After uneven performances from the position hindered Mizzou down its stretch run last season, head coach Dennis Gates hit the hard reset button at point guard.
T.O. Barrett and Anthony Robinson II hit the transfer portal, taking all of the Tigers’ production at the position with them. MU’s new duo running the point has the potential to raise the position’s ceiling in Columbia, but also comes with a lower floor and zero Division I experience.
Here’s the Tigers’ new point guard room in 2026:
- Jason Crowe Jr: 6-foot-4, 190 lbs., freshman, Inglewood, Calif.
- Aaron Rowe: 6-foot-2, 155 lbs., sophomore, Columbia, Mo.
The Returner
Aaron Rowe
— The Columbia native was a five-star recruit at one point during his high school career before dropping down the class rankings like a stone, falling into the mid-100s in the 247Sports Composite. Rowe still carries the potential that once made him a highly sought-after prospect, but he took a redshirt last year to prepare his frame for the rigors of an SEC schedule and add some of the seasoning required to run the show.
That year of development also allowed him to focus more on defense after entering college with offense as his calling card. Rowe has received some pretty high praise from the coaching staff and some of his teammates heading into this season but is being asked to take a major step up into being a legitimate contributor after not seeing the floor last year.
The Newcomer
Jason Crowe Jr. — Mizzou’s most highly anticipated freshman since Michael Porter Jr. The co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. California’s Mr. Basketball and its all-time scoring record holder with an absurd 4,718 career points at Inglewood High School and Lynwood High School. The fifth-ranked recruit in the nation for the Class of 2026, according to 247Sports.
The hype and excitement surrounding Crowe is palpable, and for good reason. He’s a prolific bucket getter, something that should translate to the collegiate level, and has also shown some solid promise as a shooter. But he enters this season with some questions surrounding his ability to facilitate at a high level.
He quelled some of those concerns with his performance at the McDonald’s All American Game, collecting five assists, but it’s entirely different to do that night in and night out against SEC competition. And that’s exactly what the Tigers seem to be banking on Crowe to do.
Summing up the room in 2026
MU has assembled an impressive amount of talent in Columbia this season, and that extends to the point guard room. Crowe is the unquestioned lead guard heading into his true freshman year and certainly seems to have an NBA future ahead of him, possibly (even likely) following this season. That’s why the Tigers partially crafted their 2026-27 squad around him and his potential.
Crowe is certainly talented enough to make that move pay off, and it’s a strategy that’s worked wonders before; just ask John Calipari about Darius Acuff Jr. and Arkansas’ Sweet Sixteen appearance last year. But it’s not a move that comes without risk, especially with a fellow inexperienced point guard in Aaron Rowe at backup.
Point guard may be the position that defines Mizzou more than any others this year. If Crowe lives up to his top billing and Rowe shows the praise he’s been receiving is the real deal, the Tigers should have an offense that’s ready to roll and a squad that has the potential to be the best of the Dennis Gates era. If the position runs into developmental bumps in the road, especially from its star freshman, then MU may struggle to maximize a roster that’s oozing with talent.
Projected depth chart
Starter: Jason Crowe Jr.
Backup: Aaron Rowe
