A long and winding regular season for Mizzou volleyball comes to a close this weekend after games at Mississippi State and Alabama. After a 1-4 start in SEC play, the Tigers have won six of their last eight as they currently sit above .500 in the conference. The team lost its last match 3-1 after a valiant effort against No. 2 Kentucky.
“I think there’s still a lot to prove for this team, and I don’t think they’re done,” head coach Dawn Sullivan said. “[I am] just so just really impressed with them
every day and how they continue to show up and grow.”
Before we dive into this week’s pair of opponents, let’s check in to see where Mizzou is projected in both the SEC and NCAA Tournament.
Bracket on the Brain
Mizzou is still hanging around the bubble, ranked No. 45 in the RPI and No. 38 in the KPI. A very similar team to compare the Tigers to was Washington in 2024 (No. 46 in RPI, No. 40 in KPI), who qualified for the tournament as one of the final at-large bids given. Volleyball Bracketologist still has Mizzou in the tournament as one of two at-large teams on the 12-seed, making them one of the last teams projected in the field.
Like I mentioned in last week’s preview, the Tigers should be in if they win their next three against Mississippi State, Alabama and their first match in the SEC tournament. However, a second win in the tournament would all but guarantee a place in the Big Dance.
The Tigers are still projected as the No. 6 team in the SEC tournament, but can move up to No. 4/5 if the following results happen in the next week:
Florida loses its last match
Tennessee loses 1 of its last 2
Georgia loses its last match
Oklahoma loses 1 of its last 2
While not all of these are likely to happen, Mizzou has put themselves in a good spot to be no lower than No. 6 in the conference with the possibility of moving up to No. 4/5 with just a little bit of help. But with all that said, they still have to take care of business in in its two games this week. Here’s what you need to know as the Tigers hit the road.
Deep South Duels
Mizzou starts the week in Stark Vegas in an important matchup against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are extremely similar to the Tigers, ranked No. 73 in the RPI and right behind them at 6-7 in SEC play.
One major strength of Mississippi State is the team defense, ranking No. 4 in the SEC in opposing hitting percentage at .193. The leader of the defensive front is middle blocker Noella Obi who ranks sixth in the conference in total blocks at 68. She has recorded a block in each of her last seven games, totaling 29 during that streak. Mizzou has to find creative ways to avoid and stifle this Bulldog block.
Alabama has struggled this season, ranking outside the RPI top 100 and is currently 3-10 in conference action.
Similar to Mississippi State, Alabama finds its strength in its defense; mostly because the Tide rank last in the SEC as they are hitting .200. Libero Trinity Stanger ranks sixth in the SEC with 330 digs to anchor that defensive effort. Another top notch player is setter Hannah Parant who ranks first in the conference with 48 service aces. She routinely records 2-3 aces in a match, setting a new career-high with 10 against Memphis early in the year. For Mizzou they need to identify when Parant comes to the service line, as serve receive has been a continuing point of focus.
While road matches are never easy, Mizzou is likely to be favored heading into both of these showdowns.
Player to Watch: Caylen Alexander
As the Tigers continue to work their way through the season, it has become apparent just how big of a role that Caylen Alexander plays on the team. In one season with Mizzou, Alexander currently totals 144 kills and 156 digs. She was pulled in the Vandy loss due to injury, and her absence was very noticeable. She returned to the court against Kentucky, racking up 22 kills as the Tigers kept it close. In her last 12 matches that she has played in full, the outside hitter has finished with 15-plus kills.
“I feel like my only goal for this year was just to be a steady presence,” Alexander said. And “I feel like I definitely have gotten to a good place..being someone that can be reliable. I would say, I’ve achieved my goals.”
With the most crucial part of the season ahead, the Tigers need to avoid any slip-ups. The message appears clear in the locker room, as Alexander and the rest of the team is doing everything they can to prepare for these matches down the stretch.
“I think just playing together and just realizing the goals that we have set up before season even started, and how we can stick by them and stay disciplined so that we can go as far as we can,” Alexander said.
Mizzou travels to Starkville to take on Mississippi State at 6 p.m. on Friday. The match will be available to watch on SEC Network either through the app or on TV.
