COLUMBIA, MO. • On the surface it was just another loss for the Missouri Tigers. A game marked by disappointment early and promise late. Maybe Tuesday’s 66-58 loss to No. 4 Kentucky will be remembered as much for what Cuonzo Martin said after the game than what happened on Norm Stewart Court.
His Tigers came out flat in the first half. He questioned their toughness at halftime. He benched his fourth-year senior in the second half, went with the smaller four-guard lineup he’s resisted to play this season then watched his team crawl back from a 20-point deficit.