Dennis Gates details what lessons Missouri learned in SEC Tournament which translate to NCAA Tournament

Head coach Dennis Gates has led Missouri to the NCAA Tournament as a seven-seed. This comes after the Tigers came up short in the SEC Tournament against Alabama.

Now, as Gates explained, Missouri has plenty it can take away from the SEC Tournament and translate to the NCAA Tournament.

“There’s always lessons,” Dennis Gates said. “The best part about conference tournaments, no matter what schedule you have, your conference play is one thing, but playing Alabama at home, they’re a different team than they were then. It’s a great team.”

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“They’ve developed, we’ve developed. But the atmosphere gives you a tournament feel. There’s no better way than to play an NCAA No. 1 seed the week before the tournament. We provide ourselves with the lessons we have to come away with to get better,” Gates explained.

“I thought our guys did a good job. It was a game of runs. Opportunities slipped. I didn’t think we managed the game as it relates to trying to get to that free-throw line when we were missing wide open three-pointers or wide-open rim shots. We just didn’t execute.”

Dennis Gates then praised Alabama for being the better team when the two teams met in the SEC Tournament.

“Both teams played well today,” Dennis Gates continued. “Both teams played well. One team has to be on the other side of it. Credit Nate Oats and his team, they’re heading onto the championship.”

Missouri will play Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Dennis Gates earned a contract extension

After making a deep run in the SEC Tournament, it was reported that Dennis Gates earned a contract extension at Missouri.

Gates’ contract will now run through the 2028-29 season and includes a pay raise to $4 million annually. On top of that, his buyout now sits at $25.5 million this year.