Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over the Missouri Tigers
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Game day: No. 6 Kentucky 90, Missouri 77
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Tuesday’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and Missouri in Rupp Arena.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 90-77 win over the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena.
1. Is Kentucky’s defense a concern?
Not to pick nits with a now 12-2 team, but for the second straight game Kentucky struggled defensively over the first 20 minutes. In last Saturday’s 87-85 comeback victory at Florida, UK saw the Gators make 8 of 20 3-point shots on the way to a 45-37 halftime lead. Tuesday night, Kentucky led Missouri 47-42 at the break despite the fact the Tigers shot 54.8 percent from the floor and made 6 of their 13 3-point shots.
Second half, different story. Saturday, Florida shot 40 percent and the Gators were just 1-of-11 from 3-point range over the final 20 minutes. Tuesday, Missouri shot 30 percent and made just two of its 15 attempts from behind the 3-point arc after intermission.
In fact, Missouri made just one of its last 14 shots from the floor. The Tigers went without a field goal from the 10:19 mark to the 40-second mark. Dennis Gates’ team stayed within striking distance by making free throws, but then gave way.
“I thought our guys fought, but in that one stretch we couldn’t make baskets,” Gates said.
“Defensively again, first half shaky,” said UK’s John Calipari. “Give (Missouri) credit for how they played. And then the second half, we played better or they just missed shots, I don’t know.”
Kentucky entered the game ranked eighth by kenpom in adjusted offensive efficiency. But the Cats were 43rd in adjusted defensive efficiency. That number needs to improve.
Said Calipari, “We need to put two halves together.”
2. Rob Dillingham is responding to tough love
After the game, Gates was asked what is the difference between last year’s Kentucky team, which Missouri beat by 14 points in Columbia, and this year’s Kentucky team, which beat Missouri by 13 points in Lexington.
“What I see is this, I see some great one-on-one players who can make shots,” said Gates, who added, “Rob Dillingham is the best iso player in college basketball.”
That’s the same Dillingham who was “awful” in the first half at Florida. Such was Calipari’s description after the North Carolina native committed four turnovers before the break. Dillingham bounced back in the second half to help the Cats to the road win in the conference opener.
The freshman guard continued his stellar play Tuesday. He finished with a game-high 23 points. He was 6-of-7 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from behind the 3-point line. He was also 8-of-10 at the foul line. He did commit three turnovers in 19 minutes, but also made three steals.
“He can’t have three or four fouls,” said Calipari of Dillingham falling into foul trouble in the second half. The coach said he talked to the rookie about his habit of trying to reach in for steals. He also had a “body language” talk with Dillingham.
“He can really play. I love guys who can really play,” said Calipari when talking about Dillingham’s sometimes erratic play. “He knows I love him and I love coaching him.”
3. Again, thank goodness for Tre Mitchell
It has been said before, but bears repeating. Kentucky hit the jackpot when Tre Mitchell fell into the Cats’ lap during the summer. The 6-foot-9 forward was all set to return to West Virginia before Bob Huggins lost his job there. When that happened, the Pittsburgh native decided to join forces with another Pittsburgh native. Or Moon Township native, to be precise.
Tuesday night, Mitchell scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. It was his second consecutive double-double. Despite cramping, he scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win in Gainesville. In fact, Tuesday was Mitchell’s fourth consecutive game of double-figure rebounds.
Kentucky won the rebounding battle over Missouri 42-27. The +15 was UK’s biggest rebound margin of the season. And the Cats are now 7-0 when they win the glass.
“We’re getting better,” said Calipari when quizzed about rebounding by Tom Leach on the postgame show.
The coach then pointed out that Adou Thiero has missed the last three games and Thiero has been one of the team’s better rebounders. In Adou’s absence, Mitchell played more minutes and thus got more rebounds.
“What Tre proved tonight is that he can rebound in traffic,” Calipari said.
What Mitchell continues to prove is that Kentucky is fortunate to have him.
This story was originally published January 9, 2024 at 11:11 PM.
