Kentucky basketball: Game preview, 3 keys vs Missouri
By Drew Koch
The Kentucky basketball team will attempt to get revenge against Missouri on Saturday. The Wildcats will look to avenge their earlier 60-69 loss to the Tigers.
The Kentucky basketball team play host to the Missouri Tigers on Saturday. UK lost to Mizzou earlier this season 60-69. The Wildcats are coming off back-to-back wins and are looking to extend their win streak to 3. Missouri is going the opposite direction, looking to snap a 2-game skid.
There is one stat from February 3rd’s game that sticks out like a sore thumb; three-point shooting. While all of Big Blue Nation knows that this year’s Kentucky basketball team is not proficient from downtown, there’s no way they’re going 2-for-20 and winning a basketball game. The Cats shot 10% against the Tigers earlier this month, but did hold Mizzou to 7-of-23 (30.4%) themselves.
Kentucky’s three-point shootings seems to have improved mildly since that loss in early February. Kevin Knox has been knocking down open shots from the perimeter, as has Quade Green. Even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got into the act in UK’s last game. Against Arkansas the Cats were 8 for-21 (38%). That number of makes is perfect for this year’s team, and they’ll win a lot of games if they can shoot like that from deep.
Kentucky’s stars were absent on the stat sheet against Missouri earlier this season. Aside from Gilgeous-Alexander’s 15 points, no one else was in double digits. Jarred Vanderbilt played well off the bench with 8 points and 10 rebounds. However, Vanderbilt got most of his points at the charity stripe and he was 1-f-5 from the floor.
Kentucky had opportunities to win the game earlier this month, and with this contest at Rupp, I expect the Cats to take care of business. Check out the game preview below and 3 keys for a Wildcats’ victory.