Kentucky‘s first SEC road test has been passed. Now it’s time for the Wildcats’ first home conference matchup of 2024 — a revenge battle against Missouri. UK opened league play with a double-digit loss in Columbia last season, the first of six SEC losses that group would go on to take. Led by Dennis Gates, the Tigers made the NCAA Tournament in year one under the 43-year-old coach, but are off to a rough 8-6 start this time around.

Can the Cats continue building momentum in the conference? Let’s preview the matchup.

How To Watch

No. 6 Kentucky (11-2) vs. Missouri (8-6)
7 p.m. ET | Tuesday, January 9 | Rupp Arena

• TV: ESPN (Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes)
• Streaming: WatchESPN
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 106 or 190
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Team Records

No. 6 Kentucky: 10-2 (KenPom: 17)

• 11/6: 86-46 W vs. New Mexico State
• 11/10: 81-61 W vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (Wildcat Challenge)
• 11/14: 89-84 L vs. No. 1 Kansas
• 11/17: 101-67 W vs. Stonehill (Wildcat Challenge)
• 11/20: 96-88 OT W vs. Saint Joseph’s (Wildcat Challenge)
• 11/24: 118-82 W vs. Marshall
• 11/28: 95-73 W vs. No. 8 Miami (FL)
• 12/2: 80-73 L vs. UNC-Wilmington
• 12/9: 81-66 W vs. Penn
• 12/16: 87-83 W vs. No. 9 North Carolina
• 12/21: 95-76 W at Louisville
• 12/29: 96-70 W vs. Illinois State
• 1/6: 87-85 W at Florida

Missouri: 8-6 (KenPom: 102)

• 11/6: 101-79 W vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
• 11/10: 70-55 L vs. Memphis
• 11/13: 68-50 W vs. SIU Edwardsville
• 11/16: 70-68 W at Minnesota
• 11/19: 73-72 L vs. Jackson State
• 11/22: 82-59 W vs. South Carolina State
• 11/25: 78-70 W vs. Loyola Maryland
• 11/28: 71-64 W at Pittsburgh
• 12/3: 82-72 W vs. Wichita State
• 12/9: 73-64 L at No. 2 Kansas
• 12/17: 93-87 L vs. Seton Hall
• 12/22: 97-73 L vs. No. 13 Illinois
• 12/30: 92-59 W vs. Central Arkansas
• 1/6: 75-68 L vs. Georgia

Series History

Kentucky leads the all-time series 14-3, but Missouri has won two of the past three matchups dating back to the 2020-21 season — both wins at home. Second-year coach Dennis Gates is 1-0 against John Calipari following an 89-75 upset win in Columbia last season, a matchup that saw star forward Kobe Brown go for 30 points for the Tigers. Oscar Tshiebwe finished with 23 points and 19 rebounds while Cason Wallace added 19 points in the loss.

Overall, though, Coach Cal is an impressive 10-3 in the series, including 6-0 inside Rupp Arena.

Kentucky vs. Missouri Odds via FanDuel

Spread: Kentucky -12.5
Total: 162.5

Kentucky Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#21 – DJ Wagner
6-4 • 192 • GUARD • FRESHMAN
12.1 PPG, 3.5 APG

#12 – Antonio Reeves
6-6 • 195 • GUARD • SENIOR
19.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG

#1 – Justin Edwards
6-8 • 203 • FORWARD • FRESHMAN
9.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG

#4 – Tre Mitchell
6-9 • 231 • FORWARD • GRADUATE STUDENT
12.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.2 APG

#2 – Aaron Bradshaw
7-1 • 226 • FORWARD • FRESHMAN
7.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.2 BPG

Head Coach: John Calipari (32nd season, 15th at UK) – 843-255 overall, 398-115 at UK

Missouri Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#55 – Sean East II
6-3 • 180 • GUARD • SENIOR
17.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.9 APG

#10 – Nick Honor
5-10 • 200 • GUARD • SENIOR
10.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.1 APG

#2 – Tamar Bates
6-5 • 195 • GUARD • JUNIOR
10.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.0 APG

#35 – Noah Carter
6-6 • 235 • FORWARD • SENIOR
11.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG

#23 – Aidan Shaw
6-8 • 208 • FORWARD • SOPHOMORE
4.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG

Head Coach: Dennis Gates (2nd season at Missouri, 5th overall): 33-16 at Mizzou, 83-56 overall

Statistical Comparison

(via Kentucky’s game notes)

Fun stats from UK’s game notes:

• The Wildcats rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit at Florida on Saturday. It’s the second time this season they have overcome an 11-point deficit (Texas A&M-Commerce). It marked the largest halftime deficit (8) overcome on the road since March 7, 2020 (10) at Florida.
• UK is 8-0 against Missouri at home in the series’ history. The Wildcats are also 13-1 under Calipari in the first SEC home game of the season.
• Kentucky ranks among the top 10 nationally in points per game, assist-to-turnover ratio, fastbreak points and 3-point percentage.

Pregame Storylines

REMATCH VS. DENNIS GATES

Kentucky’s trip to Columbia last season set the tone for the rest of conference play. It was an upset win that gave Gates an early spark as one of the hottest up-and-coming coaching names in the country, Missouri ultimately winning a tournament game for the first time since 2010. Things aren’t going as well in year two with six early losses — one a Quad 4 to Jackson State — and the Tigers are desperate for a statement win. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are looking for revenge at home to ruin the second-year coach’s undefeated start in the series.

FORCING TURNOVERS AND LAUNCHING THREES

Missouri’s all-around production won’t blow you away, scoring just 76.5 points (No. 148) while giving up 71.3 (No. 177) and shooting just 45.2% from the field. The Tigers are also abysmal on the glass, pulling down just 34 rebounds per game (No. 280) with a margin of -2.8 (No. 293). They do, however, force 14.5 turnovers per game (No. 61) with an overall margin of 3.0 (No. 51) while launching 26.5 threes per game (No. 40) with 9.1 makes (No. 55). That’s only a 34.3% clip (No. 152), but this is also Rupp Arena we’re talking about — everyone finds ways to get hot. Mizzou will get the shots up to have a chance while being disruptive on defense.

A LOUISVILLE NATIVE LEADS MIZZOU

There are some Kentucky ties at play here in the battle of Cats vs. Tigers — a homecoming of sorts for Missouri’s star player. Back for his final year of eligibility, Sean East II is originally from Louisville before closing out his high school career as a 1,000-point scorer and an Indiana All-Star selection at New Albany High School. East started his college basketball career at UMass before transferring to Bradley, then going down a level to John A. Logan Community College before bouncing back up to the high-major level at Missouri. He has scored in double figures all but two games this season, averaging 17.1 points per contest overall.

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Rapid Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel

Miss the game? KSR’s got you covered with Rapid Reactions live from Rupp Arena on the KSR YouTube Channel. We’ll also have wall-to-wall postgame coverage on the website, including highlights, comments from John Calipari and the players, stats, and takeaways.

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