NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
[ad_1]
Is there a point spread high enough?
No. 19/15-ranked Missouri basketball will close the regular season with a top-20 game against No. 24/19 Kentucky on Saturday at Mizzou Arena. The game will tip off at 11 a.m. and air on ESPN.
By all metrics, this finale should have some fireworks.
The game pits the No. 5 and No. 6-ranked offenses in the country, per the analytics site KenPom. Neither team has a top-50 ranked defense, which may set the stage for a high-scoring game.
Mizzou (21-9, 10-7 SEC) has lost three of its past four games and is now locked into a single bye in the SEC Tournament. A top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament, because of a Wednesday night loss at Oklahoma, seems unlikely, too.
Kentucky (20-10, 9-8) can move ahead of Mizzou in the SEC standings with a win. The Wildcats, coached by Mark Pope, beat LSU 95-64 on Tuesday in Lexington, Kentucky.
Here’s what you need to know about Tennessee before Wednesday’s game:
What are Kentucky’s strengths leading into Missouri basketball visit?
Mar 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with forward Brandon Garrison (10) as he exits the game during the second half LSU Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Kentucky rates as one of the most efficient and free-scoring offenses in the nation, but there’s one stat that should concern Missouri fans more than most.
The Wildcats, according to CBB Analytics, score 37.5 points per game in the paint, which is the second-best mark in the SEC. Given Mizzou’s recent troubles guarding the inside, that’s a potential problem for the Tigers.
Mizzou gave up 48 points in the paint to Oklahoma in its Wednesday night loss in Norman, which followed allowing 44 paint points to Vanderbilt on Saturday. A week earlier, Arkansas matched OU’s 48 in the paint.
UK only ranks behind Missouri for 3-point percentage this season in the SEC. The Wildcats’ offensive rating stacks up with the best in the country. Pope’s…
[ad_2]Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/missouri-basketball-vs-kentucky-scouting-090136553.html
Author : Columbia Daily Tribune
Publish date : 2025-03-07 09:01:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
