It was anything but an easy week for head coach Dennis Gates and the rest of Mizzou's roster. The Tigers were unable to close out either of the games they played, leading to a drop in this week's top-25 polls.
Staying steady in the top 25#MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/biJGzyxzz5
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) February 10, 2025
The Tigers' schedule has only gotten tougher as the season has progressed, and their last four games proved to be a true gauntlet. Mizzou faced four straight top-25 ranked teams in the SEC, all ranked higher than them.
Despite starting 2-0 with strong offensive performances against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, they dropped their next two games. On Wednesday night, they led for much of the game against No. 4 Tennessee but couldn’t close it out, falling by just four points.
They followed that loss with their first home defeat of the season, a heartbreaker against No. 10 Texas A&M. In a game that had the intensity of March Madness, the Aggies sealed the win with a deep three-pointer in the final seconds, securing the game's final score.
The losses are disappointing, but just as encouraging. Considering where this team was a year ago—winning only eight games total and none in conference play—they’ve made significant progress. It appears the official AP Top 25 poll recognizes that as well.
They dropped seven spots in the AP Top 25, falling from No. 15 to No. 21, and slipped one spot further to No. 22 in the Coaches Poll. However, this reflects a sign of respect from voters, showing confidence in this Mizzou squad, especially as the season progresses.
It's the fourth consecutive week the Tigers have remained in the top 25, another significant sign of progress for the program. While Coach Gates has emphasized that he doesn’t focus much on rankings, it’s an achievement he can take pride in as the team enters the latter half of the 2024-25 season.
The SEC looks even stronger in the latest rankings, with four teams ranked in the top five. A total of nine SEC teams, including Mizzou, appear in this week’s AP Top 25, while 10 are ranked in the Coaches Poll—by far the most of any conference this season.
It’s encouraging to see the confidence voters have in the Tigers despite last week’s setbacks. They’ll look to validate that trust, starting Wednesday night when they host the Oklahoma Sooners.