Tough enough for ya? Mizzou basketball’s nonconference schedule will be daunting again
The Missouri Tigers’ 2020-21 basketball schedule is slowly coming together as one of the tougher nonconference slates in the country.
Already-confirmed games comprise a hazardous gauntlet.
First up is the renewal of the Border War against Kansas, a neutral-site showdown slated for Dec. 12 at Kansas City’s Sprint Center. Then, later in December, Mizzou faces another rival in the Braggin’ Rights game against Illinois at St. Louis’ Enterprise Center.
For its annual Thanksgiving-week tournament, Mizzou heads south to the eight-team Myrtle Beach Invitational Nov. 19-22 in South Carolina. The schedule isn’t out yet, but Nebraska, Dayton, Pittsburgh, Utah State, Loyola Chicago, Penn and Charlotte will be there.
Another noncon slot will be reserved for the Big 12/SEC Challenge, although the Tigers are assured a home game this year because they traveled to West Virginia last season.
If that looks daunting, there’s more. Mizzou is finalizing a game at Wichita State, as Taylor Eldridge of The Eagle in Wichita reported Monday. And games vs. Missouri State (road) and Utah (home), according to the Columbia Daily Tribune, are also in the works.
Playing the Utes would complete a series: Mizzou traveled to Utah during the 2017-18 season. It would also means nine of MU’s 13 nonconference games are scheduled, with the Tigers on the road for seven of those contests.
The short trip to Springfield would be a homecoming for Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin. He spent three years at Missouri State (2008-11) before taking the head-coaching job at Tennessee.
It’s rare for a power-conference team like Mizzou to schedule so many tough nonconference games, and even rarer for those games to be on the road. Some schools go so far as to not schedule true road games until the calendar flips to conference play, when they have no choice but to be the visitor.
Mizzou played three road nonconference games last season, including series against Xavier and Temple.
Finances might play a factor in next season’s matchups. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting schools’ bottom lines — Martin and other high-level Mizzou coaches, along with AD Jim Sterk, all recently took temporary reductions in salary. An in-state game between Missouri and Missouri State could generate some interest and cash while being relatively cheap expense-wise.
On the court, the Tigers should be loaded with talent. Seniors such as Dru Smith, Mark Smith and Jeremiah Tilmon are expected to return, joining guys like Xavier Pinson and Javon Pickett. Add in newcomers Ed Chang (wing) and Drew Buggs (guard), and Mizzou could compete for an NCAA Tournament bid in 2020-21.
When it comes to the postseason, a tougher schedule leads to more chances for resume-boosting wins. Mizzou had a solid nonconference slate last season but squandered some opportunities. Falling to Charleston Southern at home was stunning.
Some coaches also load up the nonconference portion of their schedules to battle-test their teams. It appears Martin has done that, and watching how it plays out should be entertaining.