The schedule for the Missouri men’s basketball team’s upcoming season was released on Tuesday, Aug. 20. The Tigers face a challenging non-conference schedule along with the ever competitive SEC games as they look to rebound from a disappointing season.

Different conferences, same challenges

The first game of the season takes place in Tennessee, as the Tigers travel to play the University of Memphis, which has made the NCAA tournament twice in the last three years.  Missouri has the benefit of playing the next ten of their non-conference games at home, taking on non-power conference teams like Howard University and Lindenwood University throughout the month of November.  

The Tigers will have matchups versus ACC newcomer California on Dec. 3 and Big 10 powerhouse Illinois on Dec. 22. The crown jewel of the schedule—the Border Showdown versus the Kansas Jayhawks—will be held at Mizzou Arena on Sunday, Dec. 8. 

Battling the new and improved SEC

Missouri travels to Auburn on Jan. 4, kicking off conference play against the Tigers before coming back home to play Louisiana State and Vanderbilt.

Their first conference matchup with the Texas Longhorns will be held in Austin, whereas their re-introduction to the Oklahoma Sooners is a home game in early February. 

The two new squads bring an added level of pedigree to an already strong conference. Although Oklahoma has missed the tournament for the past three years, they’ve posted a winning record in six of their last seven seasons. Texas is running on four straight tournament berths, including an Elite Eight appearance in the 2023 tournament. 

Under-the-radar matchups

There are several games during conference play which could prove key for a productive season for Missouri Men’s Basketball. A mid-January matchup with the Florida Gators is one of those games. Florida is returning several key players including senior guard Walter Clayton Jr, who averaged 17.6 points per game last year. The Gators also added one of the most intriguing freshmen in the class, 7’9” center Olivier Rioux. 

Two more games to watch for are home matchups against Texas A&M and South Carolina in February. 

The Aggies have built a strong program during head coach Buzz Williams’ tenure with three-straight winning seasons, and are poised to continue that trend in the 2024-25 season. 

After a number of disappointing campaigns, South Carolina stormed to a 26-win season last year, making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. Forward Collin Murray-Boyles made a major impact as a freshman, averaging 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. Led by Murray-Boyles and a strong supporting cast, the Gamecocks could roll to another 20-win season.

After a season where Missouri went winless in conference play — a feat matched this century only by the hapless Vanderbilt Commodores — every game gives the Tigers a chance to improve. With new additions such as four-star freshman Annor Boateng and Duke transfer Mark Mitchell, their new schedule gives Missouri every opportunity to return to the NCAA tournament.

Edited by Dylan Heinrich | dheinrich@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Emma Short

Copy Edited by Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com