Tamar Bates Leads Mizzou to a Historic Win, Named SEC Player of the Week

This past week, Mizzou men’s basketball had one of its best weeks in recent history, highlighted by a dramatic comeback win against California and a historic victory over longtime rival Kansas.

In the comeback win against Cal, the star of the show was undoubtedly Anthony Robinson II, who finished with a career-high 29 points. While Robinson was the standout player, Tamer Bates also played a crucial role, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the second half. Together, Robinson and Bates led the Tigers to victory after overcoming a 16-point halftime deficit. Bates finished the game with a solid 15 points as Mizzou surged back for the win.

Against Kansas, it was the Tamer Bates show from start to finish. Bates got the Tigers rolling early in the first half, scoring five of their first seven points. He capped off the half with an impressive 18 points on 5-for-9 shooting, helping Mizzou build a 14-point lead at the break. The second half followed a similar script, with Bates adding 11 more points as the Tigers closed out the Jayhawks. The game ended in celebration, with students storming the court as the final seconds ticked away, highlighting a memorable day for Bates and the Tigers.

Averaging 22 points on the week, Bates earned SEC Player of the Week honors as he helped the Tigers improved to 8-1. Mizzou sits just outside the top 25, among the top vote-getters not selected in the latest AP poll. For Bates, the performance against Kansas was unquestionably one of the best of his college career, and taking down the No. 1 team in the nation cemented his case for the SEC Player of the Week award.