Despite sudden end, Mizzou’s Cuonzo Martin agrees with tourney cancellations
When the Missouri Tigers ran onto the Bridgestone Arena court March 11 for practice, everything was normal. The Tigers went through about 40 minutes of shootaround; the forwards worked on post moves while the guards got up their three-point shots.
At that point, there were no signs of canceling the conference tourney.
If anything, there was a chance the Tigers were about to play in front of a crowdless venue. The NCAA announced that afternoon the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments would be played without fans amid developing COVID-19 coronavirus concerns.
But by that evening, long after the Tigers left Bridgestone Arena, the NBA suspended its season after a player, Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, tested positive for coronavirus. Once the pro basketball league’s games were postponed, plans for the SEC and conference tournaments around the country were on the ropes.
While necessary, the decision to call off the conference and NCAA tournaments left Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin wondering, he explained on Tiger Talk Monday night. What about the players? Once Martin heard the news about Gobert, he pondered about the well-being of his players, coaches, refs and anybody else involved in the game.
By the morning of March 12 — the same day the Tigers were set to play Texas A&M — the SEC and other conferences agreed that canceling tournaments across the country was the only logical move.
Thus ended Mizzou’s season, including the career of Reed Nikko, the lone senior on the MU squad.
Despite the abrupt end, Martin understood.
“I really feel like it’s the right thing to do,” Martin said on the weekly radio show. “Safety first and foremost. We were excited to play basketball, energetic and ready to have some fun. We went over Texas A&M enough. It was unfortunate news. But fortunately for everybody, hopefully it works out well.”
Up until the last moment, the Tigers were ready to face the Aggies. Martin said he and his staff had kept the players “on edge,” anticipating a game, only to conclude with the same fate as every other team in the country.
Once the Tigers got back from Nashville, they took care of logistical business, Martin said. His student-athletes will navigate the rest of the semester on an online-only basis, as MU has shut down in-person classes.
“Responsibility of each young guy, it’s very important, they do what they need to do to be successful in the classroom,” Martin said. “We say it all the time, it’s not about being a student-athlete, but being a successful student-athlete. If you can earn an A, earn an A.”
Martin noted the fanfare, money and numerous other factors in lamenting cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, adding how it was likely a difficult choice for the organization’s decision-makers.
But in facing the spreading coronavirus pandemic, Martin said, society comes first.
“At the end of the day, when you have something this serious and there are so many unknowns about it, the best thing to do is to shut it down,” Martin said. “I really felt that way. I love playing, I love to compete, but you have to do what’s best for everybody involved. It’s a human welfare situation first, then the game part is second. For me, there’s no scale of balance the two.”
Eligibility questions
While the SEC and NCAA tournaments were canceled, so too were all other winter and spring sports championships. The College World Series and other events are called off as well. The SEC hoped to allow spring sports to start up again on April 15, but even that seems like a longshot now.
But an NCAA council has recommended that spring sports athletes should get eligibility relief for this altered season.
Martin agrees with giving students another year of eligibility — at least for spring sports.
“If you’re a spring sport, I think you would have an opportunity to do it over,” Martin said. “They need to somehow rectify that situation with spring sports.”
Basketball is a bit more complicated. Martin pointed out how it’s not like players missed 28 games or even a majority of the season. Mizzou finished the regular season 15-16 and 7-11 in the SEC. If the Tigers lost their second-round SEC tourney game to the Aggies, they were likely finished for the season anyway.
The Tigers graduate just one senior: Nikko. Martin said he wasn’t sure if Nikko would entertain the idea of coming back for another year, considering he has other interests outside of basketball, including fishing.
“Reed’s ready to go live his life,” Martin said. “If they said they can come back, I would welcome Reed with open arms. No question about it.”