When a No. 11 seed beats a No. 6 seed most would consider it an upset. In the case of the Missouri Tigers vs. the Cincinnati Bearcats in the 2011 NCAA tournament bracket, it really wouldn't be an upset. Some college basketball odds have Mizzou as a one-point favorite while others have the game as a pick 'em.
CBSSports.com says Mizzou is an upset candidate to beat Cincinnati. Not a true "upset" but, according to the seeds, it is. Here's what they said:
I actually envision the Tigers reaching the Sweet 16. Sure, they were inconsistent during Big 12 play and were awful away from Columbia, but hear me out. Missouri runs the "Fastest 40 Minutes," which is difficult to prepare for on short notice, but is beatable when you see it over and over again. The Tigers had a great non-conference season, but struggled within the conference. Big 12 opponents knew what to expect. Cincinnati will have trouble with Missouri's speed and athleticism, while a tired Connecticut team that has struggled against defensive pressure all season is waiting in the second round.
There's also the problem of going on the road...which is a big one for Mizzou. I'm not saying they can't do it but teams that struggle on the road often struggle in the tournament.
I'm leaning towards taking Mizzou in this game because, well, I want to see a local team advance. But, as the odds suggest, it's far from a given.
Check out Rock M Nation for more on Mizzou in the tourney.