Kentucky Players Expecting a 'Physical' Rematch Against Mizzou in SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For Kentucky guard Otega Oweh, the chance to end Missouri's SEC Tournament run is the "best thing you can want in these type of settings."

On Day 2 of the SEC Tournament, Kentucky will have the chance to earn revenge against Missouri for a 73-68 win the Tigers earned at Rupp Arena on Jan. 7. Kentucky earned the chance to avenge the loss after taking down LSU in Round 1 on Wednesday.

Though the Wildcats have focused on turning the page to the postseason, the chance to avenge the regular season loss is still a significant opportunity.

"We can send them home," Oweh said following Kentucky's win over LSU. "They came to our home and beat us, so we just gotta get our 'get back.'"

Jan 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Anthony Robinson II (0) and forward Nicholas Randall (24) celebrate after winning the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Entering the tournament, the Wildcats focused all of their attention on the Wildcats of LSU for their Round 1 matchup. Guard Colin Chandler said that in the weekend leading up to the tournament, Kentucky hadn't "talked about them (Missouri) at all."

But Chandler does expect it to be a "different game plan" from the last meeting. Not only to avoid a similar result for the Wildcats, but because Kentucky will be working with different personnel.

The Wildcats will be without two of their starters from that January game, with guard Jaland Lowe dealing with a season-ending shoulder injury, and forward Jayden Quaintance dealing with a lingering knee injury.

Missouri on the other hand, has had two significant changes in the starting lineup since playing Kentucky, with guard T.O. Barrett and forward Trent Pierce both becoming crucial players after earning spots in the starting lineup.

Missouri has also gone through an adventurous SEC stretch, ending the regular season 10-8 in conference play. That resume includes win over four of the top six teams in the conference standings, but also the two lowest-placing teams. Both of those extremes have built Missouri into the team it is this March.

"We're much more battle-tested, connected," Barrett said Tuesday when asked how Missouri is different compared to when it first played Kentucky. "We've been through an entire SEC season now, so we're just growing in a lot of different ways"

But, Kentucky also believes they've changed in positive ways since losing to Missouri.

"We've changed a lot," freshman center Malachai Moreno told Missouri On SI. "We're making plays for each other, we're being aggressive and being physical."

Guard Denzel Aberdeen agrees.

"We got more physical," the transfer from Florida said. "I feel like some games, we let it go down, but we putting it back up."

Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance (21) and Missouri Tigers center Shawn Phillips Jr. (15) battle for a loose ball during the Wildcats' loss to the Tigers during SEC college basketball at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky January 7, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Agressive and physical is exactly the type of game Kentucky expects Missouri to bring. In the first meeting, 40 of Missouri's 73 points came in the paint.

"I think the biggest challenge is going to be physicality," forward Mouhamed Dioubate said. "We know that their a physical team, they like to get downhill a lot."

For Dioubate, the defensive focus in the second meeting will have to be being authoritative, not reactive to what Missouri does offensively.

"We got to say 'No,' Dioubate said. "When adversity comes, we just got to stay together. and not let any of their the points that they score dictate how we play on defense."

The first game was far from the best performance for both Missouri and Kentucky. The Wildcats are prepared to see a Missouri attack that can be more diverse than it was in January.

"They're really good," head coach Mark Pope said. "They've been playing great basketball. They have tremendous size on their front line. They're so physical and so big and so skilled actually, and can hurt you in a lot of different ways."

Missouri's win over Kentucky propelled the Tigers to save their season from a disaster in non-confernce play to a SEC slate that has put them in position to earn a bid in the NCAA Tournament. A second win over the Wildcats would be the Tigers' first win in the month of March, undoubtedly sending them into the NCAA Tournament and advancing them to play against top-seeded Florida in Round 3 of the SEC Tournament on Friday.

In order to do that, Missouri is expecting to need 40 minutes of agressive play.

"Be ready for a fight," Barrett said of what to expect against Kentucky.

The Tigers will take on the Wildcats at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Bridgestone Arena. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.