Gates keeps team focus one game at a time; not looking ahead to Kansas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With the news on Thursday that the Border Showdown with Kansas has sold out, Dennis Gates said that the only focus for the team right now is the upcoming game with SEMO.

"Sunday's game against SEMO is very important and our guys know that as well so ultimately when we look at the big picture, we stay in the moment," Gates said. "We try not to look too far behind but learn from the past, but not too far ahead of ourselves and ultimately looking at our next opponent."

"We're going to get SEMO's best shot, there's no doubt about it," Gates said. "That game has to be one that we have to get better to do the things that we need to do and it starts today in practice, it starts with our mindset."

While Gates said the team is not looking ahead past Sunday's game to next weekend's Kansas game, he said the only looking ahead that the team is doing is to April.

"The only far ahead we look is April 1, April 3," Gates said. "We consistently talk about it in our program and what it would be like to be in those venues in Houston and everything that we do is predicated towards that direction."

With Mizzou just returning from the first road trip of the season with an overtime win at Wichita State, the team feels confident about how they overcame the road challenges.

"Everything that could've happened, happened," said guard Sean East II. "We were down, we went in overtime, we were up, it was just a good environment and I'm glad we got it out of the way for our future road trips."

"They went on a 16-2 run and a 12-0 run, but no matter what we stayed connected," said forward Ronnie DeGray III. "Coach always talks about the most connected team will win no matter what happens throughout the game and through our lapses we kept hitting singles to get back in the game."

DeGray has slowly got more minutes as the season goes on, he said he sees his role as a major part of bringing energy off the bench.

"Just doing the small things that maybe don't always show up in the box score, but doing the things to help the team win," DeGray said.

Mizzou will be at home Sunday against SEMO at 3 p.m.