Everything Dennis Gates Said Following Blowout Loss to Illinois

Missouri suffered a pretty miserable 91-48 defeat at the hands of the Illinois Fighting Illini on Monday night, dropping to 10-3 in the process. The Illini, who are ranked No. 20 in the country, looked better than Missouri in just about every facet of the game.

That became apparent early, and Missouri was only able to truly hang on for around 10 minutes of the first half before things got out of hand. Missouri head coach Dennis Gates took to the media stand following the loss, with the primary issue at hand being the health of his roster. The Tigers were down Jevon Porter, Trent Pierce and Jayden Stone heading into the game, while Anthony Robinson II and Mark Mitchell both got dinged up throughout the process of it.

Here's everything Gates said to the media following the loss.

Opening statement:

“Well, first of all, happy holidays. Hopefully everyone gets home safe and sound during this break and obviously with their family, friends and loved ones. Credit Illinois, they did a great job. Well prepared, made great shots. Had open looks early on. But ultimately, that run, being able to give up the second-chance points that we gave up, they executed on every single one of them, and that's what hurt us. That's what ignited their run. And I just thought our guys at that point, hit a wall. Now we fought back, as it relates to some executions, things that we executed, I was happy to see. But it just wasn't enough. Wasn't consistent with what our game plan was.”

On allowing second-chance points:

“I thought we was in rotation, and got out of rotation. They were able to get their hands on a lot of those rebounds, whether it was keeping it alive or not. But once they secured it, they ended up executing on their makes, and it was just make after make on those second chances. To be able (to win), you can't win a game giving up 15 second-chance points in the first half and 14 in the second half. You won't be able to win games with six assists on baskets. You won't be able to win games, I just think, ultimately, to be able to beat an Illinois team, we got to get to the free throw line a little bit more. They're one of the best teams in the country at not fouling, and they've used their length multiple times to block shots, alter shots. I do think early on, especially Ant Robinson, his shot was falling. But we have to have guys step up in the first half. No different than Sebastian stepped up in the first but ultimately, if you take away second chance points and secure rebounds versus just going after them with one hand, it's a different first half.”

On his team “hitting a wall”:

“After that point, what I wanted to see was their ball not go in. That's what I really wanted to see, to be honest with you. But ultimately, that shooting percentage did not go down. No matter a team making 15 threes, take away the three that they made late in the game, they still make 12 threes, most of them in that first half. That's a difficult, difficult situation to be in. Ultimately, we have to lower (their) field goal percentage. You can't give both threes, points in the paint and fouls. You got to take away two, and we did not take away two of those things at all tonight.

Credit Illinois again, responding off that Nebraska loss. I thought our guys prepared well in the practices leading up to this game. At the end of the day, the ball has to bounce a certain way. And from an execution standpoint, our field goal percentage was too low even in the paint. Our field goal percentage was too low to have a opportunity to win the game, and you have to double those free throws a little bit more than what we've done.”

On recent perimeter shooting struggles:

“I can't wait to get healthy as a team. 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. This game is on me. I told my players that in the locker room, it's on me. Do not feel bad about it. Respond to it, but don't feel bad about it. At the end of the day, we just got to get healthy and get our full team on the court at the same time, and that's where I think Illinois has taken a jump this season, after double-digit games. If you're healthy, your team can get better, but if you have so many moving parts throughout the season in this early phase, you're not going to take the jump yet. And I'm excited about getting our team together and being prepared to take the jump.”

On his message to the team following the loss:

“I probably can't repeat the words right here, to be honest with you, I want everybody to have a happy holiday. If I repeat those things, I would get in real trouble. I may get fined, I may get suspended or something. But to say this, in all in all seriousness, I always tell my guys that I care about them. I love them. I told them, Look, man, I'm gonna stand on the railroad tracks and allow whatever to come my way, and I'll shield you at the end of the day. One game won't define us. One game won't define us. We just have to get healthy. But in the meantime, in the process of getting healthy, we got to have guys fill in the blanks and be utility guys and do something that we may not have planned for you to do. Some may take the opportunity as a way to get on the court, some may not. But I would say this, we have to stick together as one game. And unfortunately, we came in on the side that I did not want. I wanted this win very badly, and I'm excited about our team getting healthy.”

On having their length neutralized:

“I just think, at the end of the day, I’ll give credit to Illinois. Illinois is a good team. Do I think we're a good team? Yeah, I think we're a good team, but Illinois does not, and have not gone through the same things that we've gone through this year, as it relates to practices and who's in and who's out, and sort of just trying to get a unit out there, they've been able to gradually improve their shooting ability. It’s something that will cause problems throughout the Big 10, their length. I mean, you have seven footers, both shooting 3s, right? As it relates to their entire team, six guys in double digits throughout the season, you have a spacing sort of advantage when you have your entire roster able to shoot and make threes. Stojakovic was probably the least of the 3-point shooters, and he starts the game with a make. Look at his percentages. But ultimately, I think players got to make plays, and they made a lot of plays. They made a lot of shots tonight, and hopefully we're able to rebound on what we need to rebound on.”

On being able to reach this team’s full potential:

“To reach our full potential, it's like pieces of puzzles, right? Our entire team has been put together a certain way. When you lose a guy that have not played this season and he's a starter in the SEC right, that's an advantage with length shooting ability. Jayden Stone, the same way. Look at his percentage, you have to have both Stone and Crews in the game to open up things. I wish Luke Northweather would have taken more risk tonight in shooting, but he didn't, and that's okay. We just have to get healthy. Guys have to defend being able to defend that three-point line. There's not many teams like Illinois out there, but there are good teams. Every team is going to propose different issues. So, as relates to our team, I think our team is a good team, man. We can win games as we have, without certain guys, and we'll continue to piece it together.”

On having players be in larger roles than initially anticipated:

“In terms of shepherding, I think that's a little different. But guys continue to grow and develop through the years, especially if they come through our program multiple years. I think first-year guys, they see their roles, and we put them in roles. I execute the role. I tell them what role I need them to be in. Game by game, you'll have different guys step up. You'll have different adversities show up as well, and guys have to get through those. It's no different than a kid fouling out or somebody getting in foul trouble. Someone has to be prepared to have a bigger role on the spot so that your team can be in a position to win. So ultimately, at the end of the day, we did not prepare for Jevon (Porter) to be out this game. It's a decision that had to be made. It's on coach Gates. I did not want him to be in a different situation. I wanted him to heal and Trent Pierce. It's great to see him practice. Jayden Stone, it’s great to see him practice. But I have to follow doctor's orders so they get cleared. So I won't compromise the entire season, but get these guys in a place where they're healthy enough and the doctors approve it.”

On a drop off in per-game bench points:

“It'll give guys opportunities to get rest. It'll keep the guys that's on the court in those spurts able to compete at the highest level, versus taking a play off here and there because of fatigue, not because they're trying to, but fatigue will get you. Foul trouble will take away some aggression. Just think about it. I'm excited to see Sebastian Mack take that jump, right, because we know his potential. Now let's have everybody do it at the same time, right? And I think that that gives you the best team that you have when you have that performance out there, and guys are clicking defensively, clicking offensively, and you can just feel that energy. Ultimately, the health of any team going through a health situation with players that are playing significant roles will be impacted a certain way.”

On the performance of Keaton Wagler:

“The draft is in June. I think that's what stands out. He's a good player. They do a good job. He makes shots, he plays composed. I think he's a talented young man whose best basketball is probably ahead of them, for sur. He fits into what they're doing as it relates to being able to be a primary and a secondary ball handler. But I'll credit this person right here before I credit Wagler, I'll credit the sacrifice of (Kylan) Boswell, who was a point guard who is a dominant ball handler in sacrificing his career and moving over for the sake of his team, that stands out more to me than than the play of Wagler, somebody that's sacrificing what they sacrifice willingly for that young man to have an opportunity. And you can see it just in different plays, in different situations, and the deferring that takes place. Boswell is a good player, but the leadership he possesses probably the crux, the heartbeat of their team, and that's impressive to me.”

Read more Missouri Tigers News: