On March 18th, Missouri's 10-seeded Tigers face the 7th-seeded Miami Hurricanes Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. At 9.10 p.m. in St. Louis, both teams share striking similarities on the court.
They attempt more than 20 free throws per game, but rank near the bottom of their conferences in free throw accuracy. Their offenses rely heavily on big forwards rather than lots of three-point shots. Meanwhile, Missouri coach Dennis Gates enters his third tournament with the Tigers after a 1-2 record in the first two trips. He recently told reporters he's aiming to make history by reaching the big dance three times in four years, something no one's done at the school since joining the SEC.
Adding entry are the personal ties between the programs. Miami's first-year coach, Jai Lucas, worked at Duke alongside Missouri forward, Mark Mitchell. There's also high school teammates linking the guards and a former Missouri player now with the Hurricanes, plus a coach who spent three years in, Columbia. Expect a tight battle given these overlaps, as both squads bring familiar styles to the Enterprise Center.
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