‘Sadness for the kids:’ Mizzou basketball season abruptly ends, spring sports on hold
When the SEC Tournament tipped off on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena, everything was going as planned. Fans were allowed inside the 20,000-seat venue, cheering on the four teams who played in the first round.
By Wednesday night, the SEC announced it was barring fans the final four days of the tourney out of concerns regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. By Thursday morning, the SEC canceled the men’s basketball tournament — a decision similar to conferences across the country.
It was a massive shift for the Missouri Tigers and every other team who traveled to Nashville. The Tigers went through their pre-tournament practice normally on Wednesday, gearing up for a 6 p.m. Thursday tipoff against Texas A&M.
But their season ended in an instant. Mizzou athletic director Jim Sterk met with other athletic directors and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey at 9 a.m. Thursday. A couple hours later, the SEC Tournament was canceled.
The NCAA also canceled all winter and spring championships because of the coronavirus pandemic, ending seasons for Mizzou’s other winter sports, including wrestling and gymnastics.
Sankey and the SEC on March 30 will re-evaluate whether to resume spring sports. So despite the NCAA’s cancellation of championship events, the SEC could still play regular season and tournament games, though both Mizzou’s baseball and softball teams are still banned from the postseason.
“Just disappointed,” Sterk said of the basketball team’s reaction. “They’re competitors. They want to play. But they understand. It’s not like anyone is upset at us or Greg Sankey or anyone like that. People understand it’s serious.”
Mizzou men’s basketball finished 15-16 and 7-11 in the SEC. After ending the regular season with a win over Alabama on Senior Day, the Tigers earned the No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament. But their run started before it got off the ground. Mizzou forward Reed Nikko’s career came to an end in a flash.
While Sankey said there haven’t been decisions on seniors’ eligibility — it’s one area on a long list, he said — Sterk said he wasn’t sure how that would work, considering how late in the season it is for basketball student-athletes. However, for other spring sports like baseball and softball, eligibility could be addressed.
“It’s a sadness for the kids,” Sterk said of the SEC Tournament’s cancellation. “They’re the ones that are impacted. There are opportunities. Some of them are seniors and this is their last chance to play. Selfishly, I wanted our team to play four or five games.”
Mizzou basketball coach Cuonzo Martin didn’t speak to reporters Thursday, but two days earlier, he spoke about he would take any decision made in stride.
“This is life stuff,” Martin said Tuesday. “This sport is secondary to life stuff. It’s just a game. There’s life, sports. It’s really simple. If they shut it down, they shut it down. You keep moving.”
Football spring practice
The SEC left jurisdiction to each school’s athletic director when it came to practices for the in-season spring teams and the football program.
As of Thursday, Sterk said every team will continue practice, including the football team. Mizzou coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s program wrapped up its third of 15 allotted spring practices on Wednesday. Their next scheduled spring practice is set for Friday.
But the SEC did set rules when it comes to recruiting. Sankey said the conference is limiting all on- and off-campus recruiting. Other events like upcoming camps and clinics will be impacted, Sterk said, but more details will be hashed out during an upcoming conference call.
Sankey also suggested the NCAA implement similar rules across the country for recruiting for “an even plane.”
As for Mizzou’s annual spring game on April 11, Sterk said there have been discussions about limited access. He pointed out with Memorial Stadium’s 71,004-person capacity and it being outside, you could spread out the fans.
Postseason bans
When it comes to the postseason, both the Mizzou baseball and softball teams face bans after the NCAA rejected MU’s infractions appeal. That brought up questions on if the bans could be transferred to 2021. But Sterk said that shouldn’t be the case, though he wasn’t certain.
“You know how I feel about that,” Sterk said. “There’s no way they should.”
Other Mizzou sports
Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith posted a statement on Twitter about the news that the Tigers’ season came to an end. Mizzou won its eighth straight Mid-American Conference title this season. Softball coach Larissa Anderson also posted a statement on Twitter. Swimming and diving coach Andrew Grevers made his own post on Twitter.
“I know this decision is being made with the well-being of our student-athletes as the highest priority,” Smith said in his statement. “The situation has been fluid and ever-changing, and decisions like this are not easy to make. I know our kids are heartbroken, but I know that they understand that this decision was a difficult one, and one with their best intentions in mind.”