For Missouri Tigers fans, this will be a no-brainer, but the basketball team’s loss in the 2012 NCAA Tournament to Norfolk State has been called the biggest upset in 2012. The loss still has some wondering what exactly went wrong after a Cinderella season that garnered Coach of the Year honors from the Associated Press for Frank Haith and 30 wins during the regular season for the Tigers. Instead of advancing far into the tourney as a No. 2 seed, the Tigers fell unexpectedly in the first round.
Braden Gall of Athlon Sports writes, “The Missouri Tigers were a chic pick to make it to the Final Four in 2012 after winning the Big 12 tournament. But Mizzou failed to make it out of the first round despite shooting 52.7% from the floor and making 13 three-pointers. It wasn’t enough to top the MEAC tournament champs from pulling off the monumental upset. Kyle O’Quinn led the Spartans with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 14 rebounds. A big reason the guard-heavy Tigers got beat? Norfolk State dominated the glass 35-23 in the two-point victory.”
The Tigers not only lost in the first round, but they also must watch their rival Kansas Jayhawks advance all the way to the national title game against Kentucky tonight. While some might root for KU, it will be a reminder for all of what Missouri might have enjoyed.