Missouri Tigers: 4 Reasons Why Mizzou Can Advance to the Final Four

Survive and advance. 

That's what March Madness is all about. 

In Columbia, Missouri, the No. 2 Tigers await a first-round matchup with No. 15 Norfolk St., poised to make a deep run in the tournament and take a real shot at a National Championship.

Mizzou fans know all too well what it's like to hold great hope in the Tigers, only to have their hearts ripped out repeatedly (being an alum of the school, I can attest to this with absolute verity).

Don't ask a Missouri fan about Dwyane Wade and Marquette impeding a Missouri invite to the Final Four in 2003, or about being one win away against Oklahoma in 2008 from playing for the BCS National Championship.

In fact, the only major title Missouri has ever won was the 1954 College World Series and that's not exactly holding Missouri fans over.

No, no, these are sensitive issues, along with several other heartbreakers endured by the Missouri faithful over many arduous years.

So, why all the optimism this year? Is it justified? Should Missouri fans expect a similar fate to that from the past?

Nope, not this year and not this time. 

What's different? Here are a few reasons why Missouri fans can expect big things during the 2012 NCAA Tournament:

The Draw

Certainly the West Region isn't "easy," but it's a far cry from the other regions. As the No. 2 seed, Missouri gets the most "beatable" No. 1 seed in Michigan State, and a less treacherous path to New Orleans. If chalk prevails, Missouri faces matchups against No. 7 Florida, No. 3 Marquette and No. 1 Michigan St. in order to reach the Final Four

Other No. 2 seeds like arch rival Kansas, Duke and Ohio State, are faced with much more formidable No. 1 seeds: North Carolina, Kentucky and Syracuse—if they even last that long.

The Seniors

The landscape and makeup of collegiate and professional basketball has changed so much in recent years, making the idea of a senior-laden team obsolete. With a lineup consisting of four seniors—Kim English, Ricardo Ratliffe, Marcus Denmon and Matt Pressey—and bolstered by the play of junior Michael Dixon and super-sophomore Phil "Flip" Pressey, the Tigers have uncanny leadership and chemistry after playing together for so long.

Come tournament time, leadership and poise become critical assets, just as much as rebounding and three-point shooting. First year head coach Frank Haith has this team playing with amazing chemistry and the Big XII title only provides more momentum for such a balanced squad.

The Scoring

If you like points and tempo, look no further. Missouri averaged 80.3 points-per-game this season, good for sixth-best in the entire country. Only North Carolina, amongst the major programs, finished ahead of Mizzou. And it's not as if Missouri just throws up a ton of shots.  The team is extremely accurate, hitting 50.4 percent of shots from the floor—good for a second-place tie nationally. Missouri's passing and shot-making were unparalleled all season long and a huge reason why they won 30 games.

Faith in Haith

Frank Haith arrived in Columbia under a cloud of suspicion last year, for two reasons. First, nobody knew who he was, nor could they understand why Missouri didn't land a "bigger" name during the vetting process. Then, allegations surrounding Miami, his former employer, generated a certain level of uneasiness to a program all too familiar with scandal (see Quin Snyder and Ricky Clemons in the dictionary).

Despite an unheralded welcome to the "Show Me State", Haith proved a lot—providing a fan base with a 30-4 season and a BIg XII Championship. Haith definitely has Mizzou playing a solid brand of basketball, but most importantly, they seem to have a certain "something" about them. 

Something that they'll need to win a National Championship.

What do you think? Can Missouri Make the Final Four? Who's your pick?

Ryan O'Leary is a researcher and writer for Bleacher Report's Video Production Department with seven years experience in the sports industry. Ryan covered the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Hockey Tournament with CTV and has spent time covering the IIHF World Championships, NHL and Collegiate Hockey during his career.