How 2 Changes to Starting Lineup Have Impacted Mizzou

Sophomore guard T.O. Barrett and junior forward Trent Pierce were recently put in Missouri's starting lineup, providing a different look for the Tigers through the final stretch of the regular season.

Barrett was announced as a starter over the well-established junior point guard Anthony Robinson II Jan. 24 in a thrilling victory against Oklahoma. The Tigers were 3-3 in SEC conference play before the change and have been 2-1 since.

Barrett has been a consistent scorer for the Tigers since receiving the starting nod, scoring at least 13 points in each of the three games. Barrett is averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the stretch.

Prior to starting Barrett had two double-digit games in 19 contests he suited up for coming on Jan. 14 and Jan. 17.

“He's done a tremendous job in the role that I'm asking him to play,” Missouri head coach Dennis Gates said in a press conference Thursday.

Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) guards Missouri Tigers guard T.O. Barrett (5) during the first half at Coleman Coliseum. | Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

Gates credited Barrett's success to a high free-throw percentage and becoming a strong leader for the Missouri Tigers. While Barrett and Robinson’s stats are relatively similar after adjusting for the difference in minutes, two things statistically stand out.

Barrett has been much better from field goal range as well as at the free-throw line. He has shot 51.8 percent from the field and 84.4 percent from the charity stripe, as Robinson has gone 40.4 percent overall and 67.1 percent from the free-throw line.

Barrett is a nagging defensive personality, much like Robinson, and unlike the former starter, Barrett has had a heavier offensive output in SEC play. It’s undeniable that Barrett has been better in the paint and at generating success from the free-throw line.

“Kudos to him, and also credit (to) his teammates for the transition,” Gates said.

Pierce is another major returner from last year's squad that recently worked his way into a starting position after playing eight games off the bench due to a lower-body injury that sidelined him to begin the season. The 6-foot-10 forward made his presence felt against the Bulldogs, scoring 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting and 3-for-6 shooting from long range in a season-high 30 minutes.

Jan 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers forward Trent Pierce (11) shoots a 3 during a game against the Florida Gators at Mizzou Arena. | Sam Simon

Pierce has made an impact for Missouri in all nine games, averaging nine points, three rebounds and one steal in 23 minutes per contest. Pierce already ranks in the team's top five in scoring and top three in steals and 3-point percentage despite the limited minutes.

His 40.5 percent shooting from deep on nearly five 3-point attempts per game is a major addition to a Tigers team that ranks No. 7 in SEC 3-point percentage, but No. 14 in attempts from beyond the arc.

“I thought he took a jump (against Mississippi State), just showing his value out there on the court and the confidence that he has on both ends,” Gates said of Pierce after the win over the Bulldogs.

One trait that Gates has praised in Pierce is the confidence he plays and shoots with. The same could be said about Barrett.

Barrett's ability to go 4-for-4 from the line in the final 1:24 against Mississippi State and the confidence for the sophomore to pull a step back three after recently becoming a starter speaks volumes.

Pierce didn’t play a game until SEC play started and is now averaging nearly double digits on almost five attempts. The ability to generate success after being thrown into the thick of a grueling SEC schedule is unprecedented.

“The mental growth, the fortitude that he has, the resilience that he has it's a connection with his teammates,” Gates said of Pierce. “But also a connection with the growth and the process of freshman to sophomore (and) sophomore to junior year.”

These two additions to Missouri starting lineup brings a new unfaltering confidence that the Tigers will need if they look to play deep into March.

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