Dennis Gates addresses what it means for Isiaih Mosley to enter starting lineup for Missouri

Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates let his squad to an 89-77 win on the road against Ole Miss on Tuesday. And after the game, he addressed what it means to have Isiaih Mosley in the starting lineup for Missouri.

“Again I’ll credit you all for giving us and giving me space to manage our program and specifically management him and his life,” said Gates. “I think the big picture is we remain connected with him, and he remained connected with us. So, what you see now is obviously just the sum of all those days of staying connected with each other. Whether it’s a text message, FaceTime. Whether it’s just a simple meeting. Those things make a difference, and he never wavered in terms of staying connected. Into the game plan, he was coaching on the sidelines.”

Mosley missed nine games to start the season for Missouri after transferring from Missouri State over the summer. The six-foot-five senior guard from Columbia, MO, has played in 11 games for the Tigers. But Monday’s matchup against the rebels was Mosley’s first start of the season.

“When you look at different games where he had DNPs, the big picture in all of it, he celebrated his teammates, and his teammates are currently celebrating him. I’m more proud about the five assists, but also the assist attempts. There were some crucial passes, some crucial, crucial, crucial opportunities that I thought he over-dribbled and got two of his shots blocked. But five assists is a remarkable stat, and I’m thankful for the connection that we have as a program.”

Mosley finished the game with 20 points and five assists, shooting better than 50 percent from the field and beyond the arc in 29 minutes of play. He doubled up his season average of points per game and assist, and it looked like he is finding his groove within Missouri’s offense. That is bad news for the rest of the SEC, as this gives Gates and his Missouri squad additional firepower for the rest of the season. It’s safe to say that Mosley is a welcomed addition to the Tigers and will likely be a fixture in their game plans for the rest of the year.