Missouri Shows Growth, But Texas Loss Highlights Remaining Gaps
Missouri has taken real strides this season under Dennis Gates. The Tigers are defending better than they have in years, owning the paint, and getting to the free throw line at a rate that would make any coach smile.
This group has been tougher, more physical, and more committed to the glass than we’ve seen in a while. And that’s not just coach-speak - the numbers back it up.
They’ve used that edge to notch some impressive wins. They held Auburn - one of the most efficient offenses in the country - to 74 points.
They dominated the boards against Texas A&M, pulling down a 39-26 advantage and turning that into a 14-2 edge in second-chance points. They bulldozed Kentucky in the paint, dropping 40 points inside Rupp Arena.
And in their SEC opener, they earned 10 more free throws than Florida - a stat that speaks volumes about their ability to impose their will.
But Saturday night against Texas was a reminder: there’s still work to do.
The Longhorns brought the fight to Columbia and didn’t let up, overpowering the Tigers physically and pulling away for an 85-68 win. Missouri looked a step slow chasing loose balls, struggled to finish at the rim, and couldn’t quite match Texas’ physicality over 40 minutes.
“Our guys were foul-prone tonight. Away from the basket,” Gates said postgame.
“After missing the first three (shots of the second half), Texas made the next 10 of 12. And they just made some great plays.”
The turning point came early - and it came in the paint.
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis was a problem all night. At 7 feet and 255 pounds, he brought a level of physical dominance that Missouri simply couldn’t counter for long stretches. Senior center Shawn Phillips Jr. gave the Tigers a fighting chance when he was on the floor, but foul trouble cut his night short before it ever really got going.
Phillips picked up a deadball technical at the 17:25 mark of the first half after catching Vokietaitis with an elbow while battling for a rebound. Less than 30 seconds later, he was whistled again - this time for an offensive foul. Just like that, Missouri’s best interior defender was stuck on the bench.
With Phillips limited to just 18 minutes, Gates was forced to mix and match inside. Redshirt freshman Trent Burns got a look, but was outmuscled quickly.
That left Gates leaning on smaller lineups, rotating between 6-foot-9 freshman Nicholas Randall, senior Mark Mitchell, and 6-foot-10 forward Trent Pierce to try to slow down Vokietaitis. It didn’t work.
Vokietaitis finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in just 25 minutes. He drew seven fouls - a stat more commonly associated with aggressive guards - and was the most dominant presence on the floor.
“Shawn is a defensive presence for us,” Gates said. “He gives us athleticism around the basket.
It’s just one of those things - unfortunate flagrant. And he’s probably leading the country in flagrant fouls, I guess.
The other part of it is, is it the response or the initiation of the physicality? And I think he’s always on the other side of reacting.”
Missouri’s defense, which has been a strength all year, couldn’t find an answer. The Tigers got into the paint, but couldn’t finish.
They shot just 42.9% on two-point attempts, and no one struggled more than sophomore guard T.O. Barrett.
Normally a reliable scorer, Barrett was held to just five points on 2-of-9 shooting, missing six layups in the process.
Mitchell got off to a solid start with 12 points in the first half, but Texas tightened the screws in the second. He attempted just one more shot after halftime, finishing with 16 points.
“They’re well-coached. They’re disciplined on the wall-ups,” Mitchell said.
“They’re not the best shot-blocking team, but they’re pretty good at altering shots. Vokietaitis was down there, Dailyn Swain - those guys are just fundamentally sound.
We probably could have done a better job having some better patience around the rim.”
The numbers told the story. Texas outscored Mizzou in the paint, 40-28.
They won the rebounding battle, 36-26. And while Missouri got to the line more often, Texas was nearly perfect - hitting 21 of 23 free throws.
The Tigers, by contrast, left points on the board, going 26-of-38 from the stripe.
It was a tough blow for a Missouri team that had been surging. The Tigers came into the night riding a three-game win streak, playing in front of a sellout crowd of 15,061, and fighting for positioning on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The energy was there - the execution wasn’t.
Still, Gates kept things in perspective.
“It’s not always as good as you think it is, and it’s not always as bad as you think it is,” he said. “Ultimately, we’ve gotta bounce back and be able to flush the game.”
What’s Next
Missouri (17-8, 7-5 SEC) stays home for another key SEC matchup, hosting Vanderbilt (21-4, 8-4) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT.
The game will air on SEC Network. With the conference race tightening and tournament hopes hanging in the balance, the Tigers will need to regroup quickly - and bring the physicality from the opening tip.