Dennis Gates insists No. 15 Mizzou has 'another level' to reach ahead of game at No. 4 Tennessee
COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 Can Missouri men鈥檚 basketball take another leap on Rocky Top? Its coach thinks so.
The No. 15 Tigers (17-4, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) will extend their arms toward the metaphorical ceiling against No. 4 Tennessee (18-4, 5-4) at 6 p.m. in Knoxville and on the SEC Network.
Mizzou has won its last two ranked road games, with the latest being Saturday鈥檚 27-point drubbing of Mississippi State. But third-year coach Dennis Gates remains adamant his MU team could be better 鈥 even if, at face value, it seems disingenuous.
鈥淭he ceiling of our team has not been reached yet,鈥 Gates said. 鈥淚 truly believe that: There is another level or two that we can go to. I鈥檝e mentioned it before in the past, and sometimes you guys think I鈥檓 just making statements, but I really do mean that because I base it off the potential that I see every day in practice. ... When it comes down to our potential, we have not yet reached it.鈥
Beating the Volunteers on their home floor would certainly raise the ceiling and expectations for a Missouri team that is already shaping up to be a potential top five seed at the NCAA Tournament.
The Vols have had a mixed bag of a slate so far this season. They rose to No. 1 in the nation after winning their first 14 games, including big nonconference victories against Louisville, Baylor and Illinois 鈥 none of which came on Tennessee鈥檚 home floor.
SEC play, however, has seen UT fall to Florida, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Kentucky. The loss to the Gators, which the Vols avenged over the weekend, was a 43-point output for Tennessee鈥檚 offense. Defeats to the Commodores, Wildcats and Auburn came by a combined eight points.
The Vols鈥 20-point win over No. 6 Florida on Saturday seemed like a statement result. While Mizzou was bullying the Bulldogs in Starkville, Tennessee was blowing out a highly ranked UF team without two key players.
Zakai Zeigler, the 5-foot-9 guard who zips around the floor to the tune of 12.3 points and 2.1 steals per game, missed that contest with a knee injury suffered last week. The early sense out of Knoxville is that he avoided a serious injury, though, and could be back against MU.
Big man Igor Milicic, who averages 10.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, was out with an illness.
In their stead, guard Chaz Lanier shined. The Vols鈥 leading scorer is following in the steps of former Tennessee star Dalton Knecht, who transferred up a level to become one of the best players in the SEC a year ago. Lanier, a transfer from North Florida, scored 19 against Florida and averages 17.9 points per game while shooting 42.2% from 3-point range.
Gates called this Tennessee unit one of Vols coach Rick Barnes鈥 鈥渂etter teams.鈥 The MU coach likened his upcoming opponent to a past one, Auburn, in that the Volunteers have last season鈥檚 disappointment to counter.
鈥淟ast season, for Tennessee, ended prematurely for them,鈥 Gates said. 鈥淚 thought they had a national championship team, leave no doubt about it.鈥
One of the challenges for Missouri will be getting to the free-throw line, which has been one of the Tigers鈥 strengths this season. Tennessee commits 15.1 fouls per game in SEC play, which is the fewest in the conference. That leads to opponents attempting just 16.6 free throws per contest, also the lowest mark in the league.
Mizzou, meanwhile, has shot 25.3 free throws per game in conference play, which suggests something will have to yield in the way of the charity stripe.
鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean they don鈥檛 foul, they just do a great job of doing the things that they do well,鈥 Gates said. 鈥淭hey are No. 1 in rim protection. They鈥檙e No. 1 in a lot of categories, defensively, and they鈥檙e going to do a great job. That environment is going to be a tough environment to play in.鈥
And the environment is where he thinks the Tigers can take a step toward their ceiling: by 鈥渕aking sure that we鈥檙e showing up, from an emotional, mental and physical standpoint to each and every game no matter the environment,鈥 Gates said.
The other part is getting solid outings from more players in the rotation. The shooting of guard Caleb Grill has buoyed MU of late, and while Gates isn鈥檛 complaining about that, he鈥檇 like to see a tide that raises all boats flow through the rotation. Players like point guard Anthony Robinson II and forward Mark Mitchell are due for impactful performances.
鈥淭he other part of it is making sure all cylinders are clicking,鈥 Gates said. 鈥淲e have yet to play a game where every single person is playing up to their potential, and that鈥檚 what I gauge it off of.鈥
Mizzou basketball guard Tamar Bates, left, speaks with the media on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, after Illinois' Braggin' Rights win over Mizzou at Enterprise Center. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
Gordo: Dennis Gates engineers dramatic reversal by adding experience, toughness
Many factors propelled the Missouri Tigers from 8-24 last season to 17-4 so far this season.
But we鈥檒l start here: Coach Dennis Gates essentially traded young Jordan Butler to South Carolina for hardened Southeastern Conference veteran Josh Gray.
College basketball is a grown-man sport today, and Gates has a bunch of them, Gray included, playing at a high level.
Butler was part of a promising 2023 freshman class that wasn鈥檛 ready to produce. And when many things went wrong for the Tigers last season, that was exposed.
Anthony Robinson II struggled with the adjustment to college basketball on and off the court, due in part to family concerns. Trent Pierce dazzled during the summer, then vanished during the season while limited by an inner ear issue.
The wiry Butler threw himself into the fray, but he got manhandled in league play as the Tigers went 0-18.
Missouri would have been more competitive last season had Caleb Grill and John Tonje stayed healthy and starred like they have this season. That didn鈥檛 happen, so Truman took a beating.
Grill ranks second in Division I hoops on 3-point shooting with 49% efficiency; Tonje is averaging 18.6 points per game for Wisconsin after moving on from his lost season in Boone County.
Such scoring, combined with what Sean East II and Tamar Bates provided last season, would have won some games.
Ah, the would-haves and should-haves ...
Last season鈥檚 failure put Gates squarely on the spot. The equity he built with an exciting run to the NCAA Tournament in Year 1 was gone.
Gates had to make sure this time around. He lined up an excellent freshman class of high-level recruits, but he also marshaled the program鈥檚 resources to secure well-tested veterans via the transfer portal.
The Butler-Gray swap with South Carolina was symbolic of that commitment, but it was also integral. Butler still isn鈥檛 ready for the SEC, as his limited role with the Gamecocks this season underscored.
Meanwhile, Gray provides this team the rebounding muscle and general aggression needed in this highly physical conference.
Until he totaled 10 points at Mississippi, he hadn鈥檛 scored in double figures all season. But that鈥檚 not what he鈥檚 here for.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I even put a shot up in some of those games where I went scoreless,鈥 Gray noted last week. 鈥淚 was just really keying in on being locked in on the defensive side, running our stuff right and getting people open with my screens.鈥
Gates challenged this team to attack the basket and earn free throws. Duke transfer Mark Mitchell led that charge, beating bigger defenders off the dribble and backing down the smaller ones.
Iowa transfer Tony Perkins brought tough on-ball defense and steadiness running the point. He and Robinson set a tenacious defensive tone out front, something the Tigers lacked last season while turnstile Nick Honor logged big minutes.
Like Robinson, Pierce matured during his sophomore season and became an impact player. But UT Martin transfer Jacob Crews, who turns 25 this summer, can tag in as needed and add a lift at both ends of the court.
Northern Kentucky transfer Marques Warrick slid to the edge of the playing rotation during league play, but he is a pure scorer who has produced 12 or more points six times.
Last season, 7-foot-5 Connor Vanover wasn鈥檛 the biggest disappointment in program history, but he was among the tallest. Jesus Carralero Martin was a bust after transferring from Campbell 鈥 and this season he has been a bust at Bethune-Cookman after transferring there.
Junior college player of the year Curt Lewis quickly proved he wasn鈥檛 a high-major player. He moved on to more disappointment at mid-major East Tennessee State.
After enduring last season鈥檚 fiasco, Gates went overboard while improving his depth. He gathered 14 viable players, plus 7-foot-5 Trent Burns, who presumably is using a redshirt year to build strength.
Freshmen Marcus Allen, Peyton Marshall and T.O. Barrett have all delivered good stretches in key game situations. And prized recruit Annor Boateng might have the most upside of any player currently running 14th on a Division I depth chart.
But since freshmen eligibility became a thing, it鈥檚 never been tougher for first-year players to make a mark. Over at Illinois, Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivisic are special cases because of their European training against older players.
Will Riley was one of the top 2024 North American recruits, and even he has experienced serious ups and downs for the Fighting Illini in his first year.
Across the major conferences, teams have acquired established transfer talent at the expense of teenagers. Name, image and likeness money and limitless transfers allow coaches to reload with seasoned veterans.
Jordan Butler doesn鈥檛 turn 20 until this summer. Josh Gray, in Year 5 of the SEC wars, turns 24 in April. Gray鈥檚 listed 260 pounds is only 20 more than Butler鈥檚 listed 240, but he brings about three times more heft in the lane.
Compared side by side, these two big men can tell the story of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Missouri Tigers.
Mizzou basketball guard Tamar Bates, left, speaks with the media on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, after Illinois' Braggin' Rights win over Mizzou at Enterprise Center. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
Mizzou's Josh Gray, 3 ex-SLU basketball players sue NCAA in federal antitrust lawsuit
COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 Missouri men鈥檚 basketball center Josh Gray and three former 最新杏吧原创 University men鈥檚 basketball players are suing the NCAA and its power conferences, echoing familiar antitrust allegations as they seek monetary damages in a new federal lawsuit.
Gray and the former Billikens 鈥 Hasahn French, Lamont Evans IV and Jimmy Bell Jr. 鈥 are part of a group of 67 athletes arguing they have been harmed by their previous inability to receive compensation for their name, imagine and likeness. They鈥檙e now suing to be awarded an unspecified amount in damages.
Their lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in California, accuses the NCAA of price fixing through its policies. The Power Five conferences 鈥 the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 鈥 are also defendants.
Those allegations, and the broader question of whether to award damages to college athletes who competed during a time when they were not allowed to receive compensation like they presently can, are nothing new. The sprawling House v. NCAA case in the same Northern California court tackled that issue and spawned a settlement which will send $2.8 billion in back pay to that class of athletes.
This new antitrust lawsuit is tied to the House settlement. The group of 67 athletes now suing the NCAA, led by former Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill, have all opted out of the House settlement.
Doing so is something of a legal gamble. By opting out, they forfeit their share of back pay, which court documents say spread over 10 years for men鈥檚 basketball and football players. (The exact amount that a specific player stands to receive is unclear.)
But opting out, which they had to do by Friday鈥檚 deadline, preserves their ability to sue the NCAA in similar fashion 鈥 which this group elected to do.
Whether this new lawsuit, dubbed Hill et al v. NCAA et al, will produce the damages that these athletes seek 鈥 or when that would happen 鈥 is also unclear. Nearly five years after the House case was filed, final approval of its settlement is still yet to come.
In the Hill lawsuit, the players argue that NCAA and conference rules kept them from earning compensation for their NIL and 鈥渁thletic services.鈥 The complaint contains mirroring assertions about those policies鈥 effect on each individual plaintiff 鈥 take Gray鈥檚 section as an example:
鈥淕ray has been a valuable asset to the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference,鈥 the lawsuit reads. 鈥淏ut the NCAA鈥檚 pay-for-play rules prohibited him from earning any compensation or benefits for his athletic services, aside from the limited and fixed categories of compensation that Defendants allow, primarily an athletic scholarship. But for the NCAA鈥檚 anticompetitive rules prohibiting pay-for-play compensation, (Gray) would have received substantial additional compensation in the relevant labor market for his services. He was harmed by these anticompetitive rules.鈥
The complaint also attacks the NCAA and conferences for making billions of dollars from college sports while athletes weren鈥檛 allowed to receive compensation for NIL until 2021.
鈥淒efendants鈥 actions are solely to enhance revenue for themselves and their for-profit business partners by, for example, being able to take all of the revenue related to the commercial use of student-athletes鈥 names, images, and likenesses for themselves,鈥 the lawsuit reads. 鈥淒efendants鈥 actions have no relationship to any alleged goal of 鈥榓mateurism.鈥欌
The amount of damages that the Hill plaintiffs are requesting 鈥渉as not yet been ascertained,鈥 according to the complaint, but given that the athletes opted out of the House settlement, it鈥檚 likely more than they would have received from that agreement鈥檚 back pay.
The lawsuit is not directed toward the University of Missouri nor 最新杏吧原创 University.
Gray is in his first season with the Mizzou men鈥檚 basketball team and has played in all 21 of the Tigers鈥 games. He spent the 2020-21 season 鈥 the lone season of his career that would be subject to the lawsuit, since NIL compensation became permissible in 2021 鈥 at Louisiana State before transferring to South Carolina.
French played four seasons at SLU, appearing in 117 games between 2017 and 2021.
Evans started his career at South Florida before joining the Billikens for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, in which he played seven games. He now plays at McNeese State.
Bell spent the 2019-21 seasons at 最新杏吧原创 University before a junior college season, transfer to West Virginia and another transfer to Mississippi State. After giving football a try at his last stop, Bell has declared for the 2025 NFL draft as an offensive lineman.
There鈥檚 a chance that the Hill lawsuit will impact final approval of the House settlement. Judge Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court in California鈥檚 northern district will hold a hearing April 7 to decide whether she鈥檒l approve, modify or reject the settlement. A wave of objections to the settlement 鈥 including those from a former Mizzou walk-on football player and a current MU swimmer 鈥 rolled in last week.
鈥淭hese follow-on lawsuits represent a very small minority of student athletes who could have participated in the settlement process,鈥 the NCAA said in a statement. 鈥淲e will explore all options as to these new lawsuits, but they do not present an obstacle to approval of the settlement, which will provide landmark new benefits to student athletes and is consistent with antitrust law.鈥
Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz speaks with the media on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics)
Hochman: Chiefs great calls Nick Bolton KC's 鈥榟eart and soul,鈥 as ex-Mizzou LB heads to Super Bowl
Kansas City鈥檚 Nick Bolton, right, celebrates after returning a fumble by Philadelphia鈥檚 Jalen Hurts for a touchdown in the first half of his team鈥檚 38-35 victory in the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. The teams have a Super Bowl rematch next Sunday.
Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press
Did you ever see a football player get hit so viciously that you shudder?
Like, the guy gets hit so hard that your body is affected?
Well, there was this Nick Bolton hit.
It was back in 2019, when the Kansas City Chiefs鈥 current leading tackler was a Mizzou sophomore. The Tigers hosted Tennessee. The visiting Volunteers had the ball on the Mizzou 2-yard line. The direct snap went to receiver Jauan Jennings, who ran right and scampered toward the goal line. Unbeknownst to this poor fellow, the linebacker locked eyes on him. Bolton bolted to his left and violently crunched Jennings just inches from a touchdown. It wasn鈥檛 a tackle; it was a collision.
That was Nick Bolton, age 19.
And now, age 24, Bolton bruises ball carriers in the highest league.
OK, so he鈥檚 clearly not Kansas City鈥檚 most famous player. He is not even Kansas City鈥檚 best defensive player. And heck, watch some games or talk to superfans and you鈥檒l learn about Bolton鈥檚 deficiencies in pass coverage. But Bolton is a blue-collar, indispensable part of the red-blooded Chiefs defense. He鈥檚 one of those old-school guys who would鈥檝e fit in with the Hank Stram Chiefs.
He just hits.
Hard.
Stuffs the run. Stymies the opposition. And changes games.
Like, for instance, against Jauan Jennings鈥 team in last year鈥檚 Super Bowl.
Of course, the Chiefs are in this year鈥檚 Super Bowl 鈥 Kansas City will attempt to be the first team to win three straight NFL championships since the Packers did so in the 1960s. But last year, Bolton made a team-high 13 tackles in the overtime win against the 49ers, with two quarterback hits, too (Jennings, to his credit, caught a touchdown pass and threw one, as well).
Oh, and in Bolton鈥檚 first Super Bowl, he had a team-high nine tackles ... and scored a touchdown on a 36-yard fumble return.
Get him on the stage, and he鈥檚 trouble.
鈥淣ick is the heart and soul of the Chiefs defense,鈥 said former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Tim Grunhard, a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame, to the Post-Dispatch on Sunday. 鈥淗is hustle and grit that he shows on every play exemplifies the steadfast play that (defensive coordinator) Steve Spagnuolo asks for 鈥 and receives from this unit, game in and game out. At the end of games, you can鈥檛 call up exotic defenses if you don鈥檛 have a unit that can execute the plan. With Nick as the green dot, Spags believes in the communication and believes that his coach on the field will get the unit in the right spot. That is invaluable. The guy just is a student of the game.鈥
Bolton鈥檚 Mizzou story is fascinating because he was just a guy until he became The Guy. A three-star recruit out of Texas, the 2018 freshman Bolton stood out with his special work ethic on special teams. He ended up playing in every game, corralling 22 tackles 鈥 but eight came in a game against No. 1 Alabama, after starter Terez Hall (also Bolton鈥檚 roommate) was ejected for targeting.
And in Bolton鈥檚 second season, his tackle total went from 22 to 107.
One hundred-and-seven!
In that 2019 season, Bolton had the standout hit against Tennessee, but his biggest impact was in a win against West Virginia. Bolton tallied 10 tackles 鈥 including three behind the line of scrimmage. Oh, and he made two interceptions, while returning one of them for a touchdown. No. 32 looked like Sean Weatherspoon out there.
He finished the season as an all-Southeastern Conference linebacker. And Pro Football Focus named him to its third-team All-America.
And Bolton stayed after coach Barry Odom was let go.
And as a junior in the 2020 COVID season, Bolton finished with 95 tackles in 10 games 鈥 and was a Butkus Award finalist. The Chiefs picked him in the second round of the draft. At this point, he鈥檚 a Missouri treasure.
This season, Bolton led the Chiefs with his 106 tackles, including two games with 11.
And in the AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills, Bolton made six tackles and deflected a pass, while also returning mid-game from an injury. Oh, and perhaps you saw one of his tackles 鈥 the fourth-down stuff of quarterback Josh Allen that might鈥檝e, maybe, could鈥檝e been a first down.
This week, the Chiefs will be in the sports media spotlight. Patrick Mahomes! Travis Kelce! Chris Jones! Andy Reid!
But here鈥檚 thinking come Sunday, Nick Bolton鈥檚 name will earn an exclamation point.
Missouri guard Caleb Grill (31) passes the ball around Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews during the first half of a game Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss.
Rogelio V. Solis, Associated Press
On many Saturdays, Missouri鈥檚 impressive 88-61 victory at No. 14 Mississippi State would have earned some national attention.
Road victories are hard to come by in the Southeastern Conference. Blowout road wins against Top 25 SEC teams are very rare.
Usually, this would be a thing. But not on this Saturday, which was coast-to-coast crazy.
Upsets and unexpected blowouts abounded:
Kansas State brought a 9-11 record into Ames and routed No. 3 Iowa State 80-61, stunning a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas took a 1-6 Southeastern Conference record into Rupp Arena and rolled to an 89-79 victory over No. 12 Kentucky in John Calipari鈥檚 emotional coaching return to Lexington.
No. 5 Florida went to Tennessee and took a 64-44 powder against the injury- and illness-depleted Vols.
No. 11 Kansas went to Baylor and got squashed 81-70. The Beakers have lost three of their past six games in the Big 12 to sink toward a middling NCAA Tournament seed.
No. 6 Houston stumbled 82-81 at home to No. 22 Texas Tech.
No. 7 Michigan State took a 70-64 fall at Southern California.
No. 9 Marquette lost 77-69 at home against No. 25 Connecticut.
No. 24 Vanderbilt took a 97-67 flogging at Oklahoma.
It was just one of those days, as Calipari noted after his Razorbacks shot lights out against his former school.
鈥淜entucky is a really good team,鈥 Calipari said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate. We had to shoot 70%, 55 and 52 to win the game. If we don鈥檛 do that, we lose the game. They鈥檙e very, very good. They went to Tennessee with this same team and won. And then Tennessee comes back and beats Florida by 20.
鈥淭his league is crazy.鈥
In this era of name, image and likeness payments and limitless transfers, the whole industry is crazy.
Here is what folks have been writing about college basketball:
MIKE LOPRESTI, : “How many screwball things can be crammed into 12 hours of college basketball? Saturday tried to answer that. Really, how could everything on this list happen in one day? But they did. Nos. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 and 14 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll could all lose, five of them on their court. The two longest home court streaks in the nation could be guillotined on the same day. ... Kansas State could land in Ames, IA. with a 9-11 record and hammer No. 3 Iowa State by 19 points, the first time in AP poll history that a team below .500 went on the road and smacked a top-5 opponent by more than 15. So ended Iowa State’s 29-game home court winning streak — by a Wildcat team that committed 18 turnovers and had lost 14 true road games in a row.
鈥淎 few hours later, No. 6 Houston鈥檚 33-game home court streak could also be snapped by a Texas Tech team that lost its coach and leading scorer to ejections four minutes after the opening tip. Winning 82-81 in overtime, Texas Tech is now 5-0 on the road in the Big 12. ... UC Irvine now has the longest home winning streak in the country at 22. No. 5 Florida, averaging 85.3 points a game, could be suffocated at No. 8 Tennessee 64-44, the first time in 1,168 games the Gators could not get to 45. Tennessee had one starter out sick Saturday, another out injured and only seven scholarship players available. You might remember these two teams played a month ago in Florida where the Gators won 73-43. That鈥檚 a 50-point swing in 25 days.鈥
CAMERON SALERNO, : “Kentucky fans wanted this win. Arkansas fans wanted this win. People who aren’t fond of John Calipari probably rooted for Kentucky to win. As funny as this sounds, the emotion of Calipari returning to Rupp Arena — a place where he was familiar to the core — might’ve been an advantage for the road team. Had this game been played at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, who knows if it would’ve had the same shock factor. Kentucky lost the one game on its schedule that most of its fans circled on the calendar the second the SEC announced the schedule this past summer.
鈥淭he downside of the scheduling and conference expansion is this will be the only scheduled meeting. The only way these two teams will meet again (this season) is either in the SEC Tournament or the NCAA Tournament 鈥 with the former looking more realistic. Kentucky coach Mark Pope has worked wonders during his first season with the program. This loss shouldn鈥檛 overshadow how good his team has been. If anything, it proves there are no easy wins in the SEC.鈥
CRAIG MEYER, USA Today: “Arkansas has moved its way onto the bubble after beating Kentucky in John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena. The Razorbacks will need to continue to play close to that level to make up for a dreadful 1-6 start in SEC play. For now, 14 of the SEC’s 16 teams still have valid tournament hopes. Indiana, which has lost five of its past six, has little room for error, though its zero losses outside of Quad One games is helping keep it afloat for now. West Virginia’s tournament standing has gotten a little more precarious in the past few weeks, with five losses in its past seven games.”
BRENDAN MARKS, The Athletic: “(Duke and North Carolina), like every club in college basketball, have fluctuated over the years. Some good, few bad, some truly spectacular. Duke looks like it might have one of the latter this season, a squad surely capable of making the Final Four and cutting down the nets in San Antonio. UNC does not, which in and of itself is not a fatal flaw. Only one team can win it all, right? But that the Tar Heels seem so far behind — and sinking further with each passing loss — is more concerning. And that’s not just about one blowout result, one lopsided loss.”
MATT NORLANDER, : “Bill Self was hired at Kansas on April 21, 2003. Which means it took 7,957 days — until Saturday, specifically — for the Jayhawks to hit the low point of his Hall of Fame career. Given that it’s Kansas and Bill Self we’re talking about here, even the low points are still pretty high. Most programs can only wish for their darkest moments to look as relatively bright as Kansas’ worst days. Keep in mind the 15-6 Jayhawks are well on their way to the NCAA Tournament for a 35th consecutive time. Slotted No. 11 in the AP Top 25 this week, they’ll still easily be ranked when the polls refresh Monday. Plus, KU is still cozily top-15 in multiple predictive metrics.
鈥淏ut Saturday proved for good that this team isn鈥檛 a 2025 Big 12 contender. ... The Jayhawks fell 81-70 to an unranked Bears team that was without starting point guard Jeremy Roach, then lost likely top-10 pick VJ Edgecombe to a left ankle injury early in the second half. Before that, Kansas was up 21 points. It proceeded to blow its biggest lead in a loss in school history. That鈥檚 more than 100 years of Kansas hoops. I can鈥檛 believe a Self-coached team actually vomited away that game.
鈥淥n a Saturday filled with outrageous finishes and season-altering outcomes, Kansas getting tidal-waved by Baylor is as meaningful a result as any. In the final 21 minutes of gameplay, BU outscored KU 64-32. Kansas became the first ranked team in 15 years to lose by double digits after holding a halftime lead of at least 15 points.鈥
Megaphone
鈥淚 was embarrassed for all of us. It starts with me. It is my responsibility to have the pulse and get them ready to go, either by game plan or motivation. Obviously, we were not today.鈥
Mississippi State coach Chris Jans, after Missouri curb-stomped his team.
Mizzou basketball guard Tamar Bates, left, speaks with the media on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, after Illinois' Braggin' Rights win over Mizzou at Enterprise Center. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
No. 20 Mizzou blows out No. 14 Mississippi State in statement 27-point road win
The sun shone brightly upon the Missouri men鈥檚 basketball team.
Guard Caleb Grill continued to drain 3-pointers like he鈥檚 the best shooter in the nation, which he probably is. The Tigers continued to demonstrate gains in rebounding and poise on the defensive end of the floor. And No. 20 Mizzou floated to an Apollonian 88-61 victory over No. 14 Mississippi State on Saturday.
MU was an underdog, but as its road lead over a higher-ranked opponent soared past two dozen points in the second half, it was an underdog with its head out the window, tongue flapping gleefully in the breeze.
Saturday was the kind of game in which just about everything clicked in harmonious rhythm for Missouri, which moved to 17-4 overall and 6-2 in Southeastern Conference play by thumping the Bulldogs (16-6, 4-5).
鈥淚 thought our guys went in, got free, executed the game plan from top to bottom,鈥 said MU coach Dennis Gates, who picked up his 100th career victory as a head coach and 50th in his current job.
Missouri鈥檚 Anthony Robinson II, left, slams into Mississippi State鈥檚 Claudell Harris Jr. in the first half of MU鈥檚 88-61 victory on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss.
Rogelio V. Solis, Associated Press
For the first time since the 1998-99 season, Missouri has won back-to-back road games over ranked foes 鈥 the Tigers鈥 last away game against a ranked team was their win at No. 5 Florida earlier this season. Saturday鈥檚 27-point margin of victory was MU鈥檚 largest ever on the road against a ranked opponent.
Grill, entering the game as the Division I leader in 3-point percentage, made six of his 11 tries from deep, bumping that mark up to 49%, which almost certainly will keep him atop that leaderboard. The Tigers鈥 sixth man scored 20 points.
And while his hot run of shooting exerts a gravitational pull on both viewers鈥 eyeballs and opposing defenders, it was his play outside of his jumper that was especially impressive. As Mississippi State aggressively tried to close out against Grill, he regularly drove to the rim, laying the ball in or kicking it out to a perimeter player as needed.
鈥淭o be honest with you, that鈥檚 not really what we expected,鈥 Grill said on the MU radio broadcast. 鈥淲e expected to come in here and win, but I don鈥檛 think we expected to do it like that.鈥
Mizzou leaned into drive and kick offense at times to beat the Bulldogs, benefitting from a strong shooting day across the board 鈥 55% from the field and 46.9% from beyond the arc.
Center Josh Gray, sporting a new mustache, impressed off the bench, posting his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 boards.
Mississippi State point guard Josh Hubbard, the focal point of MU鈥檚 defense game plan, scored 24 points.
Missouri鈥檚 dominant win makes a bid in the NCAA Tournament a near certainty for the Tigers. The ability to beat the No. 14 team on the road like they did Saturday solidly moves Mizzou鈥檚 status into a different tier.
This MU team isn鈥檛 bound for the bubble. The Tigers are very much in the mix near the top of the SEC, where they sit third in the league standings.
A do-it-all start from forward Mark Mitchell earned Mizzou an early lead in Starkville. Heading into the first media timeout, the visitors led 12-5 behind five points for Mitchell, plus a steal, block and assist.
Hubbard hit his first shot from deep as Mississippi State settled in shortly there after, re-taking the lead for a bit.
MU stalled for a bit as point guard Anthony Robinson struggled early on to the tune of six turnovers and three fouls 鈥 the latter creating a four-point play for State 鈥 in the game鈥檚 first 13 minutes.
But Grill, coming off the bench as usual, and wing Trent Pierce hit two back-breaking 3s in the first half.
A drive-and-kick possession fed Pierce a wide open 3 from the left wing in the final two minutes of the first half, which he knocked down. That shot was the Tigers鈥 eighth made 3-pointer of the game, and they鈥檙e now 13-0 when making eight or more in a game.
Just before the break, Grill heaved in a 3 from half-court, a first half dagger thrown from somewhere near Tupelo.
鈥淚 was almost laughing,鈥 Grill said of that deep bucket.
Mizzou led 45-31 at halftime 鈥 which, as a testament to some of the strong first halves recorded by MU this season, was the team鈥檚 fourth-biggest halftime lead in their eight SEC games. The Tigers are undefeated in league play when leading at halftime.
Grill took a blow to his head early in the second half but shook it off to drive through the heart of the Mississippi State defense for a layup that gashed open a 15-point lead.
He pump-faked a defender into blowing past him for a 3, then bagged another to put Missouri up 62-37 with 13:14 to go in the contest 鈥 a 15-0 run for the visitors that sealed the win.
Gates emptied the bench in the closing minutes, leading to freshman Annor Boateng鈥檚 first career 3-pointer in the SEC.
The Tigers are back on the road for their next matchup, visiting No. 8 Tennessee (18-3, 5-4 SEC) at 6 p.m. Wednesday for a battle of two teams near the top of the league. The Volunteers beat Florida by 20 points earlier Saturday in Knoxville.
Mizzou basketball coach Dennis Gates speaks with the media on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, about Nicholas Randall, a Mizzou recruit who previously attended Vashon. (Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics)
Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) attempts a layup past Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri center Josh Gray (33) attempts a layup past Mississippi State guard Claudell Harris Jr. (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri鈥檚 Anthony Robinson II, left, slams into Mississippi State鈥檚 Claudell Harris Jr. in the first half of MU鈥檚 88-61 victory on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss.
Rogelio V. Solis, Associated Press
Missouri guard Caleb Grill (31) shoots a three-point shot past Mississippi State guard Riley Kugel (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) tries to pull down a rebound knocked away by Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) in the background, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Caleb Grill (31) passes the ball around Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) attempts to pass the ball past a Mississippi State player during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) stares down a Missouri player during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri head coach Dennis Gates signals his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri center Josh Gray (33) scores on a layup during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri basketball players react to one of their teammates scoring a dunk during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) is guarded by Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko, right, blocks a layup attempt by Missouri guard Tony Perkins (12) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) signals his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) attempts a layup past Missouri center Josh Gray (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) pulls down a rebound in front of Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) and Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) joust over the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri center Josh Gray (33) protects the ball from Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews (4) attempts a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko (23) makes a layup past Missouri guard Mark Mitchell (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews (4) attempts to shoot past Missouri center Josh Gray (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) makes a uncontested basket in front of teammate Michael Nwoko (23) and Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) attempts a shot past Missouri center Josh Gray (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Mark Mitchell (25) and Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews (4) fight for a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) attempts a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) dribbles past Missouri guard Annor Boateng (6) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) attempts to dribble past Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Tony Perkins (12) dribbles past Mississippi State guard Claudell Harris Jr. (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Mark Mitchell (25) is tightly guarded by Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) dribbles past a steal attempt by Mississippi State guards Shawn Jones Jr. (5) and Claudell Harris Jr. (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Trent Pierce (11) attempts a layup past Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans gestures a play to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) fights off a steal attempt by Mississippi State guard Riley Kugel (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri center Josh Gray (33) reacts to Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko (23) knocking the ball out of his hands during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Caleb Grill (31) dribbles towards the basket past teammate Josh Gray (33) and Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Tamar Bates (2) protects the ball from Mississippi State forward RJ Melendez, rear, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Mississippi State forward RJ Melendez (22) reacts to making his own three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Tamar Bates (2) attempts a layup past Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri center Josh Gray (33) attempts a shot while Mississippi State guard Claudell Harris Jr. (0) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Tony Perkins (12) looks for an open shot while Mississippi State forward Cameron Matthews (4) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis
Missouri guard Anthony Robinson II (0) dribbles past Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. Missouri won 88-61. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
How to watch Mizzou Tigers basketball at Tennessee Volunteers: TV, live stream, game time
After an eye-opening blowout road win, Mizzou remains on the road, this time for a Wednesday night game at No. 4 Tennessee.
No. 15 Missouri (17-4, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) routed No. 14 Mississippi State on Saturday by an聽88-61 margin.
No. 4 Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) also won by far more than expected on Saturday, pummeling No. 5 Florida 64-44 at home.
Ken Pomeroy's metrics don't give Mizzou much of a chance to win against the Vols and their best-in-the-nation defense. Tennessee limits foes to a 42.1% effective field goal rate, No. 1 nationally.
For the first time since the 1998-99 season, Missouri has won back-to-back road games over ranked foes.
Mizzou has won the last two times it's played the Vols in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Here's how to watch Mizzou Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers basketball:
Mizzou Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers TV, live stream and radio
Game time: 6 p.m. CST/ 7 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 5
Location: Thompson鈥揃oling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn.
TV channel: SEC Network
Live stream:
Radio: KTRS (550 AM and 106.1 FM) in 最新杏吧原创, across Missouri and online through the .
Streaming apps: Varsity Network app on the or (free); TuneIn app on the or . (requires subscription)
