Despite an 8-0 record to start the season, Missouri's debut on the first NET rankings left a lot to be desired. The Tigers were ranked 51st in the NCAA's first ranking of the year, and much of the low rank has to do with their strength of schedule.
So far, Missouri has played the second easiest schedule in the country, and while the wins have come in bunches, the Tigers have yet to face an opponent in the top 100 of the NET rankings.
That will all change on Tuesday, when Missouri will head north to face Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish debuted at No. 83 in the NET, and, while just 5-3 on the season, their only losses have come to power teams, including top-25 teams in Houston and Kansas.
Has the light schedule prepared Missouri enough for the tough road ahead?
After Notre Dame, Missouri will return home to face the No. 21 Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday. While the 8-0 record looks pretty on paper, there's certainly question marks about whether the easy schedule has done enough to prepare the Tigers for a difficult week. On the other hand, maybe its given head coach Dennis Gates enough time to figure out his rotations and develop some chemistry.
Missouri will also likely be without Jayden Stone, who has missed the last two games due to a hand injury. Stone, who is expected to miss at least another week, has averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists on the season.
Missouri opens as a slight favorite over the Fighting Irish, and will get their first real litmus test of the year. Two wins this week will almost surely vault the Tigers into the AP Top 25, but one or even two losses will put a huge damper on an otherwise uneventful non-conference schedule.