Mizzou Men's Basketball Has Struggled to Retain Last Season's Success, But it Still Has Time

Missouri has lost four straight games since entering SEC play, resulting an underwhelming season up to this point. The season if far from over though, and the Tigers have an optimistic future ahead of themselves.

"Shut the f*** up. 

"Shut the f*** up. 

"Shut the f*** up."

The words Missouri basketball head coach Dennis Gates uttered to Tamar Bates after the end of the first half in Alabama are not uncommon from coaches. Gates has always made it known to his players that he dislikes when they talk to referees, so when he saw Bates get into it with one at the end of the first half, he made a point to address Bates in a harsh manner to prevent it from happening again.

The explicit nature of the exchange does however show a glimpse of the underlying frustration of Missouri's season thus far. It has lost its first four games in Southeastern Conference play, and losing to Alabama is just another sting on a season of relative disappointment.

The energy is incredibly low for the Tigers at the moment. They have gotten with reaching distance in most of their losses, but struggle to close out games in the second half. The offensive consistencies have plagued Missouri from gaining any real momentum or consistency throughout the season, and the system that prioritizes the 3-pointer hasn't exactly fit in with its current roster. 

Last season's success was a shock to many. Gates commanded a roster in his first year as Missouri's head coach with transfers from his previous school, Cleveland State, and climbed up to fourth place in the SEC. He fully tapped into Kobe Brown's potential, while pairing with D'Moi Hodge to make one of the best duos in the conference. 

Brown and Hodge departed the program to declare for the 2023 NBA Draft, where they both landed contracts to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers respectively. Losing both of his best players posed a challenge for Gates to match their production, but completing that task is nearly impossible. 

John Tonje, Tamar Bates, Caleb Grill, Connor Vanover and Jesus Carralero Martin rounded out the incoming transfer class, but the group hasn't exactly panned out thus far. The news just came out that Tonje would miss the rest of the season, Grill has been dealing with a wrist injury for weeks and both Vanover and Martin have yet to show consistent glimpses of quality play.

Bates has been one of the brightest spots on the roster, but neither he has been able to step up in the absence of Brown and Hodge. 

Alabama on the other hand, has relatively kept up a similar quality of play from last year. While its overall record isn't on par, it has an SEC-best 4-0 record in the conference this season. 

Like Nick Honor and Sean East II have done, Mark Sears continued with the program after the departures of Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako to the draft, and has taken the reigns with over 20 points per game. While it was arguably even more difficult production to replace, especially in regards to Miller (the No. 3 pick in his class), the Crimson Tide have hardly showed any regression. 

Transfers Aaron Estrada and Grant Nelson have also helped keep the program headed on a narrow path, forming a solid trio alongside Sears. They both combined for 34 points against the Tigers on a subpar nine-point performance from Sears, while sophomore Rylan Griffen also stepped up with 21 points of his own. 

Alabama has shown what it's like to keep success rolling, seamlessly transitioning into another season like nothing changed. Missouri hasn't had that luxury, and the outlook on the rest of the season is in despair. 

Some light still does remain in the darkness, even if the odds look stacked against the Tigers. There is still plenty of season remaining to change its positioning in the conference, and even if the season is truly a lost cause, the future of the program is still in good hands.

Missouri has the fourth ranked recruiting class of 2024 according to 247sports, which includes Annor Boateng, Peyton Marshall, Marcus Allen, T.O. Barrett and Trent Burns. The influx of talent next season could almost be overwhelming for Gates, which is exactly what he and the program desire. 

The recruits — combined with additional transfers and returners — could put the Tigers right back on track to an upwards trajectory. They'll lack experience, but the talent is certainly there for Gates to work with, especially beyond just the 2024-25 season. 

Missouri has all of the capabilities to be an Alabama in the coming seasons. It has a coach that has shown the ability to be a program-changer, strong talent flocking to play for him and the confidence from the university to invest in it. 

Night and day success is highly uncommon for a basketball program. Going from the years of mediocrity to the results of last season is a quick turnaround, and having a year to retool after isn't anything to hit the panic button about. 

Alabama has been an above .500 team since 2015, which includes four NCAA Tournament bids, including a No. 1 seed placement last season. Nate Oats has been with the program since 2019, with more to work with at the start and a longer term to shape the Crimson Tide into what they are now. 

Rebuilding can take years, but Missouri has turned things around quicker than most. Maybe this season becomes a forgotten one in the time of Gates at the helm, but it can still be a stepping stone into a better future. 

It just takes time.

Mizzou Guard John Tonje to Miss Remainder of Season