Missouri basketball will square off against Butler on Nov. 25 in the first round of the 2019 Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City.
Oklahoma and Stanford meet in the other first round matchup, with the semifinal rounds set for the following day at the Sprint Center.
This will mark the first meeting since 1979 between Missouri and Butler, with the Tigers winning all three previous games between the two.
Kansas City, MO… we’re comin’ for ya!#Mizzou will take on Butler on Nov. 25 to open the 2019 @HOFClassic. #ToTheFinishLine ?? pic.twitter.com/xo5criXbdv
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) July 11, 2019
The Bulldogs went 16-17 last season but should improve behind leading returning scorer Kamar Baldwin, who averaged 17.0 points during his junior campaign.
As for Cuonzo Martin’s squad, they return several top contributors while adding a top 40 recruiting class to the mix.
Lovell’s Analysis
Both games at the Hall of Fame Classic should provide quality win opportunities for the Tigers.
And considering that Missouri may potentially be a sleeper team in the SEC, Martin will be hoping that his group takes advantage of both games in Kansas City.
Adding Dru Smith to the rotation is going to be huge for Martin and company, as the 6-3 guard averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 assists during the 2017-18 season with Evansville.
With Jeremiah Tilmon also likely to take another step forward in his development, the Tigers made surprise a lot of people this season.
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