As the 2025 calendar year comes to a close, the year treated the Tigers well. With marquee wins over top-five Alabama and the eventual national champion Florida, Missouri reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time under head coach Dennis Gates.
As last season came to an end at the hands of Bennett Stirtz and the Drake Bulldogs, fans knew this season would not be the same as the one they witnessed a year ago. From the heroics of Caleb Grill, to knocking off KU at home, the 2024–25 campaign was one to remember.
Entering the 2025–26 season, the Tigers faced several questions—chief among them, where would the scoring come from? With the departures of major offensive contributors such as Grill and Tamar Bates, it was clear senior big man Mark Mitchell would need to shoulder a larger role.
Mitchell has answered that call, averaging an impressive 17.2 points per game, but fans continue to question what this team ultimately is.
On one hand, Missouri enters the break with a 10–3 record, just one game behind where it stood at the same point last season. On the other, the Tigers have looked markedly different, as embarrassing losses to Kansas and Illinois—the two rivalry games on the nonconference schedule—have left a sour taste.
Despite opening the season 8–0, Missouri faced just one Power Conference opponent during that stretch—Minnesota—resulting in one of the weaker nonconference résumés among teams with similar records. Even during that unbeaten start, concerns were evident, as the Tigers won several “ugly” games against largely uncompetitive opponents.
Those concerns surfaced quickly once competition improved. On Dec. 2 at Notre Dame, Missouri fell by five points, struggling offensively outside of Mitchell and graduate senior Jacob Crews and failing to generate quality looks. That trend worsened against Kansas, as the Tigers were soundly defeated 80–60.
After wins in two buy games, Missouri closed nonconference play in St. Louis against Illinois in the annual Braggin’ Rights game. From the opening tip, the Tigers were overwhelmed, suffering a 91–48 loss—the largest margin of defeat in the rivalry’s history.
What are the biggest problems still plaguing the Tigers?
As frustration surrounding Gates continues to grow, the question becomes clear: What are the Tigers missing? The answer is a true isolation scorer. This roster lacks a player capable of consistently creating offense late in the shot clock, something Tamar Bates and Marques Warrick provided last season.
Instead, Missouri has relied heavily on Mitchell to carry the scoring load—far from ideal given his limitations as a one-dimensional offensive player. After losing more than 50% of last season’s minutes and scoring production, the Tigers leaned heavily on the transfer portal, but early returns have been underwhelming. Transfers Jevon Porter and Sebastian Mack opened the season in the starting lineup but have since lost those roles.
Injuries have not helped. The Tigers have yet to see Trent Pierce this season due to injury, while the loss of Jayden Stone in November has loomed large. Stone was one of Missouri’s most reliable bench scorers, averaging 13.3 points per game.
Looking ahead to conference play, question marks remain. Missouri has not resembled last year’s team, particularly on offense. A season ago, the Tigers thrived by forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. This year, that identity has largely disappeared.
Another offensive concern is Shawn Phillips Jr. The Arizona State transfer has struggled to adjust to the system and has been plagued by turnover issues.
Despite the long list of problems, there have been bright spots. Crews has taken a significant leap, averaging 13.9 points per game while shooting 51.4% from beyond the arc. Additionally, sophomore T.O. Barrett has earned increased minutes and emerged as the emotional leader of the team, providing a defensive spark Missouri desperately needs to compete in the SEC.
If the Tigers were to receive a letter grade based on their nonconference performance, it would be a C-. They have beaten the teams they were expected to beat, but persistent issues against quality opponents have fans—including myself—hitting the panic button as conference play begins.