Dec. 22, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri Basketball (9-1) returned to the Top 25 for the first time in nearly five years on Monday, as the Tigers entered the Associated Press' Top 25 poll at No. 25.
The national ranking is Missouri's first since the sixth week of the 2003-04 campaign. The Tigers opened that season No. 5 in the preseason poll, but four losses in five games to No. 17 Gonzaga, No. 21 Illinois, at Memphis and at home against Belmont pushed MU out of the rankings.
The 2008-09 Tigers have been on a roll of late and have won seven consecutive games heading into Tuesday night's annual Busch Braggin' Rights Game vs. Illinois. Missouri has already secured a pair of wins over Pac-10 programs USC (then No. 19) and California (93-66) this season, as well as quality wins over annual NCAA participants Oral Roberts and Murray State. The Tigers' lone loss this season came to Xavier (75-71) in the opening round of the 2008 O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off in San Juan, P.R. Missouri rebounded after that heart-breaking defeat to topple Fairfield (8-3) in the consolation round and the nationally-ranked Trojans (83-72) for fourth place.
Tuesday's showdown between the Tigers and Fighting Illini will be nationally televised on ESPN2. Game time from the Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis will be 6:30 p.m.
Missouri is also on the cusp of joining the Top 25 of the ESPN Coaches Poll as well. The Tigers are No. 29 in that listing.
For more information on the University of Missouri Basketball program, please visit our website at mutigers.com.