Status of Mizzou Guard Tony Perkins Unclear for Season Opener

Head coach Dennis Gates didn't provide a clear update on the health of the Iowa transfer.

Oct 15, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Tony Perkins talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Missouri Tigers might not be at full strength against Memphis to open the season Monday.

Guard Tony Perkins, a transfer from Iowa, did not play in the team's exhibition against Lincoln Saturday, Oct. 26. Head coach Dennis Gates said it was out due to precautionary reasons, and there was no major injury concerns.

When a reporter asked Gates Friday ahead of the game if he expects Perkins to be available for Missouri's season opener at Memphis, Gates elected not to give an outright answer.

"Well, Tony Perkins has been practicing, and I'm excited about what he's been able to do," Gates said. "So for me, he's had a great week of practice."

Perkins was ranked as a four-star transfer prospect and the No. 14 point guard available. Losing him against Memphis, who finished 22-10 last season, would be a big loss for Missouri. Perkins racked up 1,175 points in his four years at Iowa, averaging 14 points per game last year.

"A lot of schools talked to me," Perkins said at SEC Media Days. "A lot of SEC, Big 10 schools, but what stuck out for Missouri was the connection that I had with coach Gates."

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