Missouri Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Tigers

It’s no secret that last season was a complete disaster for Missouri. The Tigers were coming off the team's best finish in a decade and the fanbase was excited for another tournament run. But nobody could predict what actually happened. Most of the returning players on the roster took a huge step back, both the offense and defense regressed, and injuries hurt any chances of a repeat tournament appearance. Early season losses to Memphis and Jackson State set the tone for the season, dashing any expectations for the remainder of the schedule. The Tigers ended the season on a 19-game losing streak and failed to win a single conference matchup.

Once the offseason hit, Missouri was in the position of needing to replace nearly all of its scoring. The Tigers had four players who averaged double-digit points last season, but only one returned, Tamar Bates. The other three, Sean East, Nick Honor, and Noah Carter all exhausted their eligibility and could not come back for another year. A third straight roster overhaul was necessary for Missouri. 

Head Coach Dennis Gates hit the transfer portal hard to bring in reliable scorers, hoping to avoid the offensive woes from last season. Solid wing depth was a major issue for the Tigers with both John Tonje and Caleb Grill missing most of the season due to injury. Gates brought in two good scorers from the mid-major ranks, both Jacob Crews and Marques Warrick averaged more than 19 points last season. To run the offense Dennis Gates brought in Tony Perkins from Iowa. And to help improve the virtually nonexistent defense from a year ago, Missouri added Mark Mitchell from Duke and Josh Gray from South Carolina. 

Not to be outdone by his transfer class, Gates and Missouri signed one of the top recruiting classes in the country. According to 247 Sports, Missouri signed the fifth-best recruiting class with commitments from three top 100 recruits, Annor Boateng, Peyton Marshall, and Marcus Allen. While the freshman might not have the largest impact on this season, the additions of Boateng, Marshall, and Allen along with Trent Burns and T.O. Barrett should set Missouri basketball up for success in the near future.