COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri men’s basketball program heads to Lexington, Ky. to open Southeastern Conference play against #18 Kentucky. Missouri is set to tip off against the Wildcats Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Kevin Fitzgerald and Dane Bradshaw have the broadcast call, while Mike Kelly and Chris Gervino will have the call on the Tiger Radio Network.
MIZZOU HEADLINES
- The Tigers head into conference play with a 6-6 record, with its final non-conference game scheduled for the end of January against Iowa State as a part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
- Cornell Mann will serve as Mizzou’s acting head coach in the game, due head coach Cuonzo Martin being unavailable per health & safety protocols.
- Wednesday will be Mizzou’s first game in a week, after last competing on Dec. 22 against Illinois.
- In the Tigers’ Braggin’ Rights game, freshman Trevon Brazile had a career-high 11 points, five rebounds and six blocks. His six blocks tied for the fourth-most in a single-game by any Mizzou player and was the third most by an MU freshman.
- Kobe Brown continues to rank among the top in the SEC, as the third leading rebounder with 8.9 per game. He also ranks third with a 52.9 field goal percentage and ninth with 14.8 points per game.
- Mizzou is also a top-30 offensive rebounding team in the nation, ranking 28th and third in the SEC.
- In 2021-22, Mizzou is 4-1 in games following a loss.
THE SERIES
- Kentucky holds a large 13-2 lead in the all-time series against Mizzou, despite the Tigers’ winning last years matchup in Columbia.
- Both of Mizzou’s all-time wins against the Wildcats have come in the Cuonzo Martin era, with the Tigers’ also winning in Lexington back in 2018.
- In last season’s win, the Tigers shot 42 percent from three making nine three-pointers.
SCOUTING KENTUCKY
- Kentucky enters the SEC portion of the schedule with a 9-2 record, including two straight against North Carolina and Western Kentucky.
- Against WKU, Oscar Tshiebwe set a Rupp Arena record with 28 rebounds. It was more than WKU’s team and the most by a Kentucky player since 1976.
- Tshiebwe leads the nation in rebounds with 15.5 per game and ranks second in double-doubles. Wednesday’s game will feature a matchup of two of the top three rebounders in the SEC, as Tshiebwe leads the conference and Kobe Brown is third.
- As a team, Kentucky leads the country in rebounding margin and is 15th in field goal percentage.
