ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — A surging Miami (Fla.) team and a Missouri squad looking to halt a late-season slide will meet with their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line Friday when the Hurricanes and Tigers face off in a playoff game at Enterprise Center.

The game, scheduled for March 20, 2026, pairs the seed Hurricanes (25-8) against the seed Tigers (20-12) in a Midwest Region first-round matchup. Miami enters as a 1.5-point favorite, with an over/under set at 149.5 points.

Miami, despite an 84-62 loss at Virginia in its regular-season finale, had won five of its previous six games. The Hurricanes are led by forward Malik Reneau, who averaged 17.5 points over a recent six-game stretch, including a 24-point performance in a win over Louisville. His interior presence will be critical against a Missouri defense that has struggled recently.

The Tigers limp into the postseason having lost three straight, including a 78-72 home defeat to Kentucky on March 12. Missouri’s hopes rest largely on the shoulders of guard Mark Mitchell, who has been a prolific scorer during the skid. Mitchell poured in 32 points in each of the losses to Kentucky and Arkansas, averaging 28.2 points over his last six contests. His backcourt battle with Miami’s Dante Allen and Tru Washington will be a key matchup.

While Missouri boasts a potent scorer in Mitchell, its defense has allowed an average of 81.3 points during the three-game losing streak. Miami, which averages 76.2 points per game, will look to exploit that vulnerability. The Hurricanes have shown resilience in close games, with four of their last eight wins coming by four points or fewer.

The neutral-site setting in St. Louis offers a slight geographic advantage for Missouri, but the Tigers must reverse their recent form to advance. The winner will advance to face the victor of the game between seed Gonzaga and seed Colgate on Sunday.