Mizzou Basketball to Host Elite Program to Open SEC Play

The Tigers will look to win their SEC opener for the first time since the 2022-2023 season.

Mar 14, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Jacob Crews (35) drives to the basket past Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh (10) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Missouri Tigers will begin Southeastern Conference play by hosting the reigning national champions, the Florida Gators, according to a report from Peter Burns of SEC Network.

The game will be played January 3 at Mizzou Arena. This will mark the first time Missouri hosts Florida since January 20, 2024, where the Gators won 79-67.

In seven home matchups against Florida, Missouri has gone 3-4.

Missouri has lost each of its last two conference openers, losing to No. 2 Auburn on the road last year, and to Georgia at home the year before.

One of Missouri's best wins in the 2024-25 season came on the road at Florida, with the Tigers upsetting the then-No. 5 Gators in a 83-82 win. Missouri was the only team to win against Florida on its home court last season. Overall, Missouri was just one of four teams to beat the eventual national champions.

Missouri then lost to Florida in Round 2 of the SEC Tournament, which the Gators would go on to win.

Looking to make a trip back to the National Championship, Florida replenished its roster with some of the top stars available in the transfer portal — Boogie Fland from Arkansas and Xavian Lee from Princeton.

When playing against Fland last year, Missouri held the then-freshman guard to four points in 33 minutes, his lowest scoring performance of the season in games with at least 10 minutes played.

However, the Gators will have to replace the production of All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr., along with other starters Alijah Martin and Will Richard. Clayton had standout performances in both games against Missouri last season, scoring 28 points in the regular season match, then 18 in the SEC Tournament.

The full SEC men's basketball schedule will be released Wednesday. Here's a look at all of the information that has already been released for Missouri's schedule.

2025-2026 Non-Conference Schedule

(All times to be determined unless marked)

EXHIBITION - Oct. 24: vs. Kansas State, 9 p.m.
Nov 3: at Howard
Nov 7: vs. Southeast Missouri State
Nov. 9: vs. VMI
Nov. 12: vs Minnesota
Nov. 17: vs. Prairie View A&M
Nov. 20: vs. South Dakota
Nov. 25: vs. South Carolina State
Nov. 28: vs. Cleveland State
Dec. 2: at Notre Dame (SEC/ACC Challenge)
Dec. 7: vs. Kansas in Kansas City
Dec. 11: vs. Alabama State
Dec. 14: vs. Bethune-Cookman
Dec. 22: vs. Illinois in St. Louis

SEC Home Games

Arkansas
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Mississippi State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
Vanderbilt

SEC Road Games

Alabama
Arkansas
Kentucky
LSU
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Texas A&M