than the Tigers' 2025 finish.

This would mark the Tigers' first consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under head coach Dennis Gates, with the last back-to-back instance coming in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons.

The Tigers would join 13 fellow Southeastern Conference rivals as teams appearing in the tournament, and are projected to be tied for the sixth-highest seed, tied with Mississippi State and Texas, while beating out teams like Oklahoma and Ole Miss. Florida headlines the pack as the only SEC squad projected as a No. 1 seed.

The Tigers' ranking is understandable, given the upset loss to the No. 11 seed Drake Bulldogs in last season's round-one matchup. Missouri also lost five rotational contributors, and two of their top-three leading scorers in Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill.

There are plenty of unanswered questions for the Tigers next season –– who will step up in the absence left by the seniors? Can they prevent another down season like 2023-2024? Can Gates finally break through past a first-round appearance?

Each of these questions pose valid arguments for Missouri's uncertainty next season, potentially leading to their dropped ranking.