Dennis Gates, Tamar Bates Preview Mizzou's Season Opener At Memphis

The Tigers are set to make their 2024-25 season debut against Memphis on Monday night.

Missouri head men's basketball coach Dennis Gates responds to a question during a press conference on April 26, 2024 inside Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia, Mo. / Abigail Landwehr/Columbia Daily Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Like the Tom Petty lyric, it's "time to move on" for Missouri men's basketball.

An 0-18 season in the SEC is bound to send any program on a downward spiral, but the Tigers are instead looking to bounce back through a strong transfer and freshman class, along with some key returners from last year's team.

Missouri gets a chance to start of its 2024-25 campaign on a high note against the Memphis Tigers at 7 p.m. Monday, a rematch from last year. In that game, the Missouri Tigers fell 70-55 in a poor offensive performance.

This time around, the Tigers hope to match up better and steal a win on Memphis' home court to kick-off an important season for head coach Dennis Gates and the program. Monday provides a chance to evaluate where they are as a collective unit.

Winning the rebounding battle

In Gates' first two years as Missouri's coach, rebounding has been a constant struggle point.

It was an emphasis for Gates to fix that in the offseason, bringing in transfer Josh Gray and freshman Peyton Marshall and Trent Burns, amongst others, to add some help on the glass.

"We did a great job as it relates to the recruiting, identifying guys that are really good at pursuing the basketball," Gates said.

Still, in the Tigers' exhibition over Lincoln, they were out-rebounded despite the 90-45 win. On the offensive boards especially, they lacked in production. However, Gates used much of the rotation throughout the night, subbing out some of his strongest rebounders for a significant amount of time.

"I don't look at us losing that battle. I look at the point of which our best rebounders were subbed out," Gates said. "Don't get me wrong ... I'm not excited about our second group losing the rebounding battle at all."

Against Memphis, crashing the boards and winning the rebounding category will be highly important.

It's a different year

Missouri has quickly avoided letting the disappointment of last year linger into the new season.

The constant injuries and issues plagued the Tigers, but they were unforseen circumstances that couldn't have been altered. Caleb Grill and John Tonje went down early, leaving them without two key contributors for the entirety of conference play.

The winless streak in the SEC is certainly something Missouri wants to end as soon as conference play begins, but that isn't clouding over its head. It's a new team and a new year.

"I think when you look at the health of your team, you can't predict certain situations that take place," Gates said. "Our depth is different. Our experience is different this year, and that's what I will focus on. That's what I'm excited about."

Gates has a lot of new players at his disposal to integrate into the program, while only a few players returned from last season's roster. The challenges and mindset is entirely different, last season was merely a bump in the road that the Tigers prefer to get over.

Bates steps into leadership role

Officially named a team captain for this season, Tamar Bates will not only be an impactful scorer on the court, but an important leader in the locker room.

With a year under his belt alongside Gates and the Missouri atmosphere, it's been far easier for Bates to prepare ahead of his final season of eligibility. Mentally and physically, he's ready to be a focal point for the team, similarly to what he developed into by the end of last year.

"Obviously for me, experience is the best teacher," Bates said. "So just being here a year, being under coach Gates and his staff ... I know a lot more. I know what they expect."

With five incoming freshman, the leadership and wealth of experience Bates can pass on will not only be beneficial for the present, but the future of the program. There's a certain responsibility that comes with being a captain, and the guard is ready to live up to that.

"It means a lot just because obviously the coaches see me as somebody who can lead the team, but my peers, my teammates, the guys around me, look to me for guidance and for leadership," Bates said. "So it's a tremendous honor, and I take it every bit of serious. I don't take it lightly at all."

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Mizzou Basketball Associate Head Coach C.Y. Young Previews the 2024-'25 Season Missouri Forward Named to National Small Forward of the Year Watch List What Missouri Basketball is Getting in 4-Star Forward Nicholas Randall