The Jan. 29 AP Top 25 men’s college basketball list has been released, and Missouri fans may be displeased to see their team ranked just outside the list.

The AP list is the most prestigious ranking in college basketball. Every week, sports writers and broadcasters make top 25 lists, and the Associated Press compiles them into a cumulative top 25 list.

After the 78-61 win against the previously ranked No. 13 Iowa State Cyclones, it seemed Missouri would land inside the top 25. However, Missouri was ranked No. 26 with 74 votes, behind the Auburn Tigers with 117 votes. Iowa State only dropped one spot to No. 14.

Fortunately for the Tigers, Missouri has plenty of opportunities to prove itself in the coming weeks.

Missouri’s next three games will be against Louisiana State, Mississippi State and South Carolina. While wins in all three of these games could potentially get the Tigers back in the top 25, that alone won’t earn Missouri the respect of its peers and voters. It will need to prove its worth against two teams in the current top 25, No. 2 Tennessee and No. 25 Auburn.

The Tennessee Volunteers are one of the most dominant teams in men’s college basketball this year. Senior guard Santiago Vescovi leads the team with 12.2 points per game, followed by sophomore guard Zakai Zeigler and senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua at 11.2 and 11, respectively.

Even making a close game at Tennessee’s home court would be a huge step for Missouri, as the Volunteers have a 19.9 point differential against their opponents. Beating a top-2 team in the country would be a huge statement for the Tigers and could instantly earn them a high ranking in the top 25.

The Auburn Tigers are also a formidable opponent for Missouri. While they are on a two-game losing streak, they still rank fourth in the Southeastern Conference. The team is led by junior guard Wendell Green Jr. and sophomore forward Johni Broome, who both are averaging just over 13 points per game.

Auburn has holes though, and can be beaten much easier than Tennessee. Auburn is second to last in the SEC for 3-point percentage, at only 29.5%. If Missouri can keep up its pace on offense and take advantage of Auburn’s lack of shooting, it can secure a solid win.

After a disappointing 12-21 record in the 2021-2022 season, it is not surprising that voters are hesitant to rank Missouri high. However, if it can keep winning games and upset some higher ranked opponents, Missouri will be back in the top 25.

Edited by Davis Wilson, dwilson@themaneater.com
Copy Edited by Mary Philip