As the Missouri Tigers closed out nonconference play with a disappointing loss to Illinois, it left many fans with a sour taste in their mouths as the Tigers limped into the break. Despite finishing nonconference play with a 10-3 record, there were many questions that head coach Dennis Gates and the Tigers were yet to answer.
While it wasn’t just a historic loss to Illinois that went wrong in December, a late-game collapse versus Notre Dame and a second-half letdown versus Kansas really sent the Tigers in the wrong direction, leaving many fans wondering what this team would look like coming off a historic 2024-25 season.