Worst of Times: Mizzou's Misery Has Two 13-Game Losing Streaks in 3 Years

Big-time hoops is not all comparable to the women's program at UConn reaching 100 victories in a row. Even the most prominent universities have men's programs enduring periods of futility playing like girls. Missouri, enduring perhaps its most stagnant stint since Norm Stewart's coaching predecessor in the mid-1960s, tied a school-record 13-game losing streak it established only two seasons ago. At least Mizzou hoops isn't the biggest embarrassment from the Show-Me State this side of "Dim" Senator Air Claire McCaskill by avoiding becoming the first winless member in SEC competition since Georgia Tech in 1953-54. But the Tigers' two tailspins are fewer consecutive setbacks than half of the all-time longest losing streak by a current power-conference member - 27 by Syracuse in early 1960s.

Jim O'Brien was the only individual to coach two current power-league members (Boston College and Ohio State) when they incurred their longest existing losing streak until BC dropped 20 in a row extending to the opener this season. Former Big East Conference rival Rutgers incurred 15 consecutive reversals to end the 2014-15 season before St. John's bowed in 16 straight decisions in 2015-16. Mizzou was the only Tigers' program in SEC sidelined by tranquilizing-inducing losing streak. LSU dropped 15 consecutive contests as coach Johnny Jones frequently looked as strategically befuddled as a chief recruiter losing a satchel full of cash on a recruiting trip. Meanwhile, Washington lost nine in a row for the fifth time in school history before reaching double digits in successive setbacks for the first time (13 following Pac 12 tourney opener). Georgetown, Iowa and North Carolina State also struggling this season but they remain among the elite basketball schools - including Creighton, Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Purdue, UNLV, Utah and West Virginia - never reaching double figures in consecutive setbacks: