Nations top prospect talks commitment

Throughout the recruiting process, Ricardo Ratliffe had planned to take all five of his official visits. After each trip, Ratliffe said everyone was even and gave away nothing. But that changed after his trip to Missouri this weekend. Ratliffe committed to the Tigers on Sunday morning.

"I always liked the coaches, I thought they were real straight up guys," Ratliffe said. "I always kept them in the back of my mind and they were always in my top three. I just wasn't quite as close to them as I was some other coaches because they started recruiting me a little later. But the more I got to know them, the more I felt comfortable with them and felt that I can have an impact right away. When I came on my visit, they let me know everything was true that they told me."

The coaches were a big selling point for the Tigers, but it was the players who made the final pitch to Ratliffe this weekend.

"The guys I was with mostly were Kim English and Marcus (Denmon) and the other recruit, Matt (Pressey)," Ratliffe said. "I played with them and I could see they needed a player like me. But I need them too. They've got a lot of good guards, so I need them and they need me."

Playing time is something Ratliffe has talked about throughout the recruiting process. But while the Tigers offer that, it was their success on the court the last couple of seasons that played a major factor in the end.

"That was a big plus," Ratliffe said. "A lot of the other schools I was looking at, they were up and coming programs. It felt good going to a program that was already established, already went to an Elite eight and has a very successful coach. He knows what he's doing and has a lot of experience."

Of Ratliffe's final five, the Tigers were one of just two who went to the NCAA Tournament this year. And the other finalist that made the field, Clemson, was beaten by Missouri in round one. He had already visited Clemson, Arkansas and Alabama and was supposed to take a trip to Cincinnati next weekend, which he has now cancelled.

"I didn't want to wait. I didn't want them to waste their time or their money on a plane ticket or food or anything," Ratliffe said. "I figured I'd save them some time and some money because I knew where I wanted to go."

So this weekend marked Ratliffe's final official visit. His mother was along for the trip and Ratliffe reported she was thrilled with his decision.

"She basically committed before I committed. That's how much she enjoyed it," Ratliffe said. "Mama knows best. She knows me and she knows what I like and we both were in agreement."

Ratliffe was rated the top junior college prospect in America by JucoJunction and joins a Missouri recruiting class that was already in Rivals.com's top ten. He said he will sign with the Tigers on Wednesday when the late signing period officially opens.