SEC basketball conference play starts soon and one SEC coach won’t be on the sidelines for his team’s first contest.

Missouri announced that head coach Cuonzo Martin will miss the Tigers SEC opener against Kentucky Wednesday night. Martin tested positive for the COVID virus but none of his players or assistant coaches have tested positive thus far.

Assistant head coach Cornell Mann will be the acting head coach for the game against Kentucky.

So far this season, the Tigers have gotten off to a slow start. They are 6-6 and dropped their last contest to Illinois, 83-66.

Now, the Tigers have to start the season without their head coach against a hot Kentucky team who has gotten off to a 9-2 start including a huge victory recently against North Carolina.