NASHVILLE — Kentucky basketball‘s SEC Tournament run isn’t over yet.
In Thursday’s second-round matchup against No. 8-seed Missouri, ninth-seeded UK led by as many as 16 points before holding on to bank a 78-72 win at Bridgestone Arena.
Kentucky (21-12) and coach Mark Pope are into the tournament quarterfinals, where they’ll face No. 1 seed Florida at 1 p.m. ET Friday. Despite Thursday’s loss, Missouri (20-12) still should be part of the NCAA Tournament field. It’s just that the Tigers may end up beginning their stay in the Big Dance in Dayton, Ohio, as part of the First Four.
Here are three takeaways from the Wildcats‘ six-point victory:
Balance across the board offensively? Big for UK on Thursday. Could be even bigger going forward.
When the Wildcats tangled with the Tigers earlier this season, Otega Oweh scored a team-high 20 points in a losing effort for Kentucky. No other UK player broke into double figures in that category that night. The lack of scoring aside from Oweh cost the hosts dearly, as Mizzou scored 15 of the final 17 points of the game to earn a 73-68 win at Rupp Arena.
Parity wasn’t in short supply in the points department Thursday, though.
Yes, Oweh still paced the Wildcats in points (21 on 9-of-18 shooting).
But Denzel Aberdeen, another member of the backcourt, followed with 16. Fellow guard Collin Chandler had 15.
When March Madness begins next week, opposing teams will key on Oweh. Anything the Wildcats can do offensively to alleviate some of his burden in that department would serve them well in the win-or-go-home reality that lays ahead.
Kentucky basketball has taken care of the ball through two games in Nashville. The Cats need to keep doing that.
More than 26 minutes into Thursday’s game, UK had given away the ball just five times. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Kentucky had nine turnovers.
It’s the third straight game (regular-season finale vs. Florida, Wednesday’s first-round win over LSU) that UK had 10 turnovers or fewer. That marks just the third time this season the Wildcats have strung together three straight outings with that few giveaways.
With possessions at a premium in the NCAA Tournament, taking care of the ball is crucial.
In that regard, Kentucky is peaking at the right time.
Wildcats hold on for another narrow victory. Be ready for more close encounters.
While it looked as if UK might win this one in a rout, Missouri had other ideas.
Trailing 53-37 with 14:33 to play, the Tigers more than doubled up the Cats over the next 12 minutes, 33-16. That gave Mizzou a 70-69 advantage with less than three minutes to go.
But Kentucky wouldn’t be denied on this day, as Missouri scored only two points the rest of the way.
UK has had a knack for winning close games this season.
It is 5-3 in 2025-26 in games decided by five points or less. (Note Thursday’s margin was six. So, close enough.)
That ability to make winning plays in high-pressure moments will be critical when March Madness gets underway. The margin for error is razor-thin.
Good thing the Wildcats have a sharp blade.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky-Missouri SEC Tournament game, UK basketball vs Florida next