Dennis Gates Looks Ahead to Ole Miss Matchup, Recaps Kentucky Win

Missouri basketball is on a roll right now and looks to carry that momentum into its third SEC game of the season.

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates calls for a timeout during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Dennis Gates, maybe to some people's surprise, has the Missouri Tigers sitting at 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference after impressive wins over Florida and Kentucky to start the new year.

The Tigers have been clicking, especially on defense, with a refreshed mixture of shot-making being introduced into the rotation with the integration of Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce. That duo has reinvigorated Missouri in a way and has aided the Tigers in two crucial wins to start the season.

The defensive side of the ball has also looked much better to start SEC play. In fact, through only two games, the Tigers have the second-highest defensive rating in the conference. It's obviously early, but that's a good sign for Gates and his team moving forward.

This start to SEC play has been a surprise to many, but the Tigers look the part so far. It's all too early to determine who's going to be good and who won't in the SEC, however, but two wins over solid teams for Missouri have certainly eased some people's worries.

Here's what Gates had to say to the media one day before his team's matchup against Ole Miss.

Pierce and Stone are crucial pieces to the roster

Jan 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Jayden Stone (17) defends against Kentucky Wildcats guard Jaland Lowe (15) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

It became very clear, very quickly, that Stone and Pierce were going to be instant help for Missouri after about 20 minutes of play against the Florida Gators. Even if the reinforcements they bring don't show up in the stat sheet, Pierce and Stone bring some game feel and basketball IQ that make a difference.

"The other part of it is guys being able to use their basketball IQ," Gates told the media on Friday. Tent Pierce specifically because of his limitation throughout the preseason and obviously early in the season, he's had to dial in in different ways, watching film, et cetera. Jayden Stone had a upper-body hand injury, so he was able to still stay in some type of game shape."

Having a high IQ is one thing, but scoring 20 points is another.

That's exactly what Stone did for the Tigers against Kentucky in his second game back, doing so on 6-for-10 shooting. Everything points toward Stone being a game-changer for Missouri, even when he doesn't fill up the box score in the points column.

Both players are still getting into game shape as they start their return to play, doing all they possibly can to do so.

"As Jayden Stone returns, his conditioning is where it should be. His minutes will increase. Same with Trent Pierce," Gates said. "Once we understand the in-game shape, practice shape that he'll continue to get into. We'll notice those guys minutes evolve and increase, but they're prepared, and they've done a great job."

Defensive improvements

Kentucky Wildcats forward Mouhamed Dioubate (23) gets double-teamed by Missouri Tigers guard Anthony Robinson II (0) at left and Missouri Tigers forward Mark Mitchell (25) in the second half as Kentucky fell to the Tigers 73-68 during SEC college basketball Wednesday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky January 7, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gates didn't exactly put his finger on what's led to the team's defensive improvements. It's still really early into the SEC portion of the season and a lot can change between now and the end of the season, especially with how teams can improve.

There is something to be said for how good they've been, though. Gates and the Tigers are taking it game-by-game and focusing on the team ahead of them. It's a very normal and typical concept to center the defensive game plan around the team they're set to play and Missouri is just straight-up executing.

"We got to take it game by game, but more importantly, practice by practice, week by week, and one game at a time mentality," Gates said. "It's not about what you have done, it's what you can and will be prepared to do. So our eyes are right here, right at our next opponent. It's definitely an accomplishment, I guess, to hear that."

The game after a big win is always the hardest

Missouri Tigers guard Anthony Robinson II (0) celebrates as the Tigers came back to defeat Kentucky 73-68 for the first time in program history during SEC college basketball Wednesday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky January 7, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It can be easy for a team to coast into a lesser matchup after claiming a big win. Technically, the Tigers are in that scenario, riding high after two big victories. That makes the following matchup against the Rebels potentially the most important one of SEC play so far.

"You can get too far ahead of yourself and too far behind, but our guys, with their experience, they've been in these moments before, and they know how difficult this conference is, top to bottom," Gates said. "Road games are not easy to win at all, and our guys have the experience and the conversations and also the preparation."

The stakes in this game are high for a variety of reasons. It would be a massive moral victory for the Tigers to go 3-0 to start their conference slate, but it would also prove that they might be legit and that the tides have turned since a rollercoaster ride of a non-conference schedule.

The Tigers have the chance to do exactly that against Ole Miss at 5 p.m. on Saturday on the road.