COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri-Kansas Border War’s return to Columbia supplied Mizzou Arena with the electric atmosphere it’s been lacking for years. The game itself? The first flop of the Dennis Gates era.
Kansas, never rattled by hours of boos and chants from Mizzou students before, during and after Saturday’s game, played like another Final Four contender in a 95-67 victory on Norm Stewart Court. In their first loss of the season under Gates, the Tigers led for all of 39 seconds.
After feasting on an intentionally scheduled serving of low- and mid-major conference cupcakes through the season’s first month, the Tigers (9-1) could never sink their teeth into their first nationally ranked opponent.