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Cuonzo Martin thinks Missouri is an NCAA Tournament team - if healthy

Here are today’s Mizzou Links.

By Sammy Stava

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We talkin’ about practice, man (said in best Allen Iverson voice)

The Missouri football team may be on its bye week, but the Missouri men’s basketball team held its first official practice of the 2019-2020 season yesterday.

Afterwards, head coach Cuonzo Martin met with reporters at media availability. The biggest takeaway from the session? He truly thinks this is an NCAA Tournament team, if healthy.

Now, almost every coach in America is going to speak highly of their team on the first day of practice, but Martin is right on this one— especially about the injuries.

Losing Michael Porter Jr. in 2017 was supposed to be a death blow to the season. At the very least, making the NCAA Tournament despite this disaster turned out to be maybe the best coaching job of his career, all things considered. Last season was already lost after the injuries to Jontay Porter and Mark Smith, but if you think about it, Missouri wasn’t that far off an NIT bid, finishing with a 15-17 record.

For once, we need to see what Cuonzo Martin can do with a fully healthy roster, and maybe that comes this season. Here’s hoping that the third time’s a charm, because he has an intriguing roster to work with.

Maybe it’s a team that can reach the Sweet 16..... we do have a Twitter poll up and running, so go ahead and VOTE NOW!

Yesterday at Rock M

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  • Missouri makes the Top 3 for three-star defensive back Nate Floyd, along with Texas Tech and Arizona

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