Missouri head coach Dennis Gates sits down with Jon Rothstein to discuss all things Mizzou hoops. Jon and Dennis discuss Leonard Hamilton's influence on him, a highly anticipated roster and schedule in Columbia and the future of Missouri vs. Kansas.

(0:00) Intro + Dennis Gates joins the show

(0:30) Year 5 for Dennis Gates at Missouri

(1:45) Missouri vs. Cleveland State as a job

(3:15) Lessons learned: making the tournament vs missing it

(4:35) The mentorship of Leonard Hamilton

(7:15) Being involved in lives vs. being involed in winning as a coach

(8:45) The 2026-27 Missouri roster

(10:35) Are we building programs nowadays? Or just teams year-by-year?

(11:50) Is this the best roster Dennis has had at Missouri?

(13:20) Why Jason Crowe Jr. is a very unique player

(14:30) The anticipation of Missouri’s nonconference schedule

(16:45) Why Dennis was willing to play Saint Louis in downtown St. Louis

(19:00) The future of Kansas vs. Missouri

(20:30) Any major nonconference additions to the schedule?

(21:45) One great win and one great loss Dennis holds on to

(23:30) Keys to a Missouri run in the NCAA Tournament

(25:00) Does the length and physicality of this roster remind him of FSU?

(27:00) Who plays Dennis Gates in the movie about his life?

🎥 WATCH

• Subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CBSSportsCBB

• Watch CBS Sports HQ: https://cbssports.com/live

• Watch CBS Sports Network on your TV or the CBS Sports App with your cable provider

🎧 LISTEN

• Stream and follow Eye on College Basketball & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vk8wq9lunf3agEif1kM8T?si=b4e091007c2545c6

• Download and follow Eye on College Basketball & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-college-basketball/id268800565

• Stream and follow Inside College Basketball Now with Jon Rothstein & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3t03SRmmslKzdQ5AtGlXiM?si=9443b63851324a18

• Download and follow Inside College Basketball Now & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-college-basketball-now/id1823022867

📱FOLLOW

▶︎Jon Rothstein: https://x.com/JonRothstein\

📖 READ

• More college basketball news: https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/

🎙ABOUT INSIDE COLLEGE BASKETBALL NOW

We're also the home for Inside College Basketball Now, hosted by Jon Rothstein. Known for his unmatched insider knowledge, bold takes, and relentless coverage, Rothstein goes deep to deliver what’s really happening in college hoops. From breaking down the biggest storylines to in-depth interviews with the top coaches in the country, this podcast is your all-access pass to the pulse of the game — 365 days a year. This. Is. March… and everything in between.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope joins Inside College Basketball Now for an in-depth offseason conversation, covering everything from roster construction and player development to coaching against Rick Pitino and the expectations that come with leading one of college basketball's biggest programs. Pope opens up about why Kentucky is his "favorite job of all time," reflects on the challenges of last season in Lexington, explains how injuries reshaped the Wildcats' roster, and discusses why last year's team became a foundation for the program's long-term vision. Plus, Pope shares updates on Kentucky's offseason, the potential for a St. John's home-and-home series, his relationship with Rick Pitino, what he's expecting from key returners like Malachi Moreno and additions like Zoom Diallo and Milan Momcilovic, the Wildcats' non-conference schedule, and what real progress looks like entering next season.

(0:10) Offseason plans

(1:10) Finding balance in today's college basketball landscape

(1:50) Why Kentucky is "the favorite job of all time"

(2:25) Reflecting on the 2025-26 season

(3:15) Biggest frustrations from last year

(4:20) The St. John's game

(5:20) Coaching against Rick Pitino

(6:25) St. John's home-and-home series?

(7:05) If Pitino returned to Kentucky...

7:45 Lessons learned from Pitino

(8:50) Santa Clara victory and its impact

(11:05) Ideal roster size in modern college basketball

(12:45) Kentucky's roster outlook

(13:45) Malachi Moreno's development

(15:15) Zoom Diallo's next step

(16:50) Milan Momcilovic's fit

(19:35) Biggest surprise on next year's roster

(21:00) Non-conference scheduling

(22:35) What defines success for Kentucky next season?

Jon Rothstein breaks down the SEC heading into the 2026-27 season, starting with why Florida is in a class of its own thanks to an unprecedented level of roster retention. Plus, why Texas looks like the biggest challenger, what's holding back LSU, and his full preseason SEC power rankings from 1 through 16.

Rothstein also reveals his preseason SEC awards, including Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC, sleeper picks, breakout candidates, and the freshmen who could make the biggest impact in 2026-27. Plus, Twitter questions and final thoughts on the nation's deepest conference.

(0:00) Welcome Back

(1:50) Florida's Ridiculous Retention

(5:15) Texas Looks Like the Biggest Threat

(9:00) LSU: The SEC's Mystery Team

(13:40) SEC Preseason Power Rankings

(25:20) SEC Preseason Awards

(31:20) Twitter Questions

(36:45) Final SEC Thoughts