Back in the Big Dance, Missouri hoping to make a splash

NASHVILLE — Every kid who grows up watching college basketball has that moment watching the NCAA Tournament, the one they’ll remember for the rest of their basketball careers and maybe their lives. Whether it’s a unthinkable upset in the Round of 64 or a buzzer-beater to won the national title, there’s a team or a player or even a single play that stands the test of time.

For Kassius Robertson, it’s Stephen Curry’s Davidson team.

For Jordan Geist, it was Gordon Hayward and his hometown Butler Bulldogs proving everyone wrong and advancing to the Final Four two years in a row.

But for Kevin Puryear and Jontay Porter, their most — or least — memorable NCAA moment was a little closer to home.

“Man, I wouldn’t say there’s a favorite, but my least favorite one was when Mizzou lost to Norfolk State (in 2012),” Porter said Thursday. “I was the biggest Mizzou fan that year, and then they lost. I literally cried. That was heartbreaking. I was at my house jumping up and down the whole time.

A loss that makes every true Tiger fan cringe — maybe the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history was one that Missouri was on the wrong end of.

“2012,” Puryear said as his usual 100-watt smile disappeared from his face. “They lost to Norfolk State, arguably the biggest upset in college basketball history. That was not my favorite memory, but there’s been some good ones, too. The Elite Eight in 2008; there’s a lot of good stuff.”

Now, on the threshold of its return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, Missouri has chance to add to "the good stuff." It’s a place that not one of the players who will be on the floor during Friday’s game, even the players who transferred in, has been in their careers.

Puryear, Geist, Reed Nikko, Brett Rau and the now-suspended Jordan Barnett never even made it past the second day of the SEC Tournament, although Puryear has some fond memories of this arena after his game-winning shot against Auburn last year actually got them to the second day.

Porter, his brother Michael and Jeremiah Tilmon all came to Missouri this year to change that.

And then there’s Kassius Robertson, who played in 132 games over five years before he got a chance at the Big Dance. He, too, came to Columbia for one final opportunity.

“I was always hopeful,” Robertson said of playing in the tournament. “Always hopeful. I knew it was going to be a longshot being at Canisuius for sure. But I never kind of killed my dream before I even had a chance. We talked about individually, not as a whole group, but we all asked each other and were like ‘yeah, I guess this is everyone’s first time going to the tournament.’”

Every player on Thursday said that they were treating this game no differently than any other road game they’ve played this season, despite the possibility that it’s the final game a few of them will ever play in a Missouri uniform. It’s the exact approach head coach Cuonzo Martin wants this group to take. In Thursday’s 40-minute practice, Martin carried his signature scowl for nearly the whole session, standing at halfcourt, staring intently at his players and making sure each detail in each drill was followed. It was no different than his routine in any other warmup of any other game.

“I don’t really put nothing on it outside of this is what we have to do to be successful: Defend, rebound and play as hard as you can from start to finish,” Martin said. “The emotions, the adrenaline, that is what it is. You can say what you want to say as a coach. Coach (Gene) Keady said a lot of things in the locker room, but my feelings were my feelings when I stepped on the floor. … Whatever happens, up 10, down 10, whatever happens in the game, stay the course because you’ll give yourself a chance to win if you do the things we talk about.”

Each player admitted to having a case of nerves, noting that even though they’re treating this as business as usual, there’s a different atmosphere that comes with this stage.

“I think it’ll be different once I step on the court and play, but coming in here, it feels just like a normal road trip to me,” Jontay Porter said. “Nothing’s really been different, and I think it’s a good thing because you don’t feel too much different. Hopefully I don’t get the jitters when I’m out there with the whole crowd and the court and everything. But it’s definitely been a dream come true so far and hopefully we can do some damage.”