Coach Dennis Gates Igniting Restoration Process for Mizzou Hoops

“Here at Mizzou, there’s no doubt about it," Gates said. "We’re in a different place in the SEC.”

The Missouri Tigers needed a game-changer at head coach heading into the 2022-23 season.

The Tigers might have just gotten their guy with former Cleveland State coach Dennis Gates. From the mental approach, on and off-court priorities, and an undeterred drive to win, he has already set the foundation to get Mizzou on the path to its first NCAA tournament win since 2013. 

Gates recently joined the College Hoops Today podcast with Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports to discuss what changes he's ready to embrace in year one and how he plans to get Mizzou back on top.

“Here at Mizzou, there’s no doubt about it," Gates said. "We’re in a different place in the SEC.”

Missouri has historically been a program on the brink of major success. Since the prime days of longtime coach Norm Stewart from the early 1980s to late 90s, the Tigers made the tournament 16 times, earning the No. 3 and No. 2 seed twice and the No. 1 seed once. 

Since 2008, it's been a rollercoaster of inconsistency. The Tigers went 16-16 in the second year under coach Mike Anderson before winning 31 games the following year. After that, five-straight seasons of 23 wins or more. 

Then with coach Kim Anderson, three more losing seasons. Cuonzo Martin took over after but produced just two tournament appearances and two first-round exits in five seasons. 

There's no doubt Mizzou has a rich history despite the recent inconsistency. Every new coach is going to feel that they are capable of replicating past success, but the offseason is full of tons of coach speak. 

So, what makes Gates different? 

“Missouri was that place that I couldn’t say no to," he said. "(I couldn’t say no) to the tradition and the rich places I think this program can go to. We’re gonna use our eight core values to get us there. We’re gonna use the eight core values of friendship, love, accountability, trust, discipline, unselfishness, togetherness, and toughness. And I truly believe we have the pieces, the recruiting, the support, the foundation, the right conference, and the right institution behind us to be able to do something special."

In the Horizon Conference with Cleveland State, Gates and the Vikings had an all-or-nothing at making it to March Madness: win the conference tournament with or be sent home for the offseason. 

Gates admitted that it's a "luxury" to be in the SEC, where his chances of making it back to the tournament after leading the Vikings there in 2021 as a No. 15 seed are much higher without the added pressure of winning the conference outright. 

“It’s a luxury, no doubt about it," he said. "But let’s leave no doubt in terms of what our program goals are of raising banners, and you can only do that by winning championships and finishing in first place."

But it's Gates' emphasis on mental empowering his players that could be what helps the program rally around him on the journey toward success. Learning from his mentor at Florida State, coach Leonard Hamilton, Gates says accepting the ebbs and flows of the season and responding at a high level will separate his team from the pack.

“You have to have a level of emotional intelligence for the young people because they want to do their very best," he said. "As we pour so much time into their lives, they want to give their very best. They’re not out there trying to lose a game or attempting to miss free throws or miss shots. And sometimes in life you get thrown curveballs. Sometimes in games, there’s a curveball. You’ve got to have a high standard of yourself … control the climate in the room and deescalate situations."

Gates acknowledged the foundation of talent that Martin established before his departure. At 12-21 last season, the Tigers never got close to maximizing potential, but the strength of Mizzou Nation remains, something that Gates has already felt firsthand.

“I’m excited. I’m excited about the path," he said. "I’m standing on the shoulders of some unbelievable coaches. Cuonzo Martin did a great job, he and his staff of leading the program. And now the young men can get the very best from us. We can push them to their goals. Kobe Brown, an all-league guy, second-team all-conference, great player. We also bring back Ronnie DeGray III. You also look at Kaleb Brown. But also we inherited a great, great facility, great fanbase, a great student body. It’s unbelievable, man. The support but also the level of basketball education that exists in the culture and tradition of Mizzou hoops.”

Gates has hauled in some impressive talent in the transfer portal this offseason, with the biggest name being Missouri State transfer guard Isiaih Mosley. The Tigers also secured commitments from Clemson guard Nick Honor, Northern Iowa forward Noah Carter, and two of Gates' former players at Cleveland State, Tre Gomillion and D'Moi Hodge. 

He didn't hesitate to admit that guard play from guys like Mosley and Honor will be the driving force for the team's success. Having Gomillion and Hodge to make the systematic transition smoother for all the new faces should certainly add to this growth. 

"The point guard play is gonna be the most important ... the most important thing I look at is the connectivity at which they have accepted each other, but also the guidelines and the core values (toward) the path we wish to strive and that's to restore basketball at Mizzou," Gates said.

The Tigers will host Southern Indiana in the season-opener on Nov. 7. It'll serve as the first of many steps for Gates as he brings Mizzou into an exciting new era of restored hoops success in Columbia. 

"It's a long season," he said. "I just hope in March we get our name called on that Sunday and that's everything that we do in our program for."

---

You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

Follow MizzouSportsTalk.com on Facebook and Twitter!

Want More Tigers News? Check Out The Latest In Mizzou Tigers News Here