Kentucky's defense will be tested by Missouri Wednesday night. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Missouri has scored 80 or more points in 10 of 12 games this season and is coming off a huge upset win over top 25 Illinois going into Wednesday night’s home against Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
The Tigers were picked to finish 11th in the SEC in a preseason poll but are 11-1 — the only loss is to defending national champion Kansas — going into the Kentucky game.
With the Cats struggling to get their offense in sync, Missouri figures to be a huge test. The Tigers lost 83-56 in Lexington last year but won 75-70 in Columbia.
Missouri’s KenPom Rating is 42, seventh best in the SEC, and the Tigers’ schedule only ranks as the 318th-toughest in the nation according to KenPom — Kansas and Illinois are the only two Power Five teams Missouri has played. That’s part of why ESPN Analytics gives UK a 65.6 percent chance of getting the road win.
Kansas managed only a season-low 67 points in the loss to Kansas but came back to shoot almost 60 percent against Illinois in a 93-71 win over then No. 16 Illinois led by a career-high 31 points and eight assists from Kobe Brown. Brown is averaging 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and shooting 44 percent from 3-point range.
Graduate guard D’Moi Hodge came to Missouri from Cleveland State and is averaging a team-high 16.7 points per game. He has at least 15 points in nine of 12 games. He has made at least three 3-pointers in the last nine games. He is shooting 42 percent from 3 and has helped the Tigers average 88.8 points per game, fourth best in the country.
Hodge, one of eight players that transferred to Missouri this season, also averages 4.1 rebounds per game and has just six turnovers that he’s more than offset with 34 steals.
Senior forward Noah Carter transferred in from Northern Iowa and is adding 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Point guard Nick Honor came from Clemson and is averaging 10.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. He also shoots 46 percent from 3 — Missouri is making 37 percent of its 3’s, 64th best in the nation and has 10 or more 3’s in seven games.
Missouri has 10 players averaging 10 or more minutes per game and is forcing 19.8 turnovers per game, the nation’s seventh best mark. The Tigers average 73 possessions per 40 minutes, the 23rd fast tempo in Division I.
8 Responses
If this article is correct, we are in deep waters!
“Kansas managed only a season-low 67 points in the loss to Kansas but came back to shoot almost 60 percent against Illinois in a 93-71 win over then No. 16 Illinois led by a career-high 31 points and eight assists from Kobe Bryant.”
If they’ve found a way to bring back Kobe Bryant we are doomed!
Just a thought. Cats have a 7 footer who can block, shoot n use the DUNK SPOT WELL
just think he also has the name for playing more time,
YOU "GONNA" GIVE ME THE BALL !!!
Therein lies the problem Mr. President. Passing to a big means you aren’t going to get a shot. The NBA is not looking for assisters, it’s looking for scorers. Same goes for the NIL people…they give the big money to the guys who score the most points.
I don’t see Missouri scoring a lot because of our slow boring offense will make the game a rock fight!
Calipari prefers to grind, as he makes clear repeatedly despite his assertions that he wants to play at a fast pace.
Fact: UK is averaging 68 possessions per game, which is below the national average.
Fact: Missouri is averaging 75 possessions per game, which is well above the national average.
Fact: Missouri has been more efficient on their offensive end than UK
Fact: UK has been more efficient on their defensive end than Missouri
Fact: UK has played a significantly tougher schedule to date than Missouri.
The early line has UK by 2 1/2 points on the road in a game played in the mid to upper 70s. I think total points will be higher, and I see the margin much closer than 2 1/2 points.
UK by 1: 82-81.
I think our schedule will make a difference 77-73 UK
Larry, I admire your optimism. You could be right, but this game should never be a question mark in the first place. I think champs is right…it will be a game in the sixties. It could go either way. My fear is we win but feel like we lost.
Now we know the answer.
NO!!!!!!
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