After one of the toughest seasons in Missouri basketball history, going winless in their conference, head coach Dennis Gates is guiding the Tigers from disappointment to the excitement of March Madness.
Gates spoke to "Good Morning America" about how he has remained confident in his vision and his team's potential for a remarkable turnaround with 22 wins overall and a six seed going into the NCAA Tournament.
"We weren't trying. It was a mandate that this is what we're going to do," Gates said of the message he shared with his team at the start of the season.
Last year the team was plagued by injuries and a lack of momentum, but Gates was resolute in his approach.
"You look at my track record, who I am every day, and the substance we built. The results were one thing, but the substance was another. We played like winners every possession," he explained.
Gates didn't make drastic changes. He brought in fresh talent from high school and other college programs but also kept three of last year's starters in place to ensure continuity and chemistry on the court.
A look at injuries that could shape the NCAA Tournament and the brackets of millions of AmericansThe head coach emphasized player development, telling "GMA" that helped returning players improve throughout the new season.
"We made sure that guys that were returning got better. We pushed them in a way that ultimately led them to success," Gates said.
Central to his coaching philosophy is the commitment to eight core values: friendship, love, accountability, trust, discipline, unselfishness, enthusiasm and toughness.
"These values allowed me to get out of my environment, make way for others, and lead people," he noted.
Gates also said he finds inspiration beyond basketball, often turning to poetry for motivation.
He quoted Rudyard Kipling, saying, "You can start again at the beginning and never breathe a word about your loss."
For Gates, those words underscore an important lesson: True growth comes not from victory, but from overcoming failure.
March Madness: Bracketology a settled national pastime as the 2025 NCAA Tournament arrives"The real avenue to manhood or growth is through failure," he said, explaining that resilience is a large part of his coaching philosophy.
With Gates at the helm, the Tigers are not just making a comeback, they're competing in March Madness and ready to prove that hard work, belief, and those core values can turn any underdog into a contender.
