Dennis Gates declines to share exact message to Missouri players: ‘I may get fined’

Missouri lost 91-48 to Illinois on Monday night in St. Louis for Braggin’ Rights, with the 43-point loss being the worst in the tenure of Dennis Gates. That obviously led to some choice words by him in the postgame locker room.

Gates was asked what his message was to the team in the locker room after that loss to the Fighting Illini. He said, especially in this portion of the year, he couldn’t repeat it, for fear of getting a fine or a suspension for what was said.

“I probably can’t repeat the words right here, to be honest with you,” said Gates. “I want everybody to have a happy holiday. If I repeat those things, I would get in real trouble. I may get fined. I may get, you know, suspended or something.”

That’s no surprise after that lopsided of a loss for Mizzou, which was the largest margin of loss for the program since January 12, 2022. That as Illinois beat them across the board, shooting 51.2% from the field, shooting 45.5% from three on 15 makes, having 20 assists, having a 19-rebound edge on the glass, and blocking eight shots while holding Missouri to 28.6% from the field and 27.3% from three.

With that, Gates wants them to move on, as that closed their non-conference schedule with no game until after New Year’s Day. He needs them to stay together too after that kind of loss to the Illini.

“To say this in all seriousness, I always tell my guys that I care about them. I love them. I told them, look, man, I’m going to stand on the railroad tracks, and allow whatever to come my way and I’ll shield you,” said Gates. “At the end of the day, one game won’t define us. One game won’t define us. We just have to get healthy. But, in the meantime, in the process of getting healthy, we got to have guys fill in the blanks, and be utility guys and do something that we may not have planned for you to do. Some may take the opportunity as a way to get on the court. Some may not.

“But, I will say this. We have to stick together. It’s one game, and, unfortunately, we came in on the side that I did not want. I wanted this win very badly.”

Considering all things, Gates thinks he’s gotten what he can to this point of the season, putting the rest of the blame on himself, out of Missouri, which sits at 10-3 overall entering conference play in the SEC. Now, over the eleven days off before hosting the defending champions, the Tigers just need to get right and get healthy ahead of tip-off next on January 3rd.

“You cannot ask our players to do more than what they’ve done,” said Gates. “I’ll take it on my shoulders as the leader. As the head coach, it’s on me. This game is on me. I told my players that in the locker room. It’s on me. Do not feel bad about it. Respond to it, but don’t feel bad about it.

“At the end of the day, we’ve just got to get healthy and get our full team on the court at the same time…If you have so many moving parts throughout the season, in this early phase, you’re not going to take the jump yet. I’m excited about getting our team together and being prepared to take the jump.”