Kentucky vs Missouri score today: UK basketball game updates, highlights from SEC contest

Posted by author March 8, 2025 Basketball

Taking over a program that won only 12 games the season prior, Dennis Gates was a revelation for Missouri in 2022-23. The Tigers went 25-10 (11-7 in the SEC) as he led the team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, he also was named the SEC Coach of the Year by writers who cover the league for the USA TODAY Sports Network.

It was a different story last season.

Mizzou cratered, going 8-24 overall and finishing the regular season 0-18 in conference play. It then went one and done in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers ended the 2023-23 campaign on a 19-game skid.

But Gates has engineered another turnaround this season.

Entering today’s regular-season finale against Kentucky, Missouri is 21-9 — and 10-7 in conference competition in one of the fiercest leagues in the history of the sport.

“I like the way he approaches the game,” Wildcats coach Mark Pope said. “I like how aggressive he is. I like the way he carries himself. I like the way he talks about the game and honors the game. I’m a big fan.

“I think he’s one of the really special coaches in college basketball.”

And one who deserves credit for a bounce-back season.

“Last year wouldn’t have been easy for anybody, but the way that he’s helped that program, those kids have responded this year,” Pope said. “(It) is pretty extraordinary. … It’s one of the great stories, I think, in college basketball.”

Will the Wildcats (20-10, 9-8) cap the regular season with back-to-back wins? Or will the Tigers send Pope’s group to yet another road loss?

Follow along below with live updates:

The contest between the Wildcats and Tigers will air on ESPN. Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analyst) will have the call.

Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.

You also can stream ESPN on Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Tom Leach (play-by-play) and Jack Givens (analyst) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington.

You can also listen online via UKAthletics.com.

Betting odds: Kentucky is a 6 ½-point road underdog (-108) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 171 ½ points (-110). The money line odds are Kentucky +225, Missouri -278.

Oct. 23: exhibition vs. Kentucky Wesleyan ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 123, Kentucky Wesleyan 52
Oct. 29: exhibition vs. Minnesota State Mankato ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 98, Minnesota State Mankato 67
Nov. 4: vs. Wright State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 103, Wright State 62
Nov. 9: vs. Bucknell (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 100, Bucknell 72
Nov. 12: vs. Duke (Champions Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Duke 72
Nov. 19: vs. Lipscomb, (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 97, Lipscomb 68
Nov. 22: vs. Jackson State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 108, Jackson State 59
Nov. 26: vs. Western Kentucky (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 87, Western Kentucky 68
Nov. 29: vs. Georgia State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 105, Georgia State 76
Dec. 3: at Clemson (ACC/SEC Challenge) ∣ SCORE: Clemson 70, Kentucky 66
Dec. 7: vs. Gonzaga (Climate Pledge Arena; Seattle) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 90, Gonzaga 89 (OT)
Dec. 11: vs. Colgate (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Colgate 67
Dec. 14: vs. Louisville (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 93, Louisville 85
Dec. 21: vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Ohio State 85, Kentucky 65
Dec. 31: vs. Brown (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Brown 54
Jan. 4: vs. Florida (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 106, Florida 100
Jan. 7: at Georgia | SCORE: Georgia 82, Kentucky 69
Jan. 11: at Mississippi State | SCORE: Kentucky 95, Mississippi State 90
Jan. 14: vs. Texas A&M (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 81, Texas A&M 69
Jan. 18: vs. Alabama (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Alabama 102, Kentucky 97
Jan. 25: at Vanderbilt | SCORE: Vanderbilt 74, Kentucky 69
Jan. 28: at Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 78, Tennessee 73
Feb. 1: vs. Arkansas | SCORE: Arkansas 89, Kentucky 79
Feb. 4: at Ole Miss | SCORE: Ole Miss 98, Kentucky 84
Feb. 8: vs. South Carolina | SCORE: Kentucky 80, South Carolina 57
Feb. 11: vs. Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 75, Tennessee 64
Feb. 15: at Texas | SCORE: Texas 82, Kentucky 78
Feb. 19: vs. Vanderbilt | SCORE: Kentucky 82, Vanderbilt 61
Feb. 22: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 96, Kentucky 83
Feb. 26: at Oklahoma | SCORE: Kentucky 83, Oklahoma 82
March 1: vs. Auburn | SCORE: Auburn 94, Kentucky 78
March 4: vs. LSU | SCORE: Kentucky 95, LSU 64
March 8: at Missouri, noon, ESPN

Record: 20-10 (9-8 SEC)

Ansley Almonor (forward, senior)
Koby Brea (guard, graduate)
Lamont Butler (guard, graduate)
Andrew Carr (forward, graduate)
Collin Chandler (guard, freshman)
Grant Darbyshire (guard, junior)
Brandon Garrison (forward, sophomore)
Walker Horn (guard, junior)
Kerr Kriisa (guard, senior)
Trent Noah (forward, freshman)
Otega Oweh (guard, junior)
Travis Perry (guard, freshman)
Jaxson Robinson (guard, graduate)
Amari Williams (center, graduate)

The Tigers are 21-9 overall this season, entering today with a 10-7 record in SEC play.

UK is 15-3 all time versus Missouri, but the teams have split the past four meetings dating back to the 2020-21 campaign.

Click here to see the Tigers’ full 2024-25 schedule.

Want to learn the Tigers’ roster?

Click here for player bios and more.

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.