Column:

Missouri, put on your dancing shoes

Tigers prepare for the Big Dance after an unexpectedly successful season.

By Mark Levitt

Published March 13, 2009

Get off the couch. Put on your tights or gym shorts. Grab your best ballet shoes. Missouri is going dancing.

Touch your toes for 10 seconds. Do 15 jumping jacks. Shake it out. Loosen up. Missouri is going dancing.

Sunday evening on CBS, the Tigers will receive their invitation to college basketball's grandest ball. This is not the high school prom; it's not your parent's work banquet. Bar Mitvah parties have nothing on this event. We are talking about the Big Dance. The Madness. March Madness. And for the first time in six years, MU will be on the guest list.

There will be nobody doing the waltz or the Cha Cha or the "Cotton Eye Joe". Only Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll doing the Tiger Tango around their first round date (who will also be known Sunday night) on their way to the basket. And for those who struggle with first dates, this situation could not be any better. This date will only be a success if the opponent sent home early.

The dance floor will be made of hardwood. Touching of dates will result in a party foul (which means Big 12 co-defensive player of the year J.T. Tiller needs to play his tenacious defense with his feet and not his hands so he doesn't have to spend too many minutes in time out on the bench). The gourmet menu will consist of hot dogs and nachos for anybody not nervous enough to eat. However, please don't feed the funny men dressed like zebras; they more than likely do not deserve the consideration.

Back in November, before the season began, I never would have expected Missouri to have its ticket punched to the NCAA Tournament before Selection Sunday. Fans were hoping to sit through the selection show biting their nails and sweating through their black and gold T-shirts, waiting to see if the Tigers would sneak into the field of 65 with a 10, 11 or 12 seed, if at all. A magical season exceeding all expectations quickly changed that outlook.

Missouri finished the regular season with a stellar 25-6 record, including going 12-4 in the Big 12 (this article was written before the Tigers got underway in the Big 12 tournament Thursday). They had big wins over Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. They have been ranked in the top 20 in the national polls for multiple weeks now. Talk about madness.

Because of their performance, the Tigers will benefit from a much higher NCAA tournament seed, anywhere from a No. 2 to 6 seed is possible. To some, success will now be defined by how deep a run they can make in March. I argue the season has already been a success.

Nobody can predict how coach Mike Anderson's athletes will respond to the one and done pressure of the tournament. They have not always reacted well to new situations (see their first game being ranked again Illinois or their ugly visit to Allen Field House). But these guys will play hard, and if they get down they will fight until the clock reads 0.0 regardless of how far-fetched a comeback seems.

Regardless of what happens, MU is in an envious position. They were not expected to be in this position. Unlike a Kansas or a Duke, who have to play with the burden of disappointing their fans with anything less than Final Four appearances, Missouri should be able to celebrate this momentous achievement for however long it lasts.

So Columbia, whether you're nimble or have two left feet, get ready. Missouri's going dancing.