If there’s been one consistent knock on Missouri basketball in recent years, it’s been their struggles on the glass. But this season? That narrative is starting to shift - and in a big way.
Coming into the year, there were valid concerns about how the Tigers would hold up on the boards after losing Josh Gray, their top rebounder from last season. Gray’s graduation left a sizable hole in the paint, both literally and figuratively.
But a dozen games into the season, Missouri is not just holding its own - it's thriving. The Tigers currently rank 14th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate and 59th in defensive rebounding rate.
That’s not just improvement - that’s a leap. On average, they’re outrebounding opponents by nearly 10 boards per game (9.8, to be exact).
That kind of margin changes games.
What’s driving the surge? It’s not just one guy - it’s been a collective effort.
Four different players are ranked among the top 500 in offensive rebounding percentage across Division I. Leading the charge is senior forward Jevon Porter, who’s snagging 11.0% of Missouri’s missed shots while he’s on the court - good enough for 200th nationally.
He’s been joined on the offensive glass by junior center Luke Northweather and senior forwards Mark Mitchell and Jacob Crews, all of whom are making their presence felt inside.
And then there’s Shawn Phillips Jr. The senior center hasn’t logged enough minutes to qualify for the national rankings, but when he’s on the floor, he’s been a force.
Phillips is pulling down 10.4% of Mizzou’s misses - just a tick behind Porter - but where he’s really making noise is on the defensive glass. He’s grabbing 26.1% of available defensive rebounds, nearly matching the 26.3% mark Gray posted last season.
That’s elite territory.
The improvement from Mitchell and Crews has been especially noticeable. A season ago, the duo combined to average just 6.8 rebounds per game.
This year? They’re up to 10.9 combined.
That kind of year-over-year growth speaks to both individual development and a team-wide emphasis on crashing the boards.
Missouri’s size is playing a big role, too - literally. According to KenPom, the Tigers rank ninth in the country in average height at 79.0 inches.
And they’re not just tall - they’re using that length to dominate in the paint. Offensively, they’re converting 63.1% of their two-point attempts, which ranks seventh nationally.
Defensively, they’re holding opponents to just 45.1% on shots inside the arc - 22nd in the country. That’s a recipe for success on both ends of the floor.
Take Sunday’s 82-60 win over Bethune-Cookman as a snapshot of how this team is imposing its will. The Tigers outrebounded the Wildcats 34-20 - marking the eighth time this season they’ve won the battle on the boards.
They also outscored BCU 50-18 in the paint. Mitchell led the effort with seven rebounds, showing the kind of physicality and presence that Missouri fans have been waiting to see from him.
After the game, Bethune-Cookman head coach Reggie Theus didn’t sugarcoat what his team was up against.
“You can’t overcome minus-14 on the boards. You can’t overcome 50 points in the paint,” Theus said. “And that’s just the dilemma you have when you play a team like this.”
He added a player’s mentality to the mix: “You may get a shot, but you’re not gonna get that shot. You may get a rebound, but you’re not getting this rebound.”
That’s the kind of edge Missouri is playing with right now - a team that’s taking the fight to its opponents physically, especially around the rim. For a program that’s struggled in that area in recent years, this newfound toughness on the glass is more than just a stat line - it’s an identity shift. And if they can keep this up, it’s going to make them a tough out in conference play and beyond.