Just a few weeks ago, Missouri was on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament, and at a bottom half finish in the SEC. This time last month, the Tigers were 5-4 in SEC play, and struggling to keep their head above water. Now, though, Mizzou is in line for a top-3 finish in the conference and a decent seeding in the Big Dance, so what does that mean for head coach Dennis Gates?
Should the Tigers win out against Oklahoma and Arkansas, they'll secure the No. 3 spot in the conference after being projected to finish seventh in the preseason poll. They'll also likely get ranked in the AP Top-25 poll, and improve their seeding in the NCAA Tournament to something maybe as high as a seven-seed. If all that happens, there's certainly a world where Gates could be in the Coach of the Year conversation.
Dennis Gates has a chance to put himself into the CoTY conversation
Mizzou dealt with a myriad of injuries early on in the season, including to key player Jayden Stone. Gates also tinkered with the lineups for weeks, eventually settling on one that included sophomore guard T.O. Barrett in the starting lineup, a move that has completely transformed the Tigers.
Realistically, even if Mizzou does win out, Gates probably won't be tabbed for the nation's highest honor for a coach. Even so, he's cooled his lukewarm seat to an ice cube, and has the Tigers' peaking at the right time for a deep postseason run. It's been quite the turnaround for a team that looked lost at times in December and January.
What's more encouraging, is that Mizzou has a top-five ranked class for 2026, and will feature two five-star recruits on the roster next season. So while earlier this year some fans may have been calling for Gates' job, you'd be hard-pressed to find many now wanting to move on from the ball coach.