Sold-out Missouri v. Kansas Border Showdown is the ultimate rivalry game in Midwest basketball
Mizzou vs. KU // Photo by Dylan Shah/UDK
For years, both the Mizzou Arena and Allen Fieldhouse have continuously sold out tickets for what could be coined as one of the greatest collegiate basketball rivalries in the Midwest. When the Missouri Tigers officially became a part of the SEC in July 2012, fans across Missouri and Kansas thought the Border Showdown was over. December 2021 revived the rivalry between MU and KU men’s basketball, and it’s been the matchup to see since.
The KU/MU basketball rivalry dates back to their first matchup in 1907, when the Missouri Tigers took the first win, 34-31, over the Kansas Jayhawks in Columbia, MO. Ironically, the inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, was also the first basketball coach for the KU Jayhawks and also the only basketball coach in Jayhawk history to have a losing record, which is below .500. Dr. Naismith invented the game of “basket ball” in 1891 at Springfield College while he was an instructor and graduate student. As the instructor of the physical education class, he was tasked with creating a new, exciting indoor game that would help the students in his class be more active. This birthed the phenomenon we see today with the great game of basketball. Naismith would then take his talents to the University of Kansas in 1898.
The energy in Allen Fieldhouse this past weekend for just the third meeting since bringing back the Border Showdown was electrifying, to say the least. Looking into the crowd, one would see many fans decked out in KU gear head to toe, the student sections right behind each goal rocking the stands with chants, and Missouri fans throughout the arena in their black and gold proudly chanting M-I-Z.
Photo by Dylan Shah
Mizzou started the game with explosive energy and an early lead going up 15-6 in the first period.
“Well, I want to see the next time a team leads in this arena [Allen Fieldhouse] for 14 minutes to start the game. I don’t know when that will take place.” Missouri head coach Dennis Gates said in a post-game interview after a reporter mentioned the Tigers led most of the first half. Gates also mentioned that Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self has been with the program for 20 years and how much of an impact that is on KU’s program.
Self took on the head coach position for KU following Roy Williams’ exit in 2003. Kansas men’s basketball has been a force to be reckoned with for decades. This program has produced multiple professional players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Pierce, Mario Chalmers, current NBA MVP Joel Embiid, and more.
Former Jayhawk and NBA player, Thomas Robinson, was also honored during halftime. Robinson played three seasons at Kansas before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2012 where he was selected in the first round as the fifth pick overall. As faculty presented Robinson with his framed retired jersey, fans roared across the arena. Retiring his jersey during this year’s Border Showdown was even more special for him as both he and fans reflected on a remarkable block he had in February 2012—the last of the showdown era before the return in 2021. In that February 2012 game, Robinson had a block that would send KU into overtime to win over Missouri 87-86. This was described as his favorite moment while playing at the university.
Overall, it was a great takeaway from both sides of the ball. Even though it is very early in Missouri’s Gates’ tenure, the Tigers put up a fight while Kansas continued on with their current five-game win streak and advanced to 9-1.
All photos by Dylan Shah
