First Mizzou hoops loss was a doozy, but Tigers must regroup as schedule remains tough
Coach Dennis Gates has been consistent with his messaging regarding learning opportunities for his Missouri basketball team, and this was when the Tigers were building a 9-0 record.
This week, Gates has been reiterating those points after the team’s first loss — and a lopsided one, at that.
By the time Mizzou takes on Central Florida in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday at 11 a.m., it will have been a full week since his squad’s 28-point home loss to Kansas.
“One game doesn’t define us,” Gates said. “I truly believe we didn’t give ourselves a chance (against the Jayhawks) because of the little things.”
There were many of them against KU, but transition defense may top the list. The Jayhawks finished with 28 points off 21 turnovers in their 95-67 victory over the Tigers.
“They were able to get baskets off our mistakes,” Gates said.
Also, after Kansas missed its first two shots from the floor, it made its next 11 to widen the margin and take the raucous Mizzou Arena crowd out of the game.
“I don’t think we settled in defensively and kept guys in front of us,” Gates said. “Whether it was ball-screen defense, whether it was baseline seals and drives, whether it was middle drives, I don’t think we settled down with our nerves enough to be able to provide the things that we needed to provide, and the resistance.”
Accordingly, defense has been an emphasis this week as the Tigers, like many other teams, work through final-exam schedules.
“We know what we did wrong and we know we’ll bounce back,” said MU guard Tre Gomillion.
Working in Missouri’s favor is the veteran nature of this team. The Tigers are loaded with players with multiple years of Division I basketball experience, and Gates said their leadership has been evident at practice this week.
“I didn’t see anyone pointing figures,” Gates said. “I saw people taking the brunt of the blame. Guys know they didn’t play their best, did not make shots we normally make and did not defend as well as we’ve defended.”
They also hadn’t played a team as good as Kansas, ranked sixth at the time. In Central Florida, the Tigers meet an opponent that will be in the Jayhawks’ conference next season — UCF begins play in the Big 12 in 2023 — and one that is also off to a fast start.
On Wednesday, Central Florida beat Ole Miss 72-61 after the Knights opened a 21-0 lead.
Coach Johnny Dawkins’ team is 8-2, with victories over Oklahoma State and Florida State. Opponents are shooting 38.2% from the floor and 27.3% from beyond the arc against the Knights.
The most rugged stretch of Missouri’s schedule has started. Kansas was the first of four ranked opponents in a five-game stretch for the Tigers. Central Florida isn’t ranked, but Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas currently are.
The Tigers didn’t respond well in their first test of this tough run, but Gates believes his team will have the right approach Saturday based on what he’s seeing in practice this week.
“Bounce back isn’t just words, it’s action,” Gates said.