The Mizzou men’s basketball team officially opens the 2026-27 season on Tuesday night, welcoming Cleveland State to Mizzou Arena. The opener is set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network +.
PROMOTIONS
• As part of the Tip Off in CoMo special, fans can purchase tickets for just $5.73 for Tuesday’s season opener.
• Students will also receive the official student section t-shirt as a giveaway.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• Missouri finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 20-13 and an SEC mark of 10-8.
• The Tigers earned their third NCAA Tournament bid in four years under Dennis Gates, falling to Miami in the first round.
• All-SEC performer Mark Mitchell is the team’s lone returning starter from last season. Mitchell led Mizzou with 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists during the 2025-26 campaign.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
• Cleveland State is in its second year under head coach Rob Summers.
• In Summers’ first season leading the program, Cleveland State posted an 11-22 record with a 6-14 mark in Horizon League play.
• Featuring 14 new players on the roster, CSU was selected 11th in the preseason Horizon League poll.
SERIES HISTORY
• The schools are meeting for the second time overall and the second-straight season.
• Last season, Mizzou scored the game’s first 23 points and never looked back en route to an 86-59 win at Mizzou Arena.
• Jacob Crews led the Tigers with 20 points, while five players scored in double figures overall.
MIZZOU VERSUS HORIZON LEAGUE
• The Tigers own an 11-1 all-time record against the Horizon League, including a 7-0 mark in Columbia.
• Mizzou has won its last seven meetings against the league – a streak that dates back to 1989.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
• Tuesday’s matchup features Coach Dennis Gates taking on his former school.
• Now in his fifth season as Whitten Family Head Coach at Mizzou, Gates joined the Tigers after spending three seasons at Cleveland State.
• With the Vikings, Gates rebuilt the CSU program with 50 wins, two regular-season Horizon League titles, one tournament crown and the school’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 12 years.
• Additionally, three other members of the current Mizzou staff also were on the staff at CSU – Ryan Sharbaugh (2019-22), David “Dickey” Nutt (2019-21) and Matt Cline (2021-22).
WELCOME BACK
• While Coach Gates is playing his former team, the Tigers are also welcoming back a number of familiar faces in Tuesday’s game.
• Most notable, second-year CSU head coach Rob Summers spent the 2024-25 season as offensive coordinator with the Tigers – MU ranked ninth nationally in scoring offense that season.
• Also, two current CSU assistant coaches have MU ties – Dalon King (former Director of Operations) and Tre Gomillion (former player and GA).
MIZZOU IN OPENERS
• The Tigers are set to open their 121st season of play on Monday night at Howard.
• Mizzou owns a 97-23 all-time record in season openers (80.8 winning percentage).
• The Tigers are starting at home for the first time since the 2023-24 season after opening the last two seasons on the road.
• Overall, Mizzou owns a 105-15 all-time record in its first home game of the season and have won 11-straight home debuts.
• November 3 matches the earliest date the Tigers have played in school history (also last season).
EXHIBITION LEADERS
• The Tigers split a pair of exhibition games during the preseason, defeating Kansas State 71-67 and falling at UNLV 90-81.
• Freshman Jason Crowe Jr. led MU offensively in both games – tallying 23.0 points and 5.5 assists.
• On the defensive end, the Tigers were led by Bryson Tiller, who averaged 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
CROWE NAMED TO WATCH LISTS
• Freshman Jason Crowe Jr. was recognized as one of the nation’s top players – earning a spot on the Naismith Award Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award Watch Lists.
• Crowe is one of 50 players to earn Naismith preseason recognition, including of just five freshmen in the country.
• He is also one of 20 to earn a spot on the Cousy Award Watch List (one of three freshmen), which is award to the nation’s top point guard.
