2 Players to Return from Injury for Mizzou for SEC Opener

Missouri will have two players return against Florida after missing significant time from injury.

Feb. 9, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers forward Trent Pierce gets ready to dribble against the Texas A&M Aggies at Mizzou Arena. / Amber Winkler/Missouri on SI | Amber Winkler/Missouri On SI

Missouri will be one step closer to full strength Saturday night in its SEC opener against No. 22 Florida, with two key players set to return from injury.

Forward Trent Pierce and guard Jayden Stone will both play against the Gators, head coach Dennis Gates revealed in a press conference Friday. Pierce has missed every game this season with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Stone missed the last seven games of non-conference play with a hand injury.

Pierce, a junior, started in 19 games and appeared in 33 last season for the Tigers. In that time, he averaged 19 minutes, 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Oklahoma native was rated as a four-star prospect out of high school.

Stone's impact over the last month of non-conference play was certainly felt, with the absence of his scoring ability being noticeable. He transferred to Missouri from West Virginia this past offseason. In his six appearances to start the season, he averaged 25.2 minutes, 13.3 points, 2.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Nov 9, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Jayden Stone (17) looks to pass around a defender during a game against the VMI Keydets at Mizzou Arena. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Though those two players will return for the Tigers, forward Jevon Porter will miss a second-straight game with a leg injury. He suffered it in the week of practice leading up to Missouri's game against No. 20 Illinois, which the Tigers lost 91-48. Porter started in 10 of Missouri's first 12 games before Jacob Crews took his starting spot. Porter, a transfer from Loyola-Marymount, was averaging 17.4 minutes, four rebounds, 1.6 assists and 6.2 points per game before the injury.

Without both Pierce and Stone, Missouri finished non-conference play by going 2-3 in the month of December. The Tigers lost all three of their games against power-conference opponents in the month.

After the blowout loss to Illinois, Gates explained how the injuries had been holding Missouri back.

“I can't wait to get healthy as a team," Gates said. "I think when you have Trent Pierce on the sidelines, Jayden Stone on the sidelines, even Jevon Porter on the sidelines, it gives you a different scouting report than others. So we have guys playing well, but playing out of position due to our injuries, and ultimately, I'm excited about getting healthy. You cannot ask our players to do more than what they've done. I take it on my shoulders, as the leader, as the head coach. It's on me."

Missouri will take on Florida with the two players back from injury at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Columbia. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.