JUSTIN ROWLAND:

Kudos to Missouri for digging deep and finding the heart and pride to play a competitive game in Rupp Arena. If you looked at their road/neutral results before tonight there was no reason to think Kentucky would even have to sweat. Whenever Kentucky was pulling away the Tigers had a sequence or a stretch to pull a little closer. In spite of recent blowouts, not every game is going to be smooth sailing. It's conference play and everything is a little tougher. Oscar Tshiebwe had a lot of trouble finishing shots that you'd think would be makes but those are sometimes a struggle for him. Keion Brooks may have been Kentucky's best player tonight so there's no telling how Calipari is going to manage the minutes between he and Toppin. Considering this one didn't come as easy, the fact that Kentucky still won like this tells you a lot about this squad. They're really good.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

This is one of those games where you look up at the final score and it doesn't seem quite right. I kind of expected this to be a blowout, but it never truly felt like one. For the Cats to win a league game by 27 and not come anywhere near playing their best game says a lot. One of the best things about this UK roster is the Cats can have a star player (or two) have an off-night offensively and still be OK. Oscar Tshiebwe and Kellen Grady combined to go 4-for-15 from the field, and it didn't matter. Keion Brooks Jr. stepped up with a 17-point, nine-rebound effort, and despite his shooting woes, Tshiebwe recorded yet another double-double with 13 points and 20 rebounds. TyTy Washington was his steady self with 14 points, while Sahvir Wheeler chipped in with 11 points and nine assists. This is just a really difficult Kentucky team to defend. You take someone away, and there are five or six other guys who can hurt you. That kind of balance and depth will help the Cats as we get deeper into the season. Overall, a good start to SEC play.

DAVID SISK:

I think we may have learned more about this Kentucky team tonight than from any other contest. We got a better idea of what the strengths and weaknesses are. They rebounded (Oscar Tshiebwe), defended (for the most part), and pushed the ball in transition. Sahvir Wheeler has the keys to this offense now. Keion Brooks and Ty Ty Washington made shots, and Tshiebwe is a walking double-double. I’m going to go back and rewatch the game, but there is some stagnation when the pace sticks to the half court. I still have the question of who can create when they need a basket in a tight SEC game. But in the end, Kentucky won by 27 against Missouri on a night when most of us feel like they could have played better.