Dennis Gates will be entering his third season as Mizzou men’s basketball coach. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The foul smell of finishing last season on an 0-19 losing streak seemed to impact how the voting went for the University of Missouri men’s basketball team in the 2024-25 Southeastern Conference preseason poll.
Missouri was picked to finish 13th in a league that now has 16 teams, in voting conducted among SEC coaches and media members.
The 13th place preseason conference prediction was the lowest for Mizzou since Dennis Gates has been head coach. In the previous two seasons, the Tigers were picked to finish ninth and 11th.
The 2022-23 season ended with Missouri in fourth place. Last year, the Tigers finished last in a league of 14 teams. Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC this season.
Dennis Gates and the Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team will open the new season on November 4, with a road game against Memphis. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
Alabama was picked to win the SEC title this season, with star point guard Mark Sears selected as the preseason Player of the Year. The Tide had two players named among the SEC’s three preseason All-Conference teams.
Auburn, Florida, and Arkansas also had two players on the All-Conference team. No other team had more than one. Missouri had no players listed on any of the three preseason All-SEC teams.
The season will begin three weeks from today, on November 4, with conference play set to begin in January. The 2025 SEC Tournament will be March 12-16 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The winner of the tournament will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Mizzou will open its season on the road with a game against Memphis. Tip off time for that contest has not been set yet.
The Tigers do know they will play their home opener on November 8 against Howard University. Tip off at Mizzou Arena that evening is set for 7 p.m.
SEC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
| 1. | Alabama |
| 2. | Auburn |
| 3. | Tennessee |
| 4. | Arkansas |
| 5. | Texas A&M |
| 6. | Florida |
| 7. | Texas |
| 8. | Kentucky |
| 9. | Ole Miss |
| 10. | Mississippi State |
| 11. | South Carolina |
| 12. | Georgia |
| 13. | Missouri |
| 14. | LSU |
| 15. | Oklahoma |
| 16. | Vanderbilt |
SEC Player of the Year
| Mark Sears | Alabama |
First Team All-SEC
| Mark Sears | Alabama |
| Johni Broome | Auburn |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | Florida |
| Zakai Zeigler | Tennessee |
| Wade Taylor IV | Texas A&M |
Second Team All-SEC
| Grant Nelson | Alabama |
| Jonas Aidoo | Arkansas |
| Johnell Davis | Arkansas |
| Matthew Murrell | Ole Miss |
| Josh Hubbard | Mississippi State |
Third Team All-SEC
| Chad Baker-Mazara | Auburn |
| Alex Condon | Florida |
| Jaxson Robinson | Kentucky |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | South Carolina |
| Tramon Mark | Texas |
2024-25 Missouri Tigers Men’s Basketball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4, 2024 (Monday) | TBD | Away | Memphis | Memphis, Tenn. | |
| November 8, 2024 (Friday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Howard | Mizzou Arena |  |
| November 11, 2024 (Monday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Eastern Washington | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 14, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Mississippi Valley State | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Pacific | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 24, 2024 (Sunday) | 4 p.m. | Home | Arkansas – Pine Bluff | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 27, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:30 p.m. | Home | Lindenwood | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 3, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Home | California | Mizzou Arena |  |
| December 8, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Kansas | Mizzou Arena |  |
| December 14, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Home | Long Island | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 17, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Jacksonville State | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 22, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Neutral | Illinois | St. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise Center |  |
| December 30, 2024 (Monday) | 6:30 p.m. | Alabama State | Mizzou Arena | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 4, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Auburn | Auburn, Ala. | |
| January 7, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | LSU | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 11, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Vanderbilt | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 14, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Away | Florida | Gainesville, Fla. |  |
| January 18, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Home | Arkansas | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 21, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Away | Texas | Austin, Texas | |
| January 25, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Home | Ole Miss | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 1, 2025 (Saturday) | Noon | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | |
| February 5, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | |
| February 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Texas A&M | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 12, 2025 (Wednesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Oklahoma | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Away | Georgia | Athens, Ga. | |
| February 19, 2025 (Wednesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Alabama | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| February 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | South Carolina | Mizzou Arena | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| March 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Vanderbilt | Nashville, Tenn. | |
| March 5, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Oklahoma | Norman, Okla. | |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Home | Kentucky | Mizzou Arena | ESPN or SECN |
| March 12-16, 2025 (Wednesday) | TBD | Neutral | SEC First Round | Nashville, Tenn. / Bridgestone Arena | SECN or ESPN |