| Missouri Tigers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |||||||||
| University | University of Missouri | ||||||||
| First season | 1907 | ||||||||
| All-time record | 1,691–1,247 (.576) | ||||||||
| Athletic director | Laird Veatch | ||||||||
| Head coach | Dennis Gates (4th season) | ||||||||
| Conference | Southeastern Conference | ||||||||
| Location | Columbia, Missouri | ||||||||
| Arena | Mizzou Arena (capacity: 15,061) | ||||||||
| Nickname | Tigers | ||||||||
| Colors | Black and gold[1] | ||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| NCAA tournament Elite Eight | |||||||||
| 1944, 1976, 1994*, 2002, 2009 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||
| 1978,1982,1987,1989,1991,1993,2009,2012 | |||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||
| 1918, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1930, 1939, 1940, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994 | |||||||||
* - vacated by NCAA | |||||||||
TheMissouri Tigers men's basketball team represents theUniversity of Missouri in theSEC. Prior to the 2012–2013 season, the basketball team represented the school in theBig 12 Conference. They are located inColumbia, Missouri, playing home games atMizzou Arena (15,061). The team last played in theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2025. The Tigers' season in 2022–23 was their first under head coachDennis Gates, who was hired away fromCleveland State to replace the firedCuonzo Martin.[2] The Missouri men's basketball program was a charter member of theBig 12 Conference, formed from theBig Eight Conference in 1996.[3] Entering the 2023–24 season the Tigers had an all-time record of 1,691–1,245 and a winning percentage of .576.
The University of Missouri men's basketball program was founded in the 1907–08 season, with the team playing its first game on January 12, 1907, a decisive 65–5 victory over Central College of Fayette. The program was a charter member of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA), the conference that would later evolve into the Big Eight. The Tigers achieved early conference success under coaches like Walter Meanwell and Craig Ruby.
While Missouri has never won the NCAA Tournament (established in 1939) and has never been officially recognized by the NCAA as a national champion, the university was twice retroactively designated as being the top-ranked team of the season by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. The 1920–21 and 1921–22 teams, which won conference titles, were designated as the top teams in the nation by this poll, an unofficial, mathematical rating system for the pre-tournament era. These selections are not officially recognized by the NCAA, and the university does not claim being a national champion for either of these seasons.
Following the split of the MVIAA, Missouri became a member of the Big Six Conference in 1928, later evolving into the Big Seven and then the Big Eight. Under coach George Edwards (1926–1946), the Tigers won three Big Six regular-season titles. Edwards also led the program to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1944, where the Tigers advanced to the regional semifinal (now known as the Elite Eight).
The team played in the Brewer Fieldhouse for decades before moving into the Hearnes Center in 1972, a move that significantly boosted the program's profile and attendance capacity.
The longest and most successful coaching tenure in program history belongs to Norm Stewart, an alumnus who coached the Tigers for 32 seasons (1967–1999). Stewart won 634 games at Missouri, more than the program had won in its entire 60-year history before his arrival.
The Stewart era was defined by Big Eight success and a fierce rivalry with the Kansas Jayhawks ("The Border War"). Stewart's teams won eight Big Eight regular-season championships and six conference tournament titles. His teams reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament twice (1976 and 1994), though the 1994 appearance was later vacated by the NCAA. The 1993–94 team achieved a perfect 14–0 conference record, earning Stewart multiple national coach of the year awards. Stewart also co-founded the Coaches vs. Cancer program following his own battle with the disease.
Following Stewart's retirement, the program saw a renewed burst of NCAA Tournament success under Quin Snyder and Mike Anderson. Snyder led the Tigers to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run in 2002. Anderson, who ran a high-tempo style dubbed "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball," led the Tigers to a school-record 31 wins in the 2008–09 season. That team captured the Big 12 Tournament Championship and advanced to the Elite Eight. Anderson led the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2009–2011).
In 2004, the team moved into its current home, Mizzou Arena. The program concluded its Big 12 membership in its final year, 2012, by winning the conference tournament championship.
The University of Missouri officially joined the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in July 2012, concluding its long history in the Big Eight and Big 12 conferences. The transition brought new rivalries and challenges in one of the nation's premier basketball leagues. While the program has yet to win an SEC regular-season or tournament title, it has secured multiple NCAA Tournament berths during the SEC era, including a successful run under current coach Dennis Gates (hired in 2022).
| Missouri vs. | Overall Record | at Columbia | at Opponent's Venue | at Neutral Site | Last 5 Meetings | Last 10 Meetings | Current Streak | During Time in Big 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor | MU, 16–10 | MU, 10–2 | BU, 6–4 | Tied, 2–2 | MU, 4–1 | MU, 7–3 | W 4 | MU, 13–6 |
| Iowa State | MU, 151–86 | MU, 87–21 | ISU, 60–48 | MU, 16–5 | MU, 3-2 | MU, 8–2 | W 1 | MU, 20–14 |
| Kansas | KU, 176–96 | KU, 66–58 | KU, 92–31 | KU, 18–7 | KU, 4–1 | KU, 8–2 | L 1 | KU, 25–10 |
| Kansas State | KSU, 121–116 | MU, 64–42 | KSU, 62–44 | KSU, 17–8 | KSU, 5–0 | KSU, 7–3 | L 5 | MU, 18–15 |
| Oklahoma | OU, 115–97 | MU, 62–31 | OU, 66–21 | OU, 18–14 | OU, 3–2 | tied, 5–5 | L 3 | OU, 13–11 |
| Oklahoma State | MU, 77–42 | MU, 45–7 | OSU, 29–21 | MU, 10–6 | MU, 3–2 | MU, 6-4 | L 1 | MU, 11–9 |
| Texas | MU, 14–12 | MU, 7–4 | UT, 6–4 | MU, 3–2 | MU, 4–1 | MU, 6–4 | W 3 | UT, 11–9 |
| Texas A&M | TAMU, 24-20 | TAMU, 10-8 | TAMU, 13-7 | MU, 5–1 | TAMU, 3–2 | TAMU, 6-4 | L 1 | Tied, 10–10 |
| Texas Tech | MU, 15–8 | MU, 8–2 | TTU, 6–3 | MU, 4–0 | MU, 5–0 | MU, 8–2 | W 7 | MU, 13–7 |
| *As of February 2, 2026 | ||||||||
| Missouri vs. | Overall Record | at Columbia | at Opponent's Venue | at Neutral Site | Last 5 Meetings | Last 10 Meetings | Current Streak | Most recent meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | MU, 99–53 (.651) | MU, 57–11 (.838) | CU, 34–30 (.531) | MU, 12–8 (.600) | MU, 4–1 (.800) | MU, 9–1 (.900) | W | February 5, 2011[4] |
| Creighton | MU, 9–7 (.563) | MU, 3–2 (.600) | Tied, 4–4 (.500) | MU, 2–1 (.667) | MU, 3–2 (.600) | CU, 6–4 (.600) | L 1 | November 23, 2004[5] |
| Drake | MU, 27–8 (.771) | MU, 17–3 (.850) | MU, 10–4 (.714) | DU, 1–0 (1.000) | MU, 3–2 (.600) | MU, 7–3 (.700) | L 1 | March 20, 2025[6] |
| Illinois | UI, 36–20 (.643) | Tied, 3–3 (.500) | UI, 4–1 (.800) | UI, 29–16 (.644) | UI, 4–1 (.800) | UI, 6–4 (.600) | L 3 | December 22, 2025[7] |
| Indiana | Tied, 9–9 (.500) | MU, 5–3 (.625) | IU, 6–3 (.667) | MU, 1–0 (1.000) | MU, "4–1 (.800) | Tied, 5–5 (.500) | W 3 | December 19, 2004[8] |
| Iowa | UI, 10–7 (.588) | MU, 4–2 (.667) | UI, 7–2 (.778) | Tied, 1–1 (.500) | MU, 3–2 (.600) | Tied, 5–5 (.500) | W 2 | January 3, 2004[9] |
| Nebraska | MU, 126–93 (.575) | MU, 70–25 (.737) | NU, 56–42 (.571) | MU, 14–12 (.538) | MU, 3–2 (.600) | Tied, 5–5 (.500) | L 1 | March 1, 2011[10] |
| Saint Louis | MU, 21–19 (.525) | SLU, 12–10 (.545) | MU, 11–6 (.647) | SLU, 1–0 (1.000)[11] | MU, 3–2 (.600) | Tied, 5–5 (.500) | W 2 | December 3, 2001[12] |
| Washington University of Saint Louis | MU, 71–29 (.710) | MU, 42–8 (.840) | MU, 29–21 (.580) | Tied, 0–0 (–) | MU, 5–0 (1.000) | MU, 8–2 (.800) | W 7 | November 3, 2022 (preseason exhibition game) |
| *As of February 4, 2026 | ||||||||
| Missouri vs. | Overall Record | at Columbia | at Opponent's Venue | at Neutral Site | Last 5 Meetings | Last 10 Meetings | Current Streak | Since Joining SEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | UA, 16–8 | MU, 6-4 | UA, 9–1 | UA, 3–1 | UA, 4-1 | UA, 6–4 | L 1 | UA, 11–7 |
| Arkansas | UA, 36-28 | MU, 18–13 | UA, 21–10 | UA, 2–0 | UA, 3-2 | UA, 8-2 | L 1 | UA, 16–10 |
| Auburn | AU, 11-7 | MU, 5-4 | AU, 6–1 | Tie, 1–1 | AU, 4–1 | AU, 8-2 | W 1 | AU, 10–6 |
| Florida | UF, 12-6 | Tied, 4-4 | UF, 6–2 | UF, 2–0 | UF, 3-2 | UF, 6-4 | L 2 | UF, 10–6 |
| Georgia | MU, 12-11 | MU, 5–4 | UGA, 5–4 | MU, 3–2 | UGA, 3-2 | MU, 6-4 | L 1 | UGA, 7–9 |
| Kentucky | UK, 16–4 | UK, 5–3 | UK, 9–1 | UK, 2–0 | UK, 3-2 | UK, 6-4 | W 1 | UK, 12–4 |
| LSU | LSU, 13–5 | MU, 4–3 | LSU, 8–1 | LSU, 2–1 | MU, 3-2 | LSU, 7-3 | L 1 | LSU, 11–5 |
| Mississippi State | MSU, 14-9 | MU, 6–5 | MSU, 9–2 | MU, 1–0 | MU, 4-1 | MSU, 6-4 | W 3 | MSU, 13–6 |
| Ole Miss | UM, 18–9 | UM, 7–5 | UM, 9-3 | UM, 2–1 | UM, 3-2 | MU, 6-4 | L 1 | UM, 16–8 |
| South Carolina | MU, 10-9 | MU, 7–2 | SC, 6-3 | SC, 1–0 | SC, 3–2 | TIED, 5-5 | W 1 | MU, 10–8 |
| Tennessee | UT, 13–10 | UT, 6-5 | UT, 6–4 | Tied, 1–1 | UT, 3-2 | UT, 7-3 | L 2 | UT, 11–5 |
| Texas A&M | TAMU, 27–20 | TAMU, 12-8 | TAMU, 14–7 | TAMU, 5–1 | TAMU, 5–0 | TAMU, 8-2 | L 5 | TAMU, 11–6 |
| Vanderbilt | MU, 10-9 | MU, 8–0 | VU, 8-2 | VU, 1–0 | VU, 3-2 | MU, 6–4 | L 1 | MU, 8–6 |
| Texas | MU, 14-13 | MU, 7-4 | UT, 7-4 | MU, 3-2 | MU, 4-1 | MU, 6-4 | L 1 | UT, 1-0 |
| Oklahoma | OU, 116-99 | MU, 63-29 | OU, 66-22 | OU, 21-14 | OU, 3-2 | TIED, 5-5 | W 1 | MU, 2-1 |
| *As of February 2, 2026 | ||||||||
The Tigers have appeared in theNCAA tournament 30 times. Their combined record is 23–30. However, their appearance in 1994 has been vacated by the NCAA, making their official record 20–29.[13]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Elite Eight Regional 3rd Place Game | Utah Pepperdine | L 35–45 W 61–46 | |
| 1976 | Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Washington Texas Tech Michigan | W 69–67 W 86–75 L 88–95 | |
| 1978 | Round of 32 | Utah | L 79–862OT | |
| 1980 | #5 | Round of 48 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #12 San Jose State #4 Notre Dame #1 LSU | W 61–51 W 87–84OT L 63–68 |
| 1981 | #9 | Round of 48 | #8 Lamar | L 67–71 |
| 1982 | #2 | Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #7 Marquette #6 Houston | W 73–69 L 78–79 |
| 1983 | #2 | Round of 32 | #7 Iowa | L 63–77 |
| 1986 | #11 | Round of 64 | #6 UAB | L 64–66 |
| 1987 | #4 | Round of 64 | #13 Xavier | L 69–70 |
| 1988 | #6 | Round of 64 | #11 Rhode Island | L 80–87 |
| 1989 | #3 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #14 Creighton #11 Texas #2 Syracuse | W 85–69 W 108–89 L 80–83 |
| 1990 | #3 | Round of 64 | #14 Northern Iowa | L 71–74 |
| 1992 | #5 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #12 West Virginia #4 Seton Hall | W 89–78 L 71–88 |
| 1993 | #10 | Round of 64 | #7 Temple | L 61–75 |
| 1994* | #1 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #16 Navy #9 Wisconsin #4 Syracuse #2 Arizona | W 76–53 W 109–96 W 98–88OT L 72–92 |
| 1995 | #8 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #9 Indiana #1 UCLA | W 65–60 L 74–75 |
| 1999 | #8 | Round of 64 | #9 New Mexico | L 59–61 |
| 2000 | #9 | First Round | #9 North Carolina | L 84–70 |
| 2001 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 Georgia #1 Duke | W 70–68 L 81–94 |
| 2002 | #12 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #5 Miami (FL) #4 Ohio State #8 UCLA #2 Oklahoma | W 93–80 W 83–67 W 82–73 L 75–81 |
| 2003 | #6 | First Round Second Round | #11 Southern Illinois #3 Marquette | W 72–71 L 92–101OT |
| 2009 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #14 Cornell #6 Marquette #2 Memphis #1 Connecticut | W 78–59 W 83–79 W 102–91 L 75–82 |
| 2010 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 Clemson #2 West Virginia | W 86–78 L 59–68 |
| 2011 | #11 | First Round | #6 Cincinnati | L 63–78 |
| 2012 | #2 | First Round | #15 Norfolk State | L 84–86 |
| 2013 | #9 | First Round | #8 Colorado State | L 72–84 |
| 2018 | #8 | First Round | #9 Florida State | L 54–67 |
| 2021 | #9 | First Round | #8 Oklahoma | L 68–72 |
| 2023 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Utah State #15 Princeton | W 76–65 L 63–78 |
| 2025 | #6 | First Round | #11 Drake | L 57–67 |
* Vacated by the NCAA
TheNCAA began seeding the tournament with the1979 edition.
| Years → | '80 | '81 | '82 | '83 | '86 | '87 | '88 | '89 | '90 | '92 | '93 | '94 | '95 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '18 | '21 | '23 | '25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds→ | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
The Tigers have appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) eight times. Their combined record is 2–8.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | First Round | St. John's | L 81–82 |
| 1973 | First Round | Massachusetts | L 71–78 |
| 1985 | First Round | Saint Joseph's | L 67–68 |
| 1996 | First Round Second Round | Murray State Alabama | W 89–85 L 49–72 |
| 1998 | First Round | UAB | L 86–93 |
| 2004 | First Round | Michigan | L 64–65 |
| 2005 | First Round | DePaul | L 70–75 |
| 2014 | First Round Second Round | Davidson Southern Miss | W 85–77 L 63–71 |
The Tigers appeared in one of the only two everNational Commissioners Invitational Tournaments. Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Quarterfinals | Purdue | L 74–87 |
Missouri has retired eight jersey numbers, with the most recent ones being the numbers of Derrick Chievous and John Brown in 2019.[14][15]
| Missouri Tigers retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Tenure | No. ret. | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Derrick Chievous | 1984–1988 | 2019 | [14] |
| 20 | Jon Sundvold | 1979–1983 | [16] | |
| 22 | Norm Stewart | 1953–1956 | [17] | |
| 30 | Willie Smith | 1974–1976 | [18] | |
| 34 | Doug Smith | 1987–1991 | [19] | |
| 40 | Steve Stipanovich | 1979–1983 | [20][21] | |
| 43 | Bill Stauffer | 1949–1952 | [21] | |
| 50 | John Brown | 1970–1973 | 2019 | [14] |
Former
