Dennis Gates says he wants the Border Showdown to keep rolling, but the future of the Kansas-Missouri series still sounds far from settled.
The Jayhawks and Tigers have one of college basketball’s most recognizable rivalries, even if it doesn’t always get treated like the sport’s biggest annual must-see. To the people in Lawrence and Columbia, though, this one means plenty. And right now, the current agreement only runs through next season.
Asked on Jon Rothstein’s podcast, “Inside College Basketball Now,” about where things stand, Gates made it clear he wants the game to continue.
“Well, you know, I hope we can get to a place where we can keep that game on the schedule,”
The teams have met once a year since the 2021-22 season, with Kansas winning four of the last five. The most recent meeting came in the 2024-25 season, and it was all Jayhawks.
Kansas beat Missouri 80-60 last season behind Tre White’s 20 points. Four KU players scored at least 10, and the Jayhawks held Missouri to 34% shooting from three at the T-Mobile Center.
Missouri finished 20-13 and earned the No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 7 seed Miami in the first round. Kansas closed the year at 24-11 and later fell to St. John’s in the second round, 67-65, on a buzzer-beater.
Gates said the series matters too much for it to fade away.
“... It won't be me holding it up.
I know that. I would sign a contract for it right now.
But sometimes there's other things that play a part of it, that I'm not a part of.”
He added that the people above him need to help make sure the matchup survives.
“ …But also, we have to try to get our ADs, our presidents, to make sure we preserve that game, because it's such a good game for both fan bases and the history of the Big 12, the history of our competition, but also the legendary coaches.”
Then he put it plainly.
“…Regardless of who was on those sidelines, I believe, historically, it has added memories for both institutions, but it's something I want to always stay on the schedule…”
Kansas has controlled the rivalry overall, leading the series 177-96. The Jayhawks are 104-37 at home and 68-57 on the road, and they’ve gone 24-7 since the start of the 2000-01 season.
One of the offseason’s more notable twists was freshman power forward Bryson Tiller leaving Kansas and heading to Missouri. Tiller, ranked as the No. 42 transfer in the nation, averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 44.9% from the field in his freshman season with the Jayhawks. He had flashes, but after a year in a roster with plenty of room for growth, he moved on through the portal and landed with the Tigers.
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