KSR Gameday: Kentucky opens SEC play vs. Missouri

Good morning, friends. Barring some last-minute COVID craziness, we’ve got a basketball game to watch tonight. At 7 p.m., your No. 18 University of Kentucky Wildcats host the Missouri Tigers in the first SEC game of the season. Mizzou will be without head coach Cuonzo Martin, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Tigers assistant Cornell Mann will coach the team tonight. As of now, all players are available to play.

Missouri is 6-6 this season. The Tigers have losses to Kansas City, Florida State, Wichita State, Liberty, then-No. 8 Kansas, and most recently, Illinois. According to the KenPom rankings, their best wins are over SMU (No. 69) and Utah (No. 73). They opened the season vs. Central Michigan, beating the Chippewas by ten. Kentucky beat the same squad by 28 on Nov. 29.

So, the Tigers are not exactly world-beaters, but anything can happen in the SEC. Vegas believes in the Cats, setting the line at Kentucky -19 yesterday afternoon and the total at 137.5 points; that’s since moved to Kentucky -19.5 and 140.5.

TV, Radio Info

The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Kevin Fitzgerald and Dane Bradshaw will be on the call. If you can’t watch it, you can listen in a variety of ways:

• AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
• FM: 98.1 WBUL
• Satellite: XM-192, Sirius 85, SXM App: 963
• Online: iHeart Radio

The KSR Pregame Show will begin at 4:30 p.m. ET on 630 WLAP or iHeart Radio. The KSR Morning Show will also return to your airwaves this morning following iHeart’s holiday break.

Tale of the Tape

The Tigers are led by junior forward Kobe Brown, who averages a team-high 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He leads the team in field-goal percentage, at 52.9%. Brown is tied for second in the SEC with four 20+ point games this season.

On Kentucky’s side, you’re probably familiar with the averages, but that +17.1 rebounding margin is just beautiful.

Hear from Cal, Jacob Toppin, and TyTy Washington

John Calipari spent most of his pregame press conference talking scheduling in the time of COVID, but finally got around to the Tigers at the very end.

“Their team always plays hard. Plays physical. They rebound. They’re plus in the rebounding column. They shoot the ball, they go get rebounds, they drive it. They’re physically playing through bumps. It’s the kind of team that gives us trouble. So, it’s going to be a hard game for us.

“But again, it’s another game we learn, OK, when another team plays physical, when a team plays really hard and doesn’t give you an inch, how do you play now? They collapse on defense so it’s not going to be easy to just throw it to Oscar (Tshiebwe). They collapse. You’re going to have to make some jump shots. The teams that gave Missouri trouble made jump shots – 12, 14, 15 3s. Those are the teams they struggled against.”

A busy day of Citrus Bowl prep

While we wait for tipoff, there will be plenty of content flowing north from Orlando. As we speak, Liam Coen, Brad White, Will Levis, and Yusuf Corker are chatting with reporters at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. Around lunch, the team will hold its third practice, and tonight, they’ll hang out at Top Golf. Not a bad day. It looks like Bully McCall is enjoying himself.

I think BullyBall McCall (@MccallMarquan) is enjoying being in Orlando 😂#WeAreUK #ForTheTeam pic.twitter.com/PAbz3fu5QZ

— Chris Bolton (@Chris_Bolton_12) December 28, 2021

Nick Roush is in Orlando and will have a recap of practice for you after lunch. Until then, catch up on all the news from yesterday’s practice.

Kentucky invited Dawson Springs High School to practice

This slipped under the radar, but earlier this week, John Calipari invited the Dawson Springs High School girls and boys basketball teams to practice. On Monday, the Panthers came to Lexington to see the Wildcats in action, a rewarding experience for both sides.

“It was great,” Jacob Toppin said yesterday. “I didn’t know who they were until after practice when Coach explained to us who they were and what they went through. It’s devastating to see these people go through these certain things in their life. Coach always emphasizes by the grace of God, it didn’t hit where we are. We’re going to pray for them. Some of them got minor damage to their houses, nothing major, so we’re grateful for that. It was definitely a good experience seeing them and putting a smile on their face after all they’ve been through.”

Loved having the Dawson Springs High School girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at practice today!!! pic.twitter.com/AFNyyHpOXi

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) December 27, 2021

Final night of the White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic

We’ve got the perfect appetizer for tonight’s game vs. Missouri. At 5 p.m. Reed Sheppard and No. 6 North Laurel play No. 4 Lexington Catholic in the third-place game of the White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic. At 7 p.m., No. 1 Ballard will take on No. 2 George Rogers Clark in the championship game. Thanks to our friends at Prepspin, you’ll be able to watch the North Laurel/Lexington Catholic game right here on KSR. Check the site this evening for a free live stream.

John Calipari, Orlando Antigua, and members of the team were in the stands last night to watch Reed Sheppard:

Calipari and Antigua here watching Reed Sheppard.

Half the team is here too. All masked up, for anyone wondering. pic.twitter.com/BRNOEon4e5

— Zack Geoghegan (@ZGeogheganKSR) December 29, 2021

The future Cat finished with 27 points in the 77-64 loss to GRC. Barkley Truax has everything you need to know about last night’s semifinals.

Sports on TV today

If you’re off work or simply looking for a distraction, the sports world has you covered. In addition to three bowls, there are some great college basketball games, including two Top 25 SEC showdowns. At 7 p.m., No. 16 LSU takes on No. 11 Auburn on The Plains and at 9 p.m., the No. 14 Fighting Tennessee Fulkersons play No. 19 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Catch the fever!

College Football

• 2:15 PM (ESPN): Maryland vs. Virginia Tech – New Era Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY)
• 5:45 PM (ESPN): No. 19 Clemson vs. Iowa State – Cheez-It Bowl (Camping World Stadium, Orlando FL)
• 9:15 PM (ESPN): No. 14 Oregon vs. No. 16 Oklahoma – Valero Alamo Bowl (Alamodome, San Antonio, TX)

College Basketball

• 3:00 PM (BTN): High Point vs. No. 10 Michigan State
• 5:00 PM (BTN): Nicholls vs. No. 3 Purdue
• 7:00 PM (ESPN2): No. 16 LSU vs. No. 11 Auburn
• 7:00 PM (ESPN+/SECN+): Gardner-Webb vs. Georgia
• 7:00 PM (FS1): No. 15 Seton Hall vs. No. 21 Providence
• 8:00 PM (ESPN+/SECN+): Central Arkansas vs. Texas A&M
• 8:00 PM: Nevada vs. No. 6 Kansas
• 8:00 PM: Illinois State vs. No. 24 Wisconsin
• 9:00 PM (ESPN2): No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 19 Alabama
• 9:00 PM (SECN): Arkansas vs. Mississippi State

KSR is back on the air

After a few days off to rest and recharge, Matt Jones and the crew are back in the saddle to entertain you from 10 a.m. to noon. They were supposed to go to Orlando after today’s show, but the pandemic had other plans. Tune in to hear about that and more one hour from now.