NCAA Basketball: 5 surprising 2020-21 Final Four contenders entering league play

Missouri Tigers

Before the season started, the Missouri Tigers didn’t receive a single vote in the AP poll. A month later, they are ranked as the No. 14 team in the country, a surprising and meteoric rise towards Final Four contention.

The Tigers have only played five games this season, and the only one was a true blowout. But Missouri has found a way to get it done each night and they’re one of just four undefeated teams left in the SEC.

Two of their victories have come against teams currently ranked in the top 25, Illinois and Oregon (it’s the Ducks’ only loss so far). They also beat consistently competitive teams in Wichita State and Liberty.

The Tigers are showing what experience can do for a program. They are led by junior Xavier Pinson (14.3 points per game) and Jeremiah Tilmon (7.8 rebounds per game), while also getting strong contributions from seniors Mark Smith and Dru Smith, each of who are averaging over 13.0 points per game.

SEC play opens with a tough two-game stretch for the Tigers. They’ll face conference favorite Tennessee at home before going on the road to play Arkansas, another one of the conference’s unbeaten teams.

Missouri has never made a Final Four and hasn’t even won an NCAA Tournament game since 2010. It’s suddenly looking like the Tigers are in the conversation to change that, though.