WICHITA, Kan. — Only one Tiger remains from the Missouri team that reached the NCAA Tournament two years ago, the new reality of the transfer portal era.
Instead of leaving, Blue Valley product Aidan Shaw stayed put and is back in the big dance with the Tigers.
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The junior says he's leaning on that previous experience to help him prepare for round two.
"Our freshman year going in there I was really wide-eyed like wow, this is really it, I can't believe it," said the Missouri junior forward. "Being here again, I definitely feel more, I wouldn't say calm because I'm excited but more aware. Definitely, experience helps."
Outside of Shaw, Missouri has seven other players with NCAA Tournament experience - Mark Mitchell (Duke), Caleb Grill (Iowa State), Tamar Bates (Indiana), Josh Gray (South Carolina), Tony Perkins (Iowa), Jeremy Sanchez (Cleveland State) and Marques Warrick (Northern Kentucky).
None of them, however, have played in the big dance as Tigers, but that changes Thursday evening when Missouri takes on Drake in the first round in Wichita.
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