Missouri Basketball Not Looking Ahead to December Matchup with No. 1 Kansas

On Dec. 8, the Tigers will welcome the preseason No. 1 Jayhawks to Mizzou Arena, aiming to pull off a home-court upset.

Dec 10, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self, left, embraces Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates after a game at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Missouri basketball has a long and storied rivalry with the Kansas Jayhawks, dating back to March 11, 1907.

Known as the "Border War," the rivalry has seen intense matchups over the years, with Kansas holding the upper hand in the series, winning 175 of the 270 games played.

Missouri, however, has claimed 95 victories, some of which are etched in Tigers lore.

One memorable moment for Missouri came in February 2012, when the Tigers, ranked No. 4 in the country, staged an epic comeback against No. 8 Kansas.

Down by eight points with under three minutes to play, Missouri roared back to win 74-71, led by Marcus Denmon’s 29-point performance.

The victory not only energized the program but also added another chapter to the fierce rivalry.

As the Tigers prepare for the 2024-25 season, they are set to face the Jayhawks for the fourth consecutive year after an eight year absence, a game circled on many fans’ calendars.

However, the players are keeping their focus on the present, refusing to get caught up in the hype of facing the No. 1 team in the country.

For Duke transfer forward Mark Mitchell, the Kansas matchup is exciting, but it's nothing he or the program hasn't seen before.

“Yeah, obviously it's cool, you know, getting to play the top teams, top school in the country,” Mitchell said at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. “I don't think it's anything new to me, or new to the program. I think we're a winning program, and I think we can beat anyone on our schedule, but also be beat by anyone on our schedule. When that time comes, it’s gonna be a great atmosphere, a great place, and I'm just really excited to enjoy that moment.”

While the anticipation builds for the annual showdown, Iowa transfer guard Tony Perkins isn’t even thinking about Kansas yet.

For him, the focus is on getting the Tigers ready for the grind of the season and ensuring the team is prepared for every challenge.

“To be truthful with you, we haven't really even thought about games that far away,” Perkins said. “We’ve mostly just been trying to figure out how we feel, get these days stacked, and just keep going and keep working until that first game comes. When the time comes, we’ll worry about Kansas or whoever, but right now, it’s about getting our team right.”

With the Border War set to reignite in December, Missouri fans are eager for their new-look Tigers to take on the top-ranked Jayhawks.

For now, Dennis Gates' squad is simply focused on building team chemistry and taking one game at a time as they prepare for a new season.

Missouri Tigers on Sports Illustrated