After a season full of highs, the Missouri Tigers will open action against Utah State in the NCAA Tournament after they were announced as the No. 7 seed in the South Region on Selection Sunday. It is their 1st bid since 2018.

This marks the continuation of a season that was filled with highs and lows but started off with a bang that caught national attention.

The Tigers opened with nine straight wins before Kansas beat them on their home court. That didn’t derail their momentum, though, as they put together a number of impressive victories against out-of-conference opponents and went 11-7 in SEC play.

Here’s a look into what to know and how things could shake out for Mizzou in March Madness:

Scouting Utah State

No. 10-seeded Utah State, like Mizzou, had its ups and downs. The Aggies won their first 9, then finished strong, winning five consecutive games to cap the regular season and defeating Boise State and New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference Tournament before falling to San Diego State in the championship game.

Utah State enters this matchup averaging 79.1 points per game and shooting 48 percent from the field. This team will present an offensive threat to Mizzou. The Aggies are No. 13 in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom, and they hit 38.5 percent of their 3-point attempts with a 55.6 effective field-goal percentage.

How they got here

Utah State made a run through the Mountain West Tournament but fell, 62-57, to San Diego State in the championship. To sum up, the Aggies were outlasted by an opponent that has shown no shortage of fight all season, and that definitely shined through in the championship clash.

“They are very tough, they are very deep, they are very physical, they are just like a well-rounded bunch,” Utah State coach Ryan Odom told reporters after the game. “They keep coming at you. They play off each other really well. Just, no weaknesses.”

The Aggies still did enough to earn an at-large berth after playing in the NIT last season. Utah State reached the NCAAs in both 2021 and 2019, and it would have earned a berth in the COVID-cancelled 2020 tourney after winning the conference tournament.

Player to watch

Junior guard Steven Ashworth will undoubtedly be one for Mizzou to keep an eye on. Ashworth was named to the Mountain West All-Tournament team after leading the Aggies with 13 points and 2 steals in the championship game. Ashworth led Utah State this season with 16.3 points per game, 1 of 5 Aggies to average 10 points or more.

What they do best

While 3-point shooting failed the Aggies against San Diego State — they went 4-of-24, with several shots coming up short — this is a team that is usually solid in that area.

Utah State finished the season tied with Baylor for 17th in the NCAA with 9.5 3-pointers per game.

Best win this season

Utah State’s strength on offense was on full display when it surpassed the century mark against Westminster College (Utah), winning 106-68 on Dec. 15. The Aggies then shone in conference tournament action, knocking off No. 6 seed New Mexico, 91-76, on Thursday and taking down No. 2 seed Boise State, 72-62, on Friday.

Interesting fact to know

These aren’t just 2 teams that have done well offensively this season. They’re 2 of the best in the country. One of the biggest things to watch in what will likely be a shootout is who runs out of steam first — something that told the story of how Utah State lost in the conference championship.

Mizzou ands Utah both rank in the nation’s top 30 offensively, as the Tigers average 80.1 points per game and Utah State 79.1. Guard Kobe Brown leads Missouri with 15.8 points per contest.

Prediction

There’s no question that a high number of points will be scored here, and that bettors should feel safest taking the over. Mizzou 84, Utah State 79.

Beyond the opener

How things play out for the Tigers will be something to watch, considering the team has not been on this stage in 5 years. The 2nd round will feature a matchup against either Arizona or Princeton, who will face each other in Sacramento, Calif.