Kentucky @ Missouri preview
Mizzou Arena
Last Meeting ( Feb 24, 2018 ) Missouri 66, Kentucky 87
Riding high after its win over top-ranked Tennessee, No. 4 Kentucky will try to keep the momentum going when it visits Missouri for an SEC matchup on Tuesday. The Wildcats are one game behind Tennessee and LSU for first place in the conference standings.
Kentucky had its 10-game winning streak snapped with a 73-71 loss to LSU last Tuesday, but it responded with a convincing 86-69 home victory over the Volunteers four days later. Now the Wildcats have to avoid a letdown on the road against a Missouri team that has lost three of its last four contests. The Tigers committed 25 turnovers in a 75-65 loss at Ole Miss on Saturday. The Wildcats won the first 11 meetings before losing 69-60 at Missouri last season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
ABOUT KENTUCKY (21-4, 10-2 SEC): The Wildcats have rounded into form and are playing like national title contenders. Forwards PJ Washington (14.8 points, eight rebounds) and Reid Travis (11.6, 7.1) have provided some veteran leadership around a trio of freshmen in the starting lineup. Freshmen Keldon Johnson (14.2 points) and Tyler Herro (13.4) have combined to make 77 3-pointers.
ABOUT MISSOURI (12-12, 3-9): The Tigers have gotten good production from Jordan Geist (14.2 points), but they’ve struggled to find consistency elsewhere. Jeremiah Tilmon (12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds) had a monster game in Tuesday’s win over Arkansas with 21 points and five rebounds, but he fouled out in 15 minutes and scored only four points against Ole Miss. Three-point specialist Mark Smith (12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds) returned against Ole Miss after missing six straight games with an ankle injury but was limited to three points in 14 minutes.
TIP-INS
1. Washington has scored 20 or more points in seven of his last eight games, averaging 21 - and 8.1 rebounds - over that span while registering three double-doubles.
2. The Tigers are 11-1 when holding opponents under 70 points, but the Wildcats have failed to reach that mark only three times.
3. Missouri hasn’t beaten a top-four team since defeating No. 3 Baylor on the road in January 2012.
PREDICTION: Kentucky 76, Missouri 65