Missouri and Kansas were on a break.
A permanent one, it was thought, until last week.
Since the Tigers left the Big 12 Conference for the SEC in 2012, the Tigers and the Jayhawks have found themselves devoid of thrilling games against one another on the gridiron and the basketball court.
That is until this Sunday, it turns out. The historic rivals have pledged to get together once again on Sunday in Kansas City to play an exhibition basketball game with proceeds pledged to hurricane relief.
It’s just an exhibition, put on for an important cause, but it’s hard to imagine these two schools won’t take it seriously..
The last meeting in basketball between Missouri and Kansas was one of the all-time greats. In late February 2012, the Jayhawks erased a 19-point deficit in the second half, forced overtime and won by one point in the crazed confines of Allen Fieldhouse.
The game just three weeks before that one was a classic, as Missouri scored the last 11 points of the game, winning 74-71 in front of a packed house in Columbia.
In basketball alone, Mizzou and Kansas have met 268 times. Kansas has prevailed in 172 of those matchups, dominating consistently in the early history of the rivalry. The last time the two schools faced off on the court, few current Missouri students were enrolled. In fact, most of the Tigers’ current freshman class was wrapping up its last semester of seventh grade.
At the Sprint Center on Sunday, the rivalry will be renewed, at least in spirit. If you go:
Be ready for The Antlers to brave the two-hour jaunt on I-70 and fill a few rows, chanting “M-I-Z-F-k-U.” Yes, that means what you think. Yes, the k is lowercase.
Be ready for Kansas fans to pack the place, since it’s closer to Lawrence than to Columbia. They’ll provide a formidable home-court advantage, like they do at “the Phog.”
Be ready for a first glance at Missouri superstar Michael Porter Jr. and his brother Jontay Porter, along with other high-ranked recruits in Jeremiah Tilmon and Blake Harris.
Kansas will field a squad led by Devonte’ Graham and Malik Newman. The Jayhawks bring their own set of brothers into the game in University of Memphis transfers Dedric Lawson and K.J. Lawson.
Be ready for an amazing atmosphere. I’m too young to have been to a game as a student between these two schools, but just by watching clips on YouTube, I can tell how much Mizzou Arena buzzed when Missouri and Kansas hit the court.
The rivalry — known as the Border War until being technically renamed the Border Showdown in 2004 — has defined the relationship between Missouri and Kansas since the 19th century.
On Sunday, current Missouri students will get to taste it for the first time. They’ll get to feel the passion that filled campus whenever an MU-KU matchup rolled around. They’ll get to bellow chants, cheer on the Tigers and chide the Jayhawks. They’ll get to experience MU as it was and as it is meant to be: no longer devoid of its historic archrival.
Every yin has its yang. Every hero has his or her villain. Every Russell Westbrook has his Kevin Durant.
This weekend, Missouri will have its Kansas again. It remains to be seen how long that will hold true, so, Missouri fans, enjoy it while it lasts.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_
