Press Box: A nudge needed for resumption of MU-KU hoops rivalry

It took five years, but Missouri fans finally got what they wanted last Sunday.

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AP

Chicago Blackhawks' Marcus Kruger (16), left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey playoffs Western Conference semifinal against the Detroit Red Wings in Chicago, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A rematch on the basketball court with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Sure, it was an exhibition game, and sure, it was at a neutral site, but it was a tiny step forward in a series formerly known as the Border War - er, I mean Border Showdown.

For the past week, Tiger fans and a handful of media members across the nation have been clamoring for the two schools to renew their annual rivalry. I don't blame them. From what I've heard and read about last week's 93-87 Kansas win, the atmosphere at the Sprint Center in Kansas City made it appear as if the rivalry picked up where it had left off in 2012.

Missouri fans, don't get your hopes up. Beg for it all you want, but it doesn't appear an annual matchup between these two teams is going to happen anytime soon.

Don't worry, you're not alone. Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin wants it to happen. Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk wants it too. Heck, even Michael Porter Jr. wants it.

Kansas coach Bill Self, however, does not for the moment.

Self has been painted as the villain in this discussion. After Sunday's contest, he said, "We're going to do what's best for us. We are not interested in what's doing best for Missouri, or what's best for Missouri fans. But if it's best for us to play them, we will."

Every story needs a bad guy, and Self clearly fits the bill. He's depriving Tiger fans of their chance to face a hated rival, and let's be honest, the closest thing Missouri has to a rival in the Southeastern Conference is Arkansas, mostly because the Razorbacks are led by former Tiger coach Mike Anderson.

Call out Self all you want, but Missouri has to take some of the blame in this series coming to a halt.

After all, why is it these two teams stopped playing each other? Oh, that's right. Missouri left for the SEC after the 2011-12 season.

Did Tiger fans really expect Kansas to say, "Hey, it's all good. Even though you bolted from the Big 12 Conference, we'll still play you during our nonconference schedule. No big deal."?

The stoppage of the series was the cost of doing business. Missouri had a choice to make: stay in the seemingly unstable Big 12 with its longtime rival, or leave for the SEC and receive a bigger conference revenue check?

Missouri put emotions aside and went for the bigger payday. It was a smart business decision, but it also meant a breakup with Kansas would be a consequence.

That leaves Missouri with only one of two possibilities to play Kansas.

One option is the Big 12/SEC Challenge. That has been an unlikely option, seeing as how Missouri has not been selected to play in this series since the 2014-15 season.

Since there are 10 teams in the Big 12 and 14 teams in the SEC, the bottom four teams in the SEC the previous season are left out of the Challenge. Missouri's last-place finish in 2016-17 means the Tigers are sidelined again in this year's Challenge.

To add fuel to the fire, this season, Kansas has been scheduled to play Texas A&M, which left with Missouri to join the SEC. Ouch.

The other option is the NCAA Tournament. This seems like the more probable scenario.

Since Missouri's departure from the Big 12 for the SEC, the NCAA committee has paired the Tigers and the Jayhawks to face each other in women's soccer (2014, '16), softball (2015) and volleyball (2015) in the NCAA Tournament.

It appears as if the committee has jumped on every chance to put these two schools together in the postseason. However, the Missouri men's basketball team has not made the NCAA Tournament since leaving the Big 12.

The Tigers' tournament drought is expected to end this season. Should the seeds allow for it to be a possibility, I expect the NCAA selection committee will do everything it can to put Missouri and Kansas in the same region. Looking ahead, Wichita, Kan., is a first-round site and Omaha, Neb., is one of the four regional hosts.

Last week's exhibition game has opened the door on this rivalry ever so slightly, but it's going to take a big push by an outside force to get these two teams on the court in a game that counts.

It's possible. Just don't get your hopes up.