14. Dennis Gates (Missouri)
Last season, Missouri lost every single conference game in SEC play. You’d think this would normally cost a head coach his job, but Gates returned for a third year with the Tigers. He had been awesome at Cleveland State and took Missouri to the Big Dance in his first season, leaving the school to trust him to turn things around. Suffice to say, the turnaround has been successful and he’s having his best season in Columbia.
After losing to Memphis on opening night, the Tigers went on a long winning streak that involved an upset win over Kansas. They’ve since added a really impressive road win at Florida and sit 4-2 already in league play. The SEC is even tougher and tighter this season, but Mark Mitchell and a few other new pieces have Missouri looking like an actual contender in this league.
Time will tell just how things turn out this season for the Tigers, though an NCAA Tournament bid is certainly within their sights. For a team that went 0-18 in the league last season, the turnaround is clearly monumental and it’s a testament to the work Gates has put in. He and his staff didn’t panic after last year’s failure and Missouri has bounced back in a major way, looking to continue that momentum deep into 2025.