Each summer, I like to research a Springfield sports topic from the past that fascinates me.
Sometimes those topics are worth celebrating — like the 2003 Southwest Missouri State baseball team that reached the College World Series or doing a deep dive into the most influential female sports figures in our proud sports area’s history.
But sometimes, I obsess over the stories that have some heartbreak, along with some joy to uncover at the same time.
This summer, I decided to look into what I believe to be the single most detrimental decision in Missouri State men’s basketball history — the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s choice to leave Missouri State out of the big dance in 2006.