Mizzou’s roster had a Mighty Mouse quality to it last season.

According to KenPom, the Tigers were the shortest team in the SEC. Kobe Brown, who was listed at 6-foot-8 and measured at 6-foot-6.5 without shoes during the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, made the majority of Missouri’s starts at the five spot. Noah Carter, who’s listed at 6-foot-6 often started at the four alongside him.

The lack of size was apparent most nights. The Tigers were pounded on the boards, grabbing only 37.2% of available defensive rebounds, the second-lowest mark in the country. They were slightly better on the offensive glass, pulling down 26.3% of available rebounds on that end, ranking 246th, but were still well below the national average. Opponents made 52.2% of their field goals inside the arc and 2-pointers accounted for 44.7% of the points scored against them, the 16th most in the NCAA. D’Moi Hodge, a 6-foot-4 guard, led the team with 17 blocks.

Mizzou could usually find workarounds to make up for its shortcomings. Instead of controlling possessions on the boards, the team did so in the turnover margin. The Tigers forced a turnover on 24.0% of possessions, which ranked sixth, while only committing one themselves on 15.8% of possessions, which ranked 38th. Though opponents scored at a high rate on 2s, Missouri countered with 3s, knocking down 36.0% of its treys and ranking ninth in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency margin. Mohamed Diarra, who is listed at 6-foot-10, also carved out a role in the latter half of the season, which helped alleviate some of the team’s more glaring concerns.

But heading into this offseason, Missouri saw Brown, Hodge and Diarra all depart the program, leaving them without some of the central figures that helped the team overcome its size disadvantage. Without them, last year's patterns would've been difficult to sustain this season.

So head coach Dennis Gates spent the offseason seeking out a post who could step in at the team’s “boss” spot. He eventually landed 7-foot-5 Oral Roberts transfer big man Connor Vanover.

“He's gonna be a paint beast for us,” Carter said. “We need him to lock down, get blocks. He's definitely gonna help rebound-wise, offensively and defensively. So you know, just being a paint beast and just being able to corral everything that's down there, I think he's gonna be able to do that.”