(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Coach Dennis Gates enters his fourth season at Missouri, looking to build off a successful 2024-25 campaign that featured 22 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance, albeit a first-round loss.

The journey will start Monday in an unlikely place: Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C., as Missouri travels to face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power Howard.

'That's against a coach (Kenneth Blakeney) that I highly respect,' Gates told the Columbia Tribune. 'I also believe you know the character of your team by how they treat opponents on the road, and being able to get that at the very beginning, I think, can help us in a tremendous way.'

Missouri prepared for its opener by posting a 100-91 exhibition victory over Kansas State at home on Oct. 24 as junior guard Anthony Robinson II, an SEC all-defensive team selection last year, was 6 of 6 from the field and scored 16 points. Mark Mitchell, a preseason second-team all-SEC pick, was limited to 11 minutes after he lost his balance late in the first half going for an offensive rebound and landed hard on the floor.

A wrist injury notwithstanding, Mitchell appears poised to have a stellar senior year. The versatile 6-foot-9 forward averaged a team-high 13.9 points per game in 2024-25 -- Mitchell's first season with the Tigers after transferring from Duke -- and was one of 14 players in the nation to total at least 450 points, 150 rebounds, 60 assists, 30 steals and 25 blocks.

'Mark Mitchell is a coachable guy,' Gates said. 'He allowed me to do that; didn't fuss, didn't fight. He delivered on the call of what was needed (during the 2024-25 season, when Missouri finished 22-12). He answered to his teammates. He's a guy that can play one through five. He can defend one through five.'

Howard is predicted to finish second behind Norfolk State in the MEAC preseason poll. Fifth-year senior Bryce Harris, who played only seven games last season due to injury for the 12-20 Bison but averaged 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds to lead Howard to the 2024 NCAA Tournament, was named to the league's preseason first team.

Lehigh transfer Cam Gillus (9.4 ppg, 2.4 assists per game) was voted to the second team, and Morehouse College transfer Cedric Taylor III claimed a spot on the third team.

Harris said 'just driving the team's culture' will be part of the Bison's early focus.

'Despite the results, (it's) making sure we go out there and compete, No. 1,' Harris said. 'Make sure we're playing smart, make sure we're playing hard. Basketball is a sport where it might not always go your way. You might do all the right things and still lose the game. (It's) making sure you have that connectivity.'

Missouri defeated Howard last November, 77-62, at Mizzou Arena to start the teams' three-game series.

--Field Level Media