Kentucky Falls to Missouri in SEC Tournament

Tigers knock off Wildcats, 78-72, to advance in conference tournament

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Kentucky Wildcats were unable to build on their opening-round SEC Tournament win, falling to the Missouri Tigers 78-72 in Nashville. Missouri, fighting to secure an NCAA Tournament bid, used a strong second-half performance to knock off the inconsistent Wildcats.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for Kentucky, which has struggled with inconsistency all season. Missouri, meanwhile, picked up a crucial win to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume as one of the bubble teams in the SEC.

The details

Kentucky led by 8 points with 4:30 remaining, but was outscored 15-2 down the stretch as Missouri rallied for the victory. The Tigers were led by a 21-point performance from their leading scorer, while Kentucky's shooting woes continued, going just 6-for-22 from 3-point range.

  • The game tipped off at 12:30 PM ET on March 12, 2026 in Nashville.
  • Kentucky led 66-58 with 4:30 left before Missouri stormed back to win.

The players

Missouri Tigers

The Missouri Tigers are one of only two teams in the SEC to defeat Florida this season, while also picking up road wins at Texas A&M and home victories over Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Kentucky Wildcats

The Kentucky Wildcats struggled with inconsistency all season and were unable to build on their opening-round SEC Tournament win over LSU.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games. This loss is a setback, but we'll regroup and get ready for the NCAA Tournament.”

— John Calipari, Head Coach, Kentucky Wildcats (aseaofblue.com)

What’s next

Kentucky will now await its NCAA Tournament seeding and matchup, while Missouri looks to solidify its spot in the field of 68.

The takeaway

This game highlighted Kentucky's ongoing struggles with consistency, an issue that has plagued the Wildcats all season. Meanwhile, Missouri's victory keeps the Tigers firmly in the NCAA Tournament conversation as they look to secure a bid on Selection Sunday.