Mizzou hoops falls in 2025 finale to No. 20 Illinois
ST. LOUIS (KMIZ)
The Tigers suffered their third loss of the 2025-26 campaign in Braggin' Rights fashion, on Monday night.
Head Coach Dennis Gates' squad dropped their third game of the season, losing 91-48 to Illinois.
After the game, Coach Gates shouldered the blame for his team's 43-point loss, as they continue to face a battle with health, as forward Jevon Porter, forward Trent Pierce and guard Jayden Stone were all out of Monday night's game with an injury. Gates said he told his team in the locker that he doesn't want them to be upset about the loss, but to learn from it.
"I told [my team], look, man, I'm going to stand on the railroad tracks and allow whatever to come my way and I'll shield [you guys], at the end of the day. One game won't define us. One game won't define us. We just have to get healthy. But, in the meantime, in the process of getting healthy, we got to have guys fill in the blanks and be utility guys and do something that we may not have planned for you to do. Some may take the opportunity as a way to get on the court, some may not. But, I would say this we have to stick together. It is one game and unfortunately we came in on the side that I did not want. I wanted this win very badly. I'm excited about our team getting healthy," Gates said.
You can watch the full postgame press conference with Coach Gates, as well as guard Anthony Robinson, in the video player below.
Mizzou has been one of the nation's best shooting teams this season, but struggled in the 2025 finale. The team shot a mere 28.6 percent from the field. Only two players managed to get into double figures tonight, with Sebastian Mack notching a season high 17, being the only Tiger to make more than three buckets.
Anthony Robinson behind him with 12 points and two rebounds, extending his streak of finishing with 10 or more points to three games.
One of the more glaring stats on the box score was how the Tigers faired in the second-chance points department. The Fighting Illini out-scored Coach Gates' team 29-5 on second-chance buckets, as Illinois out-rebounded 43-24, overall.
"They were able to get their hands on a lot of those rebounds, whether it was keeping it alive or not. But, once they secured it, they ended up executing on their makes. It was just make, after make, after make," Gates said. "You can't win a game giving up 15 second-chance points in the first half and 14 in the second half. You won't be able to win games with six assists on baskets...I just think ultimate at least, to be able to beat this Illinois team, we got to get to the free throw line a little bit more."
Up Next - Mizzou will return home to open conference play against Florida on Jan. 3, 2026. Tip off is currently scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
