SPORTS

UK-Mizzou Glance | Booker facing dad's team

Kyle Tucker
@KyleTucker_CJ
Kentucky's Devin Booker slams down two of nine points against Louisville in Saturday's game at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville. The Wildcats won 58-50. Dec. 27, 2014 By Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal

Get ready for No. 1 Kentucky's home game against Missouri on Tuesday night with this quick rundown on the matchup, including broadcast information, the Vegas line, stats and storylines. The juiciest: Wildcats sharpshooter Devin Booker will face his father's alma mater. Melvin Booker was a star for the Tigers in the early 1990s.

MISSOURI (7-8, 1-1 SEC)

AT NO. 1 KENTUCKY (15-0, 2-0 SEC)

Game time : 9 p.m. ET

Site: Rupp Arena (23,000), Lexington, Ky.

Favorite: Kentucky by 25

Series: UK leads 6-0. Last meeting: UK won 84-79 on Feb. 1, 2014 in Columbia, Mo.

Television: ESPN (Brad Nessler, Dick Vitale, Shannon Spake)

Radio: WHAS-AM 840 (Tom Leach, Mike Pratt)

MISSOURI

Pos. Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-Keith Shamburger 5-11 Sr. 3.1* 9.1

G-Wes Clark 6-0 So. 2.7* 9.4

G-Namon Wright 6-5 Fr. 2.1 5.4

F-Jakeenan Gant 6-8 Fr. 2.5 6.5

F-Johnathan Williams III 6-9 So. 7.1 13.7

* assists per game

Key reserves – Tramaine Isabell, G, 6-0, Fr., 5.3 ppg, 1.6 apg; D'Angelo Allen, F, 6-7, Fr., 4.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg; Ryan Rosburg, F, 6-10, Jr., 2.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg; Duece Bello, G, 6-4, Jr., 2.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg.

KENTUCKY

Pos.Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-Andrew Harrison 6-6 So. 4.3* 7.7

G-Aaron Harrison 6-6 So. 2.0* 11.5

F-Trey Lyles 6-10 Fr. 5.7 7.9

F-Karl-Anthony Towns 6-11 Fr. 6.7 8.5

C-Willie Cauley-Stein 7-0 Jr. 6.9 9.5

* assists per game

Key reserves –Dakari Johnson, C, 7-0, So., 8.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg; Tyler Ulis, G, 5-9, Fr., 5.3 ppg, 3.9 apg; Devin Booker, G, 6-5, Fr., 10.7 ppg, 1.2 apg; Marcus Lee, F, 6-9, So., 2.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg; Derek Willis, F, 6-9, So., 3.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg.

STORY LINES

1. Devin Booker vs. dad's alma mater. The UK freshman's father Melvin was a star at Missouri, where he won Big Eight Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American in 1994. That year, he led the Tigers to a 14-0 conference record – which his son is trying to help the Wildcats achieve now – and to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight. The elder Booker ranks third in assists and seventh in scoring on Missouri's all-time lists.

"This will be a rivalry game for him," Cats assistant coach Kenny Payne said of Devin Booker, who won his second SEC Freshman of the Week award after lighting up Ole Miss and Texas A&M last week. "He's playing with unbelievable confidence. If you forget about him, he's going to hurt you. If you give him an inch, he's going to hurt you. He's tough. He plays hard defensively. He'll knock down an open shot. He'll knock down a shot (when) you're on him. He's a threat."

Booker is averaging 14.8 points over the last five games and has made a staggering 16 of 21 3-pointers in that span – a cool 76.2 percent. "He's hot, but I think he has more in the tank. I'd like to see him get a little bit hotter," Payne said. "Let's get to 85."

2. Marcus Lee working his way back. After the sophomore played just one minute in an overtime win over Ole Miss, he got a dozen minutes against Texas A&M – but even that was low in a double-overtime game when both 6-11 Karl-Anthony Towns and 7-footer Willie Cauley-Stein fouled out. Lee has played just 13 of Kentucky's last 95 minutes. Coach John Calipari has said it's all about energy for Lee.

"That's the whole point of why I'm in the game," the 6-9 former McDonald's All-American said. "Just be energetic and make sure I get things done that I have to do. So if I'm not doing it, I shouldn't be out there. That goes for everybody on the team. We all have a job, so if we're not doing our job, someone else can try to do it."

But with Alex Poythress done for the season with a torn ACL, taking with him remarkable athleticism, leaping ability and defense, Lee is – and certainly at some point will be – an important piece for Kentucky. The Cats need Elite Eight vs. Michigan Marcus Lee to return.

"I just think Marcus has to go out and play with extreme confidence," Payne said. "Marcus Lee is a winner. Maybe not a great, skilled offensive player, but he's a winner. We need his energy. We need his confidence. We need his defensive effort every single moment that he's out there. He for us should be – and what Cal is trying to get him to be – is a Willie Cauley-(Stein) type of defender, play multiple positions."

– Kyle Tucker