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The Kentucky Wildcats opened SEC play on Wednesday night with a road trip to face the Missouri Tigers.
It was another poor start for the Cats as they quickly fell behind 12-5 by the first media timeout.
Two minutes later, the lead was double digits for the Tigers who took a 17-7 lead, and it continued to go downhill for the Cats.
Late in the half, Kentucky was on the verge of going down 20, but they were able to battle back some and go into the break trailing 42-30.
The second half didn’t get off to a better start, as the Tigers opened with a 5-0 run to take the largest lead of the game at 47-30.
Kentucky would finally make a run to cut the game back to single digits at 47-56 with 12:31 remaining.
Unfortunately, that’s as close as it would get, as the Tigers would extend the lead back out and go on to win it 89-75.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the game.
Starting five for the SEC opener ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/E9rR2mceNA
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 28, 2022
Look good, feel good? Kentucky coaches wearing suits tonight at Mizzou Arena
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) December 28, 2022
Just like Wallace planned it all along!
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) December 29, 2022
Loud loud loud environment
— Dalton Jones ® (@DaltonJJones19) December 29, 2022
If Oscar only received a 1/10 of the calls Timme gets.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) December 29, 2022
No reason for Oscar not to be dominating
— Lori Mills (@lori_mills) December 29, 2022
Oscar Tshiebwe becomes the fifth player in Kentucky basketball history with 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds, joining Dan Issel, Cliff Hagan, Johnny Cox, and Frank Ramsey.
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) December 29, 2022
Cason just Odell’d that pass
— BEEZY (@Burke_Franklin_) December 29, 2022
They're top 10 in the country in 3pt %, stop telling me it won't happen https://t.co/jWIW4xDdUA
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) December 29, 2022
Took Missouri 6 seconds to get a layup after Wallace 3. That cannot happen
— Vaughts' Views (@vaughtsviews) December 29, 2022
Our defense after a made basket has been TERRIBLE all year
— The Kentucky ˥ogo (@TheKentuckyLogo) December 29, 2022
This is so painful to watch…
— Tori Alascio (@torialascio) December 29, 2022
Missouri outhustling Kentucky for those long rebounds. #BBN #ukbasketball
— John Clay (@johnclayiv) December 29, 2022
Oscar Tshiebwe with three first-half turnovers, swarmed on every touch (and clearly uncomfortable).
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) December 29, 2022
Besides Cason Wallace, Kentucky’s best offense is Oscar Tshiebwe on the offensive glass. In fact, outside of Wallace it’s the only offense right now. @KentuckyRivals
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) December 29, 2022
Kentucky on pace to score 52 points tonight. This offense has been anemic.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 29, 2022
I don't think it's the way the lineups are being played, honestly just comes down to execution. Several people that play significant minutes just can't be on the floor.
— Ethan DeWitt (@EthanDeWitt1) December 29, 2022
I wish we had 4 Casons and Oscar
— The Kentucky ˥ogo (@TheKentuckyLogo) December 29, 2022
For the reigning national player of the year, Oscar Tshiebwe gets zero calls.
— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) December 29, 2022
I like that we are playing a team that likes to run yet we aren’t running
— Jortney (@Wildcatty11) December 29, 2022
Coaching, experience, shooting, talent, any sort of aggressiveness all stinks. This team is trash. 21 points in 16 minutes and you have 1 shooter on the floor and Ware/Oscar/Wheeler. I hate this.
— Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) December 29, 2022
In terms of style, Missouri is playing the way I wish this Kentucky team played…force your style of play on the other team
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 29, 2022
Sahvir Wheeler, Chris Livingston, Antonio Reeves, Lance Ware and CJ Fredrick a combined 3-17 to open the game
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) December 29, 2022
Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe the only two players with multiple makes.
Everyone looks completely lost.
— Tod Lanter (@TodLanter21) December 29, 2022
Missouri runs and guns and we are playing three bigs…
— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) December 29, 2022
Gotta give Thiero some minutes.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) December 29, 2022
It is shocking to see this team struggle when the roster is essentially the same as last year. Let's not forget...2021-2022 UK beat UNC by 29, Kansas by 18, and Tennessee by 28 among other big wins in a 26-8, 14-4 year. How they struggle this much is beyond me.
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) December 29, 2022
Missouri +12 in three point differential in the first half, and they lead 10-0 in transition points. There’s your ball game. @KentuckyRivals
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) December 29, 2022
Wait… Speed beats size? pic.twitter.com/IvaBQLOXr3
— John Robic's Hair (@JohnRobicsHair) December 29, 2022
Kentucky doesn't look rattled.
— John Clay (@johnclayiv) December 29, 2022
Kentucky is rattled.#BBN #ukbasketball
Mizzou is playing well and hitting shots and the crowd is into it, BUT...
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) December 29, 2022
...Kentucky looks lost right now. The disorganization and issues on offense are frustrating but even worse is the lack of fight and energy. Really discouraging ahead of what will be a brutal SEC schedule.
Mizzou fans still comparably tepid. If this were Auburn, the roof would be gone by now. Gonna get ugly on the road in the SEC.
— John Huang (@KYHuangs) December 29, 2022
And immediately knocks down a 3. https://t.co/R6YcLl1QEM
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) December 29, 2022
Come on Kentucky, let’s go on a run
— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) December 29, 2022
Adou Thiero is fighting, so is Lance Ware. Not pretty, but it's better than anything else we've seen today.
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) December 29, 2022
That three was as good as sunk the second Lance turned it over. Yuck.
— Big Blue Drew (@BigBlueDrew33) December 29, 2022
Missouri is laughing, they’re having a good time.
— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) December 29, 2022
I wish Cason had more help around him. He may be in the Nerlens/Isaiah Jackson “right place, wrong time” category.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) December 29, 2022
We have been out-played, our-hustled and out-coached by a mid-level SEC team and a first-year coach. That is simply a fact. And I am not sure how anyone could even dispute it
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 29, 2022
I just don’t understand what’s wrong this year with our cats #bbn
— Maria Montgomery (@Maria_Montgomry) December 29, 2022
I can’t even fathom the toxicity if this continues to February.
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) December 29, 2022
Final. pic.twitter.com/CLxpYv8amP
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 29, 2022
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