Missouri visits the Southeast bracket in Joe Lunardi's latest ESPN Bracketology update, taking on a rising Marquette in the Cleveland regional for a chance at a likely matchup with Pitt in the fat part of the NCAA Tournament bracket, while Indiana State, the Missouri Valley Tournament champions, remain unchanged in their projected 3-14 matchup against San Diego State in the Tuscon regional. Missouri State remains near the top of the bad side of the bubble, third of his First Four Out.
Missouri's narrow first-round win against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament can't have increased confidence in the sliding Tigers; after opening up big leads on multiple occasions—against a team whose coach had already been fired—they ended the second half in a 40-40 knot, holding on only by their four point halftime lead. The sixth-seeded Tigers will take on third-seeded Texas A&M in the quarterfinals today, with the goal of at least maintaining their precarious position in the NCAA Tournament come the time when bracketology gives way to just-plain-brackets.