Your Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team has had a tough season under first-year head coach Kim Anderson. This was expected. There’s a lot of youth on the team, and this is Anderson’s first year at the helm of a Division I team.

For example, during my glorious freshman year living in Hudson Hall, my friends and I moved our dynasty from “pro” difficulty to “all-star” in MVP Baseball 2005 (one of the greatest sports video games of all-time). The learning curve was severe and the adjustment period was grueling, so I can relate to what Coach Anderson has gone through this year.

As of right now, the Tigers have a record of 9-21 with a conference record of 3-14. I mention the record to remind you guys that the Tigers are not going to the NCAA tournament this year. But I don’t want you guys skipping classes on the first Thursday of the tournament having no idea who you should be rooting for. Here are four of the most likable teams that should be playing that first weekend and that _you_ should be rooting for.

**1. Gonzaga**

Mark Few is too often left out of the conversation for best coaches in the country. Led by junior Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer and senior Kevin Pangos (who has been there for what seems like seven years) the Bulldogs are 29-2 and have an outside shot at a No. 1 seed. Wiltjer struggled to find minutes at Kentucky but leads the Bulldogs in scoring. Pangos is one of the smartest players in the country and has outstanding hair to boot. The Bulldogs play excellent offensive team basketball, which is why they lead the country in shooting percentage. The Bulldogs are easily the most likable of the traditional powers that will be in the tournament.

**2. Northern Iowa**

I shouldn’t have to explain this one. Small school from the Midwest that beat Kansas in the tourney just a few years ago. Kurt Warner’s alma mater. Not sure what more a Mizzou fan needs to root for a team. However, in the interest of educating my readers, I’ll continue on about the Panthers. As a team, they shoot nearly 40 percent from three-point land, which is an exceptional statistic. The Panthers also have senior big man Seth Tuttle, who is one of the best inside-out post players in the country.

**3. Wisconsin-Green Bay**

The only reason I’m putting Green Bay on here is for their star guard, Keifer Sykes. Yes, it’s for more than just the simple fact that he shares the same first name is the actor who played Jack Bauer on “24.” Sykes is a big time scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game. The guy has also scored nearly 2,000 points in his career. If you’re looking for the hero on a Cinderella that could have an upset or two in the tourney, look no further than Sykes and the Green Bay Phoenix.

**4. Boise State**

Obviously, Boise is known for their football team and football field, but the Boise State basketball team is solid this year. Playing the whole season without their best player, Anthony Drmic, Boise is 22-7. Their new star, senior Derrick Marks, is one of the most prolific scorers in the nation. The Broncos are coming off a huge win at San Diego State last week, which is one of the toughest places to win in the country. That win bodes well for the Broncos the rest of the month.