COLUMBIA, Mo. — For Missouri men’s basketball, the keyword starts with the same letter as roster-building.
It’s fitting, because retention is at the core of coach Dennis Gates’ program, heading into his fourth season at MU. Even in the age of constant player movement, it’s becoming clearer that Gates’ emphasis is going to be on players who stay more than players who arrive.
It was evident, immediately, to Tim Fuller, Mizzou’s first men’s basketball general manager.
“Retention, for Coach Gates and his culture and what he wants to build moving forward, is checkmark No. 1,” Fuller said.