Count the 103-year-old rivalry between Missouri and Kansas basketball as yet another endangered rivalry game if conference realignment claims another team from the old Big 8 and Southwest Conference footprint.
Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self told reporters on Tuesday that he couldn't guarantee the Jayhawks would keep Mizzou on the their schedule - the series has been played at least once every year since 1907 - if the Tigers went to the SEC.
Citing KU's cutting ties with geographical neighbor and former Big 12 North member Nebraska, Self told the Lawrence Journal-World he had nothing personal against the Missouri program, but would only act in the best interest of the Jayhawks:
"I could probably change my mind (but) trust me, we would have no trouble finding another nonleague game to play. I love the rivalry. Playing home and home in the league is great and all those things ... (but) I can’t imagine, why would we continue playing?
"If they choose to be somewhere other than with us and with the other schools that they’ve been a part of and could jeopardize the future of the other schools ... I’m not going to make a commitment now that we’d ever play again. I’m not saying we won’t. I’m certainly not going to pretend that we would."