LAWRENCE, KS--After most games, I sit down with a pretty good idea of what I want to write (the fact that I just committed journalistic sin and used “I” twice in the opening sentence tells you that might not be the case this time around). In fact, I usually get that idea well before it’s over. But Mizzou’s 73-64 loss to Kansas on Saturday in Lawrence left me confused. Missouri led by nine then trailed by 18 then scrapped and clawed and hung around to keep the result at least somewhat in doubt until the final minute.

Is it a net positive or a missed opportunity? Should I be encouraged that they could have won without playing perfectly or discouraged that had they played even a little bit better they would have won? Maybe both. Consider this column a self-talk. Let's process it together.

The Tigers were 13.5 point underdogs. I told people on the way over if the Tigers kept it within 15 it was okay and if they kept it within ten they should be able to count it as a win. Then news came out 90 minutes before tipoff they were going to play this game (and five to seven weeks worth more) without Caleb Grill. And Missouri lost by nine. So I think I should feel positive. Dennis Gates struck an optimistic note afterwards though.

“I’m proud of where our team is,” Gates said. “I’m proud of the guys who are stepping up.”

He noted that Bill Self has been at Kansas for 20 years and that Gates himself is in his fifth season as a head coach. He said he has some learning of his own to do. Missouri lost by 28 to the Jayhawks in Columbia last season. Two years ago in this building, the margin was 37.

“Hopefully I’ll be here for 20 years and have the same success coach Self has,” Gates said.

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Mizzou actually outscored the Jayhawks 64-59 for 35 minutes and 34 seconds of the game. The problem was in the final 4:26 of the first half, Kansas used a 14-0 run to lead by 12 at the break and kept the Tigers at arm’s distance the rest of the way. During that run, Missouri aiballled two (open) three-pointers, fouled two three-point shooters, gave up a four-point play, went 0-5 from the floor and turned the ball over twice.

“They scored, we didn’t,” Gates said. “The majority of their points were in the paint. We fouled some three point shooters which are things you can’t do.”

“They were obviously better than us to start the game and then we were a lot better the last six minutes,” Self said. "That was the difference in the game. It’s an even game other than that.”

Gates pointed to plenty of positives:

Holding Hunter Dickinson to two first-half points and 11 for the game. Noah Carter’s seven rebounds. Sixteen Jayhawk turnovers. Connor Vanover’s response to being challenged by his teammates at halftime.

“I want to see the next time a team leads in this arena for 14 minutes to start the game,” Gates said. “I’m proud of those 14 minutes though. Very proud of them.”

“It was a good 14 minutes,” Nick Honor said. “But we’ve got to learn how to play for a full 40.”

Mizzou had chances to make this one even tighter. A mistimed alley-pop to Aidan Shaw in each half led to a Jayhawk basket. A wide open Trent Pierce three that could have cut it to five bounced off the iron. What should have been a breakaway dunk for Anthony Robinson turned into a building-igniting block by K.J. Adams. Flip one or two of those plays and who knows?

In the end, it was a 15th consecutive loss in Allen Fieldhouse. But the previous 14 came by an average of 16.4 points. Only five were decided by single digits and three of them came by more than 30. The progress is undeniable even if it’s not enough.

“From the outside looking in, he’s doing a fantastic job,” Self said of Gates. “He’s a terrific coach.

“I thought they did a great job of making the game the way they needed it to win.”

It wasn’t enough on Saturday. Because it was Kansas—especially on a day the Jayhawks seemed a bit vulnerable—it was frustrating. Because of Gates’ shot out of a cannon first year, 7-3 with some question marks seems perhaps tougher to swallow than it should.

But the game against the Jayhawks was never going to be the measuring stick. Sure, a win could have been season-changing. But a loss was expected. The fact that Missouri didn’t let the Allen Fieldhouse crowd run them out of the building after falling behind by 18 is something. The fact that the Tigers shot just 41% and made just seven three-pointers and were still within striking distance in the closing minutes is encouraging.

I think over the course of writing this, I’ve talked myself into feeling better about it than when I started. No, Missouri basketball doesn’t play for moral victories. Especially when the other jerseys say Kansas on them. But if the Tigers can take what they did well against the Jayhawks forward, they won’t face many (any?) teams that are better.

Saturday ended in disappointment, but revealed some reasons for hope. Now the Tigers have to turn that hope into reality. With Seton Hall and Illinois in the next 13 days, the opportunity is right in front of them.

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