Mizzou Men's Basketball Faces Uphill Battle in SEC, Women's Team Picked to Finish Last

The Missouri men's basketball team has been picked to finish 13th in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the 2024-25 season, according to the preseason SEC media poll. Meanwhile, the Missouri women's basketball team has been selected to finish 15th in the conference, with only Arkansas ranked behind them. Despite the low expectations, both programs are looking to turn things around and make a statement in the upcoming season.

Underdogs Aiming to Defy the Odds

Men's Team Faces Uphill Battle in SEC

The Missouri men's basketball team has been ranked 13th in the preseason SEC media poll, placing them ahead of only LSU, SEC-newcomer Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt. This ranking is in line with the team's position in the advanced basketball analytics site KenPom's first ratings of the season, where they are ranked 13th among SEC squads and 53rd nationally. This ranking suggests that the Tigers may struggle to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.Despite the low expectations, the Tigers are looking to bounce back from a winless SEC season in which they finished last in the then-14-team league. The team has a top-15 transfer class and a top-five recruiting class on campus, which could provide a much-needed boost. The Tigers will open their season on the road against Memphis on Monday, November 4th.

Women's Team Picked to Finish Last in SEC

The Missouri women's basketball team has been selected to finish 15th in the preseason SEC media poll, with only Arkansas ranked behind them. The Tigers, who finished last in the league last season with a 2-14 SEC record, had no players selected as preseason first- or second-team honorees.Despite the low expectations, the Tigers are looking to turn things around this season. The team has four new transfers and two true freshmen joining the squad, which could provide a much-needed infusion of talent. The Tigers will open their season on the road against Vermont on Monday, November 4th.

Coaches and Players Set to Take the Stage at SEC Tipoff

The SEC Tipoff, the conference's basketball media days, is set to begin on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama. Missouri men's basketball coach Dennis Gates and women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton will both be in attendance, along with select players from each team.Coach Gates is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4:15 p.m. CDT, where he will be joined by new transfer point guard Tony Perkins and forward Mark Mitchell. Coach Pingeton will speak at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, and she will be joined by returning guards Ashton Judd and Grace Slaughter.The SEC Tipoff event will be available to stream on SEC Network+, providing fans with an opportunity to hear directly from the coaches and players as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Preseason Honors and Predictions

The preseason SEC media poll has Alabama as the favorite to win the conference, with Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas A&M rounding out the top five. Alabama guard Mark Sears was tabbed as the preseason SEC player of the year, and he was joined by Auburn big Johni Broome, Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr., Tennessee point guard Zakai Zeigler, and Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV on the preseason first team.On the women's side, South Carolina, which went undefeated and won the national championship last season, was picked to win the conference again in the 2024-25 campaign. Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss were picked to finish Nos. 2 through 5, respectively. LSU guards Flau'Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow were picked alongside Texas forward Madison Booker as the preseason players of the year.Despite the low expectations, both the Missouri men's and women's basketball teams are determined to prove the doubters wrong and make a statement in the upcoming season. With a mix of new talent and experienced players, the Tigers are poised to surprise the conference and secure their place in the postseason.