LEXINGTON, Ky. (Interstat) — A surging Missouri team aims to continue its strong start in Southeastern Conference play when it visits a Kentucky squad seeking stability Wednesday night at Rupp Arena. The Missouri Tigers (11-3, 1-0 SEC) opened conference action with a narrow 76-74 home win over Florida on Saturday. The Kentucky Wildcats (9-5, 0-1), meanwhile, dropped their SEC opener on the road at Alabama, 89-74. Missouri brings the better overall record into the matchup, having won eight of its last ten games. However, its most recent road test resulted in a lopsided 91-48 loss at Illinois on Dec. 22. The Tigers will need to demonstrate greater road resilience against a Kentucky program traditionally dominant at home. Kentucky’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with impressive wins over teams like Indiana offset by double-digit losses to Gonzaga, North Carolina, Michigan State and Alabama. The Wildcats will rely on the formidable home-court advantage of Rupp Arena to steady their course in conference play. A key matchup will feature Missouri guard Anthony Robinson against Kentucky’s Otega Oweh. Robinson is coming off a 19-point, 5-assist performance in the win over Florida and has scored in double figures in four straight games. Oweh, a versatile forward, is averaging 16.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He posted 22 points and 8 rebounds in the loss at Alabama and nearly recorded a triple-double against Bellarmine on Dec. 23 with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. Missouri’s offense runs efficiently through Robinson, who has dished out 21 assists over his last four contests. Kentucky will counter with Oweh’s all-around play and the scoring support of guard Jaland Lowe, who had 21 points against Alabama. The Tigers have not announced a starting lineup, but forwards Jacob Crews and Mark Mitchell provided crucial support alongside Robinson against Florida. Kentucky’s rotation will likely feature Lowe and Mouhamed Dioubate, who grabbed 8 rebounds against the Crimson Tide. This game begins a critical early-January stretch for both teams. Missouri visits Mississippi on Saturday, while Kentucky hosts Mississippi State. A win for the Tigers would establish them as a serious SEC contender, while the Wildcats are in need of a signature conference victory to build momentum.