The first look at Mizzou’s men’s and women’s roster was a sight to behold, as the teams gathered under the columns and in the foreground against a picture-perfect backdrop.
Stepping onto a “golden” carpet between the columns, Mizzou fans were met with rosters from every team, including newcomers like Aidan Shaw, Isiaih Mosley, Mo Diarra and Averi Kroenke, to name a few- one.
The event itself, however, didn’t teach fans much about what to expect from the team this year. Instead, members of both teams showcased their personalities and interacted with the crowd in their own unique ways.
The festivities began with a 3-point contest, pitting Sean East III, Noah Carter and D’Moi Hodge against each other while Hayley Frank, Lauren Hansen and Haley Troup battled it out on the other half of the court. Hansen and East faced off in the final, with the latter using an early run to win the first event.
After the 3-point contest, a dunk contest for the children in the audience was held. Although Mizzou fans couldn’t see Shaw flying through the air for a dunk, the contest did attract some “celebrity” talent.
A “Hot Shot Competition” and around the arc competition capped off the basketball festivities for the evening, leaving Mizzou fans with little answer on how their schedule might perform this season.
Instead, the event featured a dance battle between Diarra and Jayla Kelly as well as a second light show, this one lasting several minutes, followed by closing remarks from head coaches Robin Pingeton and Dennis Gates.
After another light show, Dennis Gates and Robin Pingeton close the evening.
Pingeton says she wants more wins like last year’s win over No. 1 South Carolina while Gates thanks everyone for tonight. pic.twitter.com/h6Fw979VfY
— ROCK M NATION (@RockMNation) October 1, 2022
The scenery, the crowd and the atmosphere created an experience that Mizzou fans will no doubt remember as they look forward to the start of the college basketball season. For potential commits in the audience – James Brown, Dallas Thomas and Jordan McCullum – the evening offered a first taste of what Mizzou basketball is all about.
The men’s basketball program is scheduled to begin at Mizzou Arena on Nov. 7 against Southern Indiana, while the women’s team will begin the regular season at Missouri State the same night.