Mizzou men’s basketball avoids postseason ban, other programs show strong APR

The Missouri men’s basketball team posted an Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 930 for 2015-16, according to figures released Wednesday by the NCAA.

That drags the program’s multiyear rate down to 934 for the last four seasons, a drop of 12 points from last year and close to the 930 threshold.

Drop below that and the NCAA hands out a one-year postseason ban among other penalties.

Mizzou is safe for now, but last year’s APR score ranks in the bottom 10 percent nationally among all NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs.

APR is a tool used by the NCAA to evaluate academic progress toward degrees and retention among every athletic program under its umbrella.

Tigers basketball had two players, guards Frankie Hughes and K.J. Walton, transfer after the season and, depending on their academic standing, that could negatively impact the team’s APR next spring.

New coach Cuonzo Martin’s program remains hurt by the 851 APR score for Frank Haith’s final season in Columbia during 2013-14.

Mizzou will need a score closer to the 976 scored for Kim Anderson’s first season in 2014-15 next spring to avoid a postseason ban.

No other Tigers programs are dealing with APR issues.

Six of the 10 women’s programs — basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball — posted a perfect APR (1,000) for 2015-16.

Golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball also have perfect multiyear APRs with no women’s sport scoring lower than 988.

Wrestling, baseball and men’s cross country also posted perfect APRs last season and no men’s sport, other than basketball, has a multiyear APR below 971.

Men’s track dipped to 971 after posting a 948 APR for 2015-16, while football maintained a 978 APR last season and has a 974 multiyear score.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Mizzou men’s basketball avoids postseason ban, other programs show strong APR."