As Missouri tipped off against Georgia in the Southeastern Conference tournament on Thursday, Michael Porter Jr. leaned forward in his seat … much like the rest of Mizzou Nation was in anticipation of his first game since Nov. 10.
Moments later, MPJ entered the game to a thunderous ovation and promptly made a layup as the Tigers took a 10-0 lead and the roof was ready to burst off the Scottrade Center.
For a fleeting moment, you could picture some kind of basketball paradise on the horizon, a simpler place where all you had to do was parachute the nation’s top recruit into a group that already was formidable and reset all expectations for the NCAA Tournament.