Kentucky stayed 'focused in the moment' to avoid a loss to Missouri

The Wildcats blew a 16-point lead, but were able to pull out the win by making big plays in the final minutes.

Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope yells to his team against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Kentucky Wildcats looked like they were going to cruise to a win over Missouri on Thursday in the SEC Tournament. After going up as much as 16 points in the second half, the Tigers began going at Kentucky's big men down low and scoring at will, specifically Mark Mitchell, who had 23 points in the second half. Missouri cut Kentucky's big lead to just one, but from there, the mindset of the Wildcats prevailed.

Throughout what was a rollercoaster of a season, Kentucky found themselves in that kind of situation many times, sometimes they would respond, while other times they would fold. Late in the season, they proved they never really will go away. On Thursday, their resiliency was tested in a big way in the final minutes, which led to a big win.

Missouri's one-point lead with 2:34 left was the last time the Tigers were in the lead because after that, Kentucky went on a 9-2 run to close out the game and left with a 78-72 victory. It was all started by the play that changed everything for the Wildcats in the final minute, where Brandon Garrison stopped a Mark Mitchell drive to the basket and Otega Oweh stepped in to get a steal before a Denzel Aberdeen jumper then put the Wildcats up five with 22 seconds left.

Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) reacts after a made three point basket against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Mark Pope talked about his team's response after the game, saying it's all because his guys stayed 'focused in the moment,' not letting all of the frustration that was mounting win.

"Listen, we've been really blessed to be all over the map in games. Up big, down big, sways big. Our guys and staff are good at staying focused in the moment, understanding what's happening," Pope said after Kentucky's win over Missouri. "Credit Missouri. We were in a place where we felt comfortable. They just said we're going to bully you inside. Our guys are pretty well-trained. They've adopted trying to stay as steady as they can, focus on finding answers and solutions rather than getting sideways with scenarios. They did a good job with that today."

Kentucky made sure not to to let Missouri's comeback rattle them. In the postseason, making big plays matters, but having poise also matters. It starts with the right mindset and that's exactly what the Wildcats had against a physical Missouri team.