The 2024-25 season featured career years for several players. Head coach Dennis Gates has built a deep program with players who can showcase a wide range of skills night in and night out.
The disappointment of the 2023-24 campaign now seems firmly in the past. With a 20-win season under his belt, head coach Dennis Gates can now focus on continuing to emphasize the way his team is playing and using it to their advantage as he works to rebuild the program and elevate it to the top of the stacked SEC.
With the regular season concluding this past weekend, awards for both conference play and the NCAA as a whole were announced. The Tigers made multiple appearances this year, a stark contrast to last season.
Three of their best players were highlighted when these awards were announced, and hopefully, these Mizzou stars will use them as fuel for the remainder of the season.
First, forward Mark Mitchell earned a spot on the All-SEC Third Team in his first year in the conference.
Since transferring from Duke, the junior has improved across the stat sheet, contributing significantly to Mizzou's success this season. It's safe to say he will receive much of the credit if the Tigers make a postseason run.
Leading the team in minutes, Mitchell has started every game this season, averaging a team-high 14 points per game, along with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. He shoots an efficient 51% from the field and has begun incorporating a three-point shot, which could make him even more dangerous given his 6-foot-9, 230-pound frame.
The Kansas City native has also posted career-high defensive numbers, averaging a steal and a block per game. His defensive presence is well known, and his size makes him a threat inside the paint. However, he also has a knack for guarding the perimeter effectively.
Mitchell is one of several standout players from his recruiting class, and Gates has to be proud of how this group has performed so far.
Next, sophomore Anthony Robinson II was selected to the All-SEC Defensive Team in his second collegiate season, both with the Tigers.
Robinson makes most of his impact on defense, where he is an all-around threat and a major headache for opposing offenses. He has defended some of the top players in the SEC this season, consistently doing his job exceptionally well.
Not only do his 2 steals per game lead the team, but he also ranks among the top in the SEC, which has been one of the strongest conferences this season in terms of defense.
His game has improved on offense this season as well, averaging 9 points per game, shooting 50% from the field, and an impressive 42% from three. As the primary ball handler, he also dishes out 3.5 assists per game and contributes more than 3 rebounds per game.
As a sophomore, his opportunities have increased significantly throughout the season, and he has fully capitalized on them. It will be interesting to see how much he works on his offensive game during the offseason as he looks to become a major threat on both sides of the ball as a junior.
Finally, veteran forward Caleb Grill was named SEC Conference Sixth Man of the Year, a significant honor considering only one player per conference receives this recognition.
Playing in his fifth season since coming to college, Grill is a true "journeyman" of the NCAA, now playing for his third team within the league. Since arriving in Columbia, Gates has provided the three-point specialist with opportunities that have helped him have the career year he's currently enjoying.
The Kansas native has had an injury-riddled career, with stints at various schools and internal issues that led him away from teams. However, he has been the veteran leader this team has needed, especially this year, and deserves much credit for the success they’ve had so far.
He began his college career as a freshman in the 2019-20 season at Iowa State. After limited minutes and minimal success, he transferred to UNLV. Following that, he re-entered the transfer portal and ultimately returned to Iowa State for two more solid seasons.
His journey didn’t end there, however. He was dismissed from the Iowa State team and then heavily recruited by Gates to join the Tigers for his fifth year. He started strong but was sidelined by a wrist injury, missing the majority of the season.
He decided to return for one more season this year, and he’s looked significantly better than ever before. Not only was he the clear choice for SEC Sixth Man of the Year, but he’s also been one of, if not the best deep shooter in the entire country.
His catch-and-shoot game has only improved as the season has progressed, and he can shoot from virtually anywhere on the floor. This season, he’s averaged over 14 points per game, 4 rebounds, and nearly 2 steals, all while coming off the bench.
Not only are his numerical stats impressive, but he’s also highly efficient given how much he shoots. He’s shooting 50% from the field, and despite leading the team in three-pointers attempted per game with nearly seven, he converts over 42% of the time.
All of these players have helped build an incredible program with a wealth of threats, leading to consistent wins and competitive games against some of the top teams in the country.
It's great to see some of the best players on the team receive recognition for their hard work, but now they need to shift all their focus to succeeding in the postseason and preparing for next year.