JUSTIN ROWLAND:

Everyone expected Kentucky to win this game in pretty much the way they won it. Missouri is tough defensively but not gifted enough scoring the ball to win in Rupp Arena. It was the Nick Richards show in the first half, as he continues to look like one of the nation's most improved players. The work Kenny Payne has done with him over the last year, mentally and in terms of his skill consistency, maybe one of the most impressive things he's done at UK. That's saying something. Pretty much everyone else was abysmal in the first half. Immanuel Quickley took over where Richards left off in the second half, stomping out any possibility of a second-half surge for the Tigers. This was not a great performance but it was a solid start to SEC play. In this year's SEC, today's performance will win a lot of games.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

Kentucky shook off a slow start to deliver the kind of outcome that most of us expected before the game tipped off. Nick Richards built upon his fantastic effort against Louisville with a 21-point, 12-rebound, four-blocked shot performance, giving him back to back double-doubles for the first time. UK head coach John Calipari is always asking Richards, if you can do that, be that guy all the time. The junior center took another step toward fulfilling that potential today. Immanuel Quickley was also big once again, setting another career-high for points (23) while knocking down four 3s. This was a nice start to SEC play for the Cats.

TRAVIS GRAF:

When Kentucky started off slow today, I thought they were in for a classic letdown game. Immanuel Quickley was fantastic as a shot hunter and a shot-maker today. When he’s hitting, this UK team can be very tough to guard due to both his and Maxey’s constant energy when looking for shots. Maxey wasn’t great today, but he didn’t force the issue either. Nick Richards looked like an All-American, particularly in the first half. There are not many (if any at all) big men that I would take over Nick Richards when he’s playing at a high level. He affected the game at both ends while playing completely within himself. Kentucky has four guys (Hagans, Quickley, Maxey, and Richards) who form a solid core but need one or two more players to gradually step up over the course of the season.

DAVID SISK:

It was the kind of game we thought it would be. Missouri wanted to muck it up and have limited possessions. Kentucky is willing to play that way as well. It seems like it is a different player each game and today it was Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards. Both play critical roles. If Kentucky is to get 3-point shooting it appears it will be from Quickley. We have also said this team will go as far as Richards’ post presence will allow. Now it is time for Calipari to get all five players on the same page offensively. Hopefully, that will include Ashton Hagans.