The Official #5 Tennessee @ #15 Kentucky Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

#1
YankeeVol

YankeeVol

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#1
#5 Tennessee Volunteers: 20-4 (7-4 SEC)
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#15 Kentucky Wildcats: 16-7 (5-5 SEC)
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GAME 25 | TENNESSEE at KENTUCKY - Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 | 7 p.m. ET | Lexington, Ky. | Rupp Arena (20,500)


Line: UT -2.5
O/U: 149.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
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Online: WatchESPN.com


Kentucky Game Notes

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#2
#2
THE MATCHUP

• The Volunteers' 78 victoties over the Wildcats lead all teams. Vanderbilt is second with 50.
• UT's eight wins at Rupp Arena are the second-most of any school, trailing only Florida (10). Just Alabama (seven), Arkansas (six) and LSU (six) have even five-plus.
• Rick Barnes has led UT to a 4-3 mark at Rupp Arena over the last seven years after it was 2-36 in the prior 38 seasons (1979-2017).
• UT's 11 wins over Kentucky in Barnes' tenure (2015-25) are five more than any other team (Auburn and Kansas have six each). That includes a 10-7 record against ranked Wildcat teams, good for twice as many such wins as anyone else (five by Kansas).
• Barnes has led UT to a 7-4 record in AP top-25 showdowns against Kentucky, including a 5-3 mark with both in the top 20.
• After posting a 23-10 (13-5) record and logging a third straight NCAA Tournament berth last year, Kentucky came in at eighth in the SEC preseason poll.
• The Wildcats are paced by junior guard Otega Oweh's 16.0 ppg.
 
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#3
#3
NEWS & NOTES

• Tennessee is 11-11 versus Kentucky under Rick Barnes with at least one victory in eight of his 10 years, including two thrice. That includes a 6-6 mark away from home.
• In the 22 seasons before Barnes' arrival (1993-2015), UT went 9-35 against Kentucky, including 7-28 when the Wildcats were ranked.
• Barnes' 12 wins over the Wildcats are the seventh-most all-time, one shy of Dean Smith (13). He has two more than any other active coach (Bruce Pearl with 10). More information is on Page 6.
• Over the past eight campaigns, all the Rick Barnes era, UT is 27-8 (.771) in the second leg of regular season home-and-home series.
• Rick Barnes (826) is one win away from tying John Calipari (827) for No. 10 on the all-time DI victories list and for the most such wins by an active head coach.
• Since shooting 11-of-45 (24.4 percent) on 3-pointers 1/28/25 against Kentucky, UT is 25-of-58 (43.1 percent) its last three games.
• On the defensive end, the Vols lead the nation in eFG% (42.3), FG% (36.2) and 3P% (26.6).
• Zakai Zeigler's 645 assists are co- seventh in SEC history, matching LSU's Kenny Higgs (1974-78). He is one behind Kentucky's Dirk Minniefield (646 from 1979-83) for sixth and 11 shy of Georgia/ Kentucky's Sahvir Wheeler (656 from 2019-23) for fifth.
• Zeigler's 1,348 points put him 17 behind Jordan Bowden (1,365 from 2016-20) for a top-25 spot on the Vols' all-time leaderboard. He and Jahmai Mashack are also one victory away from becoming the seventh and eighth players to win 100 games at Tennessee.
• Tennessee's 191 victories over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank co-eighth in DI, alongside Auburn (191). Only Gonzaga (231), Houston (227), Kansas (207), Duke (205), Purdue (201), San Diego State (192) and Saint Mary's (192) possess more. Liberty (190) rounds out the top 10.
• Tennessee has 20-plus wins for the 31st time in program history, including the sixth in the last eight years and fourth in a row. Rick Barnes has his 25th such season, co-No. 11 all-time at the DI level.
 
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#4
#4
RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES

• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee's 26 AP top-25 wins lead the nation. Only Connecticut (25), Iowa State (24), Kansas (24) and Purdue (23) are even within three, while the closest SEC school is four behind (Alabama with 22).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 22 AP top-20 triumphs over that span, the co-second- most of any DI school, tied with Kansas (22) and trailing only Connecticut (23). Just Purdue (19), Alabama (closest SEC team with 18) and Iowa State (18) are even within five of the Volunteers.
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 19 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, behind just Kansas (20). Only Alabama (16), the closest SEC team, and Iowa State (15) are even within four of Tennessee.
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns nine AP top- 10 wins, co-second in the SEC and co-sixth nationally, both alongside Alabama. Only Connecticut (12), Iowa State (12), Kansas (12), Kentucky (10) and Purdue (10) have more. The nine such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23), at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24) and #5 Florida (2/1/25).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has six AP top-five victories, tied with Arizona for the most in the country. Only five other schools have even four: Alabama (five), Iowa State (five), Florida (four), Gonzaga (four) and Purdue (four).
 
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#5
#5
TOP-TIER TRIUMPHS

• Tennessee is 40-40 (.500) against AP top-25 foes under Rick Barnes, including 24-13 (.649) in its past 37 such games (since 1/22/22).
• The Volunteers are 34-32 (.515) versus AP top-20 teams in Barnes' tenure, including 20-9 (.690) in their last 29 such affairs (since 1/22/22).
• UT is 26-25 (.510) against AP top-15 teams in the Barnes era, including 19-8 (.704) in its last 27 such games (since 12/22/21).
• The Vols own a 14-15 (.483) record versus AP top-10 foes under Barnes, including a 12-9 (.571) mark in their last 21 such contests (since 3/2/19) and a 9-6 (.600) tally in their last 15 (since 12/22/21).
• UT is 10-9 (.526) against AP top-five opponents in Barnes' tenure, including 6-4 (.600) in its last 10 such affairs (since 2/15/22). It is 8-2 (.800) versus AP top-five SEC teams, including 7-1 (.875) in its last seven such outings (since 3/2/19).
 
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#14
#14
I'm not feeling great about this one, but Barnes has this team playing some overall really good bball lately, so I def won't be surprised if we TCOB and pull out the W. I think it will be a good game. GBO!!!!
 
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#16
#16
Barnes has had good success at KY so I think there is a good chance to come out with a win. Going to have to defend their 3 shooters much better and Chaz has to have a good game. Saw where Felix turned an ankle in practice and is questionable. Him not playing would hurt our chances.
 
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#20
#20
Chris4Vols22 said:
I'm not feeling great about this one, but Barnes has this team playing some overall really good bball lately, so I def won't be surprised if we TCOB and pull out the W. I think it will be a good game. GBO!!!!
Click to expand...

I never feel good playing at Rupp but Barnes owns the place compared to other UT coaches. I like it better when we play at Rupp first. It's not a must win by means but imo we need to win because A) I don't want to be swept by this KY team and B)...I mean it's Kentucky, I hate losing to them.

Did I mention I hate Kentucky?
 
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#22
#22
Les Paul Vol said:
Yes , Rupp is a tough place to play . Kentucky can light it up quickly from the three , Ziegler will do a better job running the show tonight. Tennessee took 46 three point shots in Knoxville and I bet that will not be the case tonight .
Click to expand...


Agree the key is how Ky is doing from 3 point land. If they are hitting there's not a lot of rebounding advantage to be had.
 
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#23
#23
OrangeBeachVol said:
... Saw where Felix turned an ankle in practice and is questionable. Him not playing would hurt our chances.
Click to expand...
Hopefully Okpara can play thru it. Igor hasn't shown inside presence with any consistency. Cade has his moments, excellent rebounder; but neither is enough if Felix is out, IMO. GBO!!!
 
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