Missouri Tigers basketball 2025: Resilient season recap

Mizzou basketball’s 2025 season mixed heartbreak with hope. Dennis Gates nearly broke down after the Tigers’ first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Drake, ending a season that once soared with wins over No. 1 Kansas and No. 4 Alabama. Mark Mitchell led standout moments, earning All-Central Region honors alongside Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates.

The Tigers also battled tough SEC matchups, including a gritty SEC Tournament win against Mississippi State and a challenging conference opener at No. 2 Auburn. Amid growing momentum and coaching staff changes, Gates urged fans to savor big wins responsibly, like when Mizzou beat Alabama without storming the court.

Junior guard/forward Mark Mitchell, shown in this file photo, led a quartet of Missouri Tigers in double figures with 20 points on Sunday afternoon as MU cruised to a 112-63 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Mizzou Arena in Columbia 11/24/24. By Denny Medley/file photo

NO. 1: MIZZOU TIGERS WIN 5TH STRAIGHT IN BASKETBALL, HANGING 100 ON ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF

Breaking down the Missouri Tigers men’s basketball game vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff. | Published November 25, 2024 | Read Full Story

Missouri Tigers forward Mark Mitchell makes a post move on Auburn Tigers center Dylan Cardwell during a Saturday, Jan 4, 2025 men’s basketball game at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama. By Jake Crandall/Advertiser

NO. 2: MIZZOU TIGERS DROP SEC BASKETBALL OPENER AT NO. 2 AUBURN. HERE’S HOW IT WENT DOWN

Here’s the story from Mizzou’s SEC opener at Auburn on Saturday afternoon. | Published January 4, 2025 | Read Full Story

Missouri Tigers center Josh Gray grabs a rebound during a win against the Kansas Jayhawks at Mizzou Arena in Columbia this season. By Jay Biggerstaff/file photo

NO. 3: NO. 20 MIZZOU TIGERS MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM HITS ROAD FOR RANKED CLASH AT MISSISSIPPI ST.

It’s another showdown of ranked hoops teams for coach Dennis Gates’ Missouri Tigers. | Published January 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Grant Salsman

Missouri Tigers center Josh Gray (33) grabs a rebound against Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) during the second half at Mizzou Arena on Dec. 8, 2024. By Jay Biggerstaff

NO. 4: MISSOURI TIGERS JUMP KANSAS BASKETBALL IN LATEST AP TOP 25. HERE ARE THE FULL RANKINGS

Mizzou basketball is up five spots in this week’s AP Top 25. The Tigers have won six of seven, including three ranked wins in that time. | Published February 3, 2025 | Read Full Story

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates embrace after the game at Mizzou Arena on Feb. 19, 2025. By Denny Medley

NO. 5: WHY MISSOURI TIGERS COACH DENNIS GATES ASKED FANS NOT TO STORM THE COURT VS. ALABAMA

Mizzou coach Dennis Gates called timeout with 1.5 seconds left in a win over No. 4 Alabama. A court storm was on his mind. | Published February 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Scott Chasen

Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) takes a shot against Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during their second round game at the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, March 13, 2025. By Denny Simmons/The Tennessean

NO. 6: HOW TAMAR BATES, MISSOURI TIGERS SURVIVED SEC TOURNAMENT OPENER VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE

Instant reaction to the Missouri Tigers’ SEC Tournament win against Mississippi State. | Published March 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maddie Hartley

Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) hugs coach Dennis Gates in the last minute against the Kentucky Wildcats at Mizzou Arena on March 8, 2025. By Gary Rohman

NO. 7: MISSOURI TIGERS EARN MORE POSTSEASON BASKETBALL ACCOLADES AHEAD OF NCAA TOURNAMENT

The awards keep rolling in for the Tigers ahead of Thursday’s NCAA tourney opener | Published March 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Andy Theobald

Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates in the second half of a first round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Drake Bulldogs at Intrust Bank Arena on March 20, 2025. By Nick Tre. Smith

NO. 8: WHY DENNIS GATES NEARLY CAME TO TEARS AFTER MISSOURI TIGERS LOSS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

“You know, being called someone’s coach is a lifelong title. They’ll tell their children, their future spouses, I’ll always be their coach.” | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Grant Salsman

Missouri forward Aidan Shaw and associate head coach Charlton “C.Y.” Young walk off the court after a game against Ole Miss at Mizzou Arena on March 2, 2024, in Columbia. By Abigail Landwehr/Columbia Daily Tribune

NO. 9: MISSOURI BASKETBALL ASSISTANT LEAVING FOR MIAMI. HE WAS DENNIS GATES’ FIRST HIRE

There will be a shakeup on the Mizzou men’s basketball coaching staff. | Published April 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Blair Kerkhoff

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.