KSR Today: Kentucky opens SEC play at Missouri

The conference portion of the 2022-23 schedule is upon us, and tonight, your No. 19 University of Kentucky Wildcats open SEC play vs. a red-hot Missouri team in Columbia. After a disappointing start to the season, I think there’s nothing more the Big Blue Nation needs right now than a big win, even if it comes against a Missouri team no one had on their radar two months ago.

Under first-year coach Dennis Gates, Missouri is 11-1 and coming off a 93-71 beatdown of then-No. 16 Illinois last week, the program’s largest win over a ranked opponent in 11 years. The Tigers’ only loss this season was to No. 4 Kansas, 95-67, on Dec. 10. They’re averaging 88.8 points per game, which leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally, and shooting an SEC-best 51.3% from the field. Missouri also leads the country in steals, with 12.8 per game.

Tonight marks Kentucky’s first true road game since the loss at Gonzaga back on November 20. Mizzou Arena is sold out, the Tigers brought Red Panda to town, and the first 1,000 students get free t-shirts. Calipari always says that Kentucky gets every team’s best on the road, particularly in the SEC. How appropriate is it that this game takes place in the Show Me State? A win would not only be big for morale, it would improve Kentucky’s record in SEC openers to 70-19 overall and 12-2 in the John Calipari Era.

It’s been a glum month for Kentucky fans, but we’re determined to turn that frown upside down. Tonight at KSBar, we’re hosting a “Positive Vibes Only” Watch Party to support the Cats as they strive to start SEC play on a good note. If things go well, we’ll carry that momentum through a blowout win vs. Louisville and into the LSU game next week.

K.T. Turner previews the Tigers

Yesterday, assistant coach K.T. Turner met with reporters to preview tonight’s matchup. As you might expect, a lot of the conversation centered around Mizzou senior wing Kobe Brown, who won SEC Player of the Week on Tuesday following a 31-point, eight-assist showing in the Tigers’ win over Illinois. For the month of December, Brown is 7-for-11 from three and 23-for-38 from the field, plus averages of six rebounds and three-and-a-half assists per game in that four-game span.

“Kobe Brown, he really helps them out, the way he can bring the ball up, he can post it, he can hit trail threes,” Turner said. “The way they play five out, they just spread you out, (so) we’re going to have to do a really good job of guarding the ball. The biggest thing is stopping Kobe Brown from his catch and shoot threes, he’s shooting the ball really well.”

Hear more from Turner on the KSR YouTube Channel.

TV, Radio Information

Tonight’s game tips off at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network with Dave Neal and Dane Bradshaw on the call. If you can’t watch the game, you can listen to Tom Leach and Goose Givens in a variety of ways.

• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: 630 WLAP, UK Sports Network affiliates
• Online: iHeart Radio
• Satellite: Sirius 138 or 190, SXM App 961

The KSR Pregame Show begins at 4:30 p.m. live from KSBar and Grille, so get out of the house and bring your positive attitude to party with us.

Vegas, Computers

Yesterday, the Cats opened as a 2.5-point favorite. That has since moved to Kentucky -3.5 at some sportsbooks. The point total is 152.5. Kentucky is 4-7 against the spread this season, only covering against Howard (-25), Duquesne (-19.5), South Carolina State (-40), and North Florida (-27.5). 

Currently, KenPom predicts a 79-76 Kentucky win, giving the Cats a 60% chance of victory. ESPN’s matchup predictor goes slightly higher, at 66.3% Kentucky. Sagarin Predictor favors the Cats by 2.28.

Tale of the Tape

Believe it or not, Kobe Brown is not Missouri’s leading scorer. That honor belongs to graduate guard D’Moi Hodge, who followed Gates from Cleveland State to Missouri. He leads the Tigers with 16.7 points per game.

Bowl practice continues in Nashville

Meanwhile, in Nashville, bowl prep continues. After lunch, the team will hold its second practice of the week at Vanderbilt’s indoor facility. KSR’s Nick Roush and Adam Luckett will be in attendance to bring you 15 minutes worth of highlights and conversations with Mark Stoops and select players.

ICYMI, I made the trek to West End yesterday to cover the first practice. From the small amount of practice I was allowed to watch, the team looked loose and happy to be getting back to work. Check out some footage below, along with interviews with Jacquez Jones, Barion Brown, and Keaten Wade. After missing six games due to injury, Jones is ready to make the most of his final game as a Kentucky Wildcat, while Brown and Wade are very excited about playing in front of their friends and family in their hometown.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

KSR Football Podcast Bowl Special

Need more bowl goodness? Last night, Nick Roush, Freddie Maggard, Adam Luckett, and Drew Franklin gathered virtually to preview the game vs. Iowa. They were even joined by a few special guests. It’s available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube or your audio pleasure wherever you get your podcasts (iTunes, Spotify).

WGM Holiday Classic continues

If you’re in the mood for some high school hoops, the games continue today at the White, Greer, Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic. Yesterday, Reed Sheppard and North Laurel beat Campbell County to advance. They’ll face North Oldham tonight at 6:30 p.m. On the other side of the bracket, Travis Perry and Lyon County beat Holy Cross to advance to play Ballard, which tips off at 8 p.m. In other action, Madison Central upset Warren Central, KSR’s No. 1 team in the state.

Here’s an updated bracket via 10thRegion.com:

If you can’t make it to LexCath, you can watch all of the action on PrepSpin. The HD broadcasts easily stream online and will be available for everyone to watch at KSBar and Grille.

College Basketball on TV today

There are five SEC vs. SEC games today, including the Cats vs. the Tigers at 7 p.m. on SEC Network.

TIME	AWAY	HOME	TV
5:00 PM	E. Oregon	10 Gonzaga	ROOT
5:00 PM	7 Tennessee	Ole Miss	SECN
5:00 PM	Cent. Arkansas	18 TCU	ESPN+
6:00 PM	Albany	13 Virginia	ACCN
6:30 PM	Villanova	2 UConn	FS1
7:00 PM	Rider	Georgia	ESPN+
7:00 PM	Florida	20 Auburn	ESPN2
7:00 PM	19 Kentucky	Missouri	SECN
8:00 PM	Nicholls St.	12 Baylor	ESPN+
8:00 PM	Vermont	14 Miami	ACCN
9:00 PM	Colo. St.	22 New Mexico	CBSSN
9:00 PM	9 Arkansas	LSU	ESPN2
9:00 PM	8 Alabama	21 Miss. St.	SECN
9:00 PM	22 Xavier	St. John’s	FS1
9:00 PM	3 Houston	Tulsa	ESPNU

Bowl Schedule

On the gridiron, two SEC teams play in bowls today. At 5:30 PM, Arkansas and Kansas square off in the Liberty Bowl. Tonight at 9 p.m., Ole Miss and Texas Tech play in the Texas Bowl. Both games will be on ESPN.

TIME	AWAY	HOME	BOWL (Location)	TV
2:00 PM	UCF	Duke	Military Bowl – Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, MD)	ESPN
5:30 PM	Kansas	Arkansas	Liberty Bowl – Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, TN)	ESPN
8:00 PM	15 Oregon	North Carolina	Holiday Bowl – Petco Park (San Diego, CA)	FOX
9:00 PM	Texas Tech	Ole Miss	TaxAct Texas Bowl – NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)	ESPN

That’ll do for now. KSR starts in one hour, but you can get the fun started now with Shannon the Dude and Billy Rutledge on the KSR Preshow.