Frank Haith Talks Recruiting And Moving To The SEC

While the move to the SEC by Missouri is mostly talked about from a football point of view but the Tigers bring a very successful basketball program with the move to tangle with the likes of Kentucky and Florida.

Missouri head coach Frank Haith recently sat down and talked about his program with Columbia Tribune writer Steve Walentik including how moving to the SEC had effected recruiting. Walentik asked Haith was he looking more towards the southeast for prospects since Missouri was joining the SEC.

No. We were doing that anyway, but it's just more attractive. I've been one - wherever I've been, I've tried to recruit all over the country because I've been fortunate enough to be at a Miami or a Texas or a Wake where I thought we could recruit nationally. So I don't think I would let that affect us and not trying to recruit anywhere, but we've become more attractive to those kids in the southeast region. But you look at our team, we've got Earnest Ross, he's from North Carolina. When you've got a couple kids from that area - or even Laurence Bowers from Memphis - we can recruit south.

Despite losing some key contributors from last season's team, Haith is poised to reload in the team's first season in the SEC. A strong recruiting class combined with the return of Michael Dixon to the backcourt and Laurence Bowers from injury should have the Tigers in good position again.

The team will head to Europe for a 10-day exhibition trip later this summer in which Haith hopes to schedule at least five games. Because of the trip the team will be allowed to practice 10 days prior to leaving which will add some valuable development time to help acquaint the new faces.

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