Dennis Gates’ Missouri Tigers lost 90-84 to Saint Louis, suffering their first defeat of the 2026-27 season. The game marked the renewal of the rivalry between the two programs, which had not faced each other since 2001. The Tigers won that game 69-67.
After the loss, Gates defended his decision to schedule the matchup, saying that 99% of programs would have avoided playing such a game. He explained that he wanted to put his team in a challenging situation to see what it was made of. Gates also said he wants to keep the matchup on the schedule in future seasons.
However, his comments have done little to cushion the blow. Here’s how Missouri fans reacted to Gates’ comment:…