The Missouri Tigers welcome the Kentucky Wildcats to Columbia for the first time ever today at 1:00 PM. Game particulars can be found at UKAthletics.com, as well as viewing and listening options. Also, be sure to check out Rock M Nation for the Missouri viewpoint.
This has become a very important test for the Wildcats since losing earlier this week at LSU. Kentucky needs to prove that they can beat quality teams on the road, and this is the perfect chance for them to hit that checkbox on their NCAA Tournament resume.
To win today, Kentucky must:
- Ignore their surroundings, and concentrate on basketball;
- Attack the rim at every opportunity. Missouri does not have a lot of rim protection;
- Defend the three at all costs. Missouri really shoots it well;
- Defend harder in general. LSU was able to make the Wildcats defense look juvenile;
- Avoid quick threes. They will be available all day against the Missouri zone;
- Get to the line. The biggest reason Kentucky was uncompetitive at LSU is because they failed to get to the line. Being aggressive and attacking the rim will solve this problem.
This is no doubt a big game for Kentucky, bigger than it should be. But the team needs to forget about that and concentrate on the task before them. Missouri doesn't match up well against UK, as I explained here, and the Wildcats need to take full advantage.
Go, 'Cats!