COLUMBIA, Mo. – As Mizzou’s new Head Basketball Coach Dennis Gates looks to turn around a struggling team, he’s sure to get some offensive help from former standout Missouri State University guard Isiaih Mosley – MU’s most recent transfer.
Mosley secured his spot as a top-tier scorer over his last two seasons at MSU, averaging 19.8 points in 2020-2021 and 20.4 points during the 2021-2022 season.
Now entering his fourth season of collegiate eligibility, the two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference guard announced his homecoming to Columbia on Instagram.
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Mosley was a star guard at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia before heading to MSU for the 2019-2020 season. Although his entire three-year career at Missouri State was stellar, it seems Mosley really found his rhythm last year.
In 34 games with MSU last season, Mosley scored 20 or more points 20 times, including six games with at least 30 points and a career high of 43 points in a loss against Northern Iowa in January.
He shot an efficient 50.4% from the field, 42.7% from behind the arc and just over 90% from the freethrow line – which, as many basketball fans know, gave him entrance to the coveted 50/40/90 club.
To give that some perspective, only nine NBA players have ever recorded a 50/40/90 season, and only Steve Nash and Larry Bird did it more than once.
“One of the things we learned in the first (meeting) is you can’t guard him with one guy,” Northern Iowa Coach Ben Jacobson told the media. “He’s too good of a player for us to play one-on-one, with his ability to get to the basket and then step back into that jump shot and make longer threes. We mostly learned you have to provide more help.”
Mosley’s offensive production will surely give Mizzou a chance to bounce back after its disappointing 12-21 record in 2021-2022. Comparatively, the Tigers shot 42.6% from the field, 28.1% from beyond the arc and an abysmal 73.6% from the foul line.
After announcing his departure from Springfield, the 6-foot-5 Mosley was quickly regarded as one of the best players available in the transfer portal. Mosley reportedly got looks from prolific Division I schools such as Florida, Mississippi State and Kansas before Gates and Mizzou slipped into the mix.
The hiring of Gates as the new head basketball coach brought high expectations of improved recruiting and a turnaround in team fortunes. Now, less than three months into the job, there are signs Gates is fulfilling those expectations.
Mosley will join the fully refurbished Tigers backcourt alongside a bevy of recent notable pickups by Gates. Clemson transfer Nick Honor, Milwaukee transfer DeAndrew Gholston, 2021-2022 national junior college player of the year Sean East and Cleveland State transfers D’Moi Hodge and Tre Gomillion all look to improve on MU’s recent past.
