Bubble Watch: Missouri Tigers on the Outside After 2nd-Straight Loss

On Tuesday night, the Missouri Tigers’ chances of making the NCAA tournament took a big hit. The Georgia Bulldogs earned their second win over Mizzou this season by a score of 71-56. After falling to a terrible Alabama Crimson Tide squad on Saturday, the Tigers have now lost two straight, and have likely put themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.

The Tigers came into Tuesday’s game with a BPI ranking of 45, an RPI ranking of 34, and most projections had them sneaking into the tournament. Now sitting with a record of 19-9 (7-8 record in conference play), the Tigers are in trouble. The SEC is weak this year, and will likely have very few teams in the tournament.

Missouri started the week with the third-best resume in the conference, but the loss against Georgia probably bumps the Arkansas Razorbacks ahead of them. With a 10-5 conference record, and after sweeping Mizzou, the Bulldogs even have an argument over them. The Tigers have no wins against currently-ranked teams, and two losses to sub-.500 teams.

There is some good news for Tigers fans, though — it isn’t over yet. They can play their way back to the good side of the bubble, but they can’t afford another regular-season loss. They have three winnable games remaining with two at home against Texas A&M and Mississippi State, and one at Tennessee. These last three games should feel like a tournament atmosphere for Missouri. It’s do or die time.

Aaron Charles is a writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @aaroncharleskc or add him to your network on Google