JUSTIN ROWLAND:

This game felt a little odd for some reason. Undoubtedly a big part of it is the way Missouri plays. The scrambled approach lends itself to games being played pretty differently than we're accustomed. Kentucky's defense wasn't good enough in the first half especially, and it didn't seem like they were as comfortable as usual attacking on offense. They missed some shots they will usually make and they took some shots when they probably should have worked it for a better look. Overall the margin shows this team has a pretty good margin for error so long as the defense is OK. Dillingham and Wagner led the backcourt.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

This game played out largely as I expected. It felt like a game where Kentucky might come down a bit off an emotional win at Florida, and you knew Missouri would come out fighting after losing at home to Georgia. This one felt like it hovered around a 6- to 8-point game all night long, and I wondered at one point if the Cats were going to leave the door open for the Tigers to get hot and pull the upset. That didn't happen, thanks to some improved defense (30% FG) in the second half after allowing Mizzou to shot 55% in the first half. The Tigers couldn't buy a bucket over the final 10 minutes. Kentucky didn't hit a lot of shots over that same stretch, either, but the Cats took care of business at the free-throw line, finishing 27 of 32 (84%) on the night. A big double-double from senior center/forward Tre Mitchell (20 points, 14 rebounds) and some fantastic one-on-one offensive play from freshman guards Rob Dillingham (23 points) and DJ Wagner (16 points).