Dennis Gates Evaluates How Mizzou Needs to Improve in Middle Minutes

In its two losses, Mizzou has fell behind opponents at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second.

Mar 19, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates watches his team during a practice session at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

To start December, Missouri has struggled to bridge two halves together, as made clear in its two losses.

In Missouri's winless SEC season in 2023-24, it was the final 8-10 minutes of the game that constantly plagued the Tigers. So far in the 2025-26 season, it's instead been the middle 8-10 minutes that have put the Tigers in tough situations to dig out of.

That's been abundantly clear in Missouri's first two losses of the season, dropping back-to-back games to Notre Dame, then Kansas.

Against Kansas, Missouri led 23-21 at the 4:29 mark of the first half after Mark Mitchell slammed down the dunk. Up to that point, it looked as if Missouri would be able to at least keep pace with Kansas.

But the in the middle eight minutes of the game, Missouri was outscored 23-7 by Kansas. The Tigers gave up two turnovers in that period. Anthony Robinson II was also called for a technical foul with 2:09 left in the half.

In those critical eight minutes, Gates thoughts Missouri's offense was rushed. The Tigers attempted 12 shots in that span, only landing three. Kansas attempted 11 and made eight of them.

"Time of possession is one of them during those middle eight minutes that we got to make sure we go into halftime feeling good about ourselves and coming out of halftime feeling good that that ball is kind of moving from side to side," Gates said. "Wether we make or missed a shot, we got to give ourselves a chance to go against a defense and give a defense a chance to make mistakes."

Similarly against Notre Dame, Missouri led 32-25 with four minutes remaining, but was outscored 16-12 by Notre Dame in the next eight minutes of play. The Tigers gave up two turnovers and were called for a foul in that span.

In both games, shots were forced and there were few attempts to open up the offense.

"Just getting our pass count up," guard Annor Boateng said. "Last two games we lost, we had a low pass count. We often just get the ball shot on an early shot clock, or just one or two passes. Not everybody gets to touch the ball or really just movement so we can get better shots."

While Missouri's offense is playing scattered to close the half, it's seemingly taking too long to adjust to other team's adjustments out of the half. That looked to be the case in Missouri's season opener at Howard. Missouri led 42-26 at halftime, but that was cut to a nine-point lead eight minutes into the second half. Missouri gave up six turnovers and was called for four fouls in the middle eight minutes.

"I think we just need to adjust to the other team's adjustments," Mitchell said of the Tigers' slow starts to second halves. "I think coming out of halftime, teams make adjustments. Teams find things that are working for them. I think also just we got to close out the (first) half better."

Missouri will have a chance to improve in the middle minutes in its final two home games of the calendar year, hosting Alabama State on Thursday and Bethune Cookman on Sunday.