The Official #8 Tennessee vs. #12 Kentucky Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#8 Tennessee Volunteers: 17-3 (4-3 SEC)

vs.

#12 Kentucky Wildcats: 14-5 (3-3 SEC)

GAME 21 | TENNESSEE vs. KENTUCKY - Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 | 7 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tenn. | Food City Center (21,678)


Line: UT -9.5
O/U: 148.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 84
Online: WatchESPN.com


Kensucky Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE MATCHUP

• The Volunteers' 78 victories against the Wildcats are the most by any team. Vanderbilt ranks second with 50.
• Tennessee's 11 wins over Kentucky in Rick Barnes' tenure (2015-25) are five more than any other team (Auburn and Kansas have six each). That includes a 10-6 record against ranked Wildcat teams, good for twice as many such wins as any other team (five by Kansas). UT is 7-5 versus AP top- 15 Kentucky teams under Barnes, including 7-1 with the Wildcats in the top 10.
• Barnes has led UT to a 7-3 record in AP top-25 showdowns against Kentucky, including a 5-2 mark with both in the top 20.
• This is the third straight AP top- 15 clash between the two schools, a second in series history, joining the three 2018-19 meetings.
• Following a 23-10 (13-5) campaign in 2023-24 that included a third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, the Wildcats took eighth place in the SEC preseason poll.
• Kentucky is led by junior guard Otega Oweh's 15.9 ppg and 1.7 spg.

 

[YankeeVol]

NEWS & NOTES

• Tennessee is 11-10 versus Kentucky under Rick Barnes with at least one victory in eight of his first nine years, including two thrice. It is 5-4 in home contests.
• In the 22 years 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.
• Walk-on guards Gavin Paull (Tennessee) and Walker Horn (Kentucky) were teammates at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, in 2021-22.
• Tennessee is in the midst of the first stretch of four straight games versus AP top-15 foes in program history. Its lone prior four-game streak against even AP top-20 teams was last season (2/28/24 to 3/9/24), while it also had four in a row versus AP top-25 teams in 2003-04 (1/20/04 to 1/31/04). The only opponent featured in all three stretches is Kentucky.
• Kentucky is the fourth of at least five consecutive ranked teams visiting Food City Center.
• Tennessee is seeking a 4-0 home start in SEC play for the third time under Rick Barnes, joining 9-0 showings in 2021-22 and 2018-19.
• Zakai Zeigler is three points away from becoming the second player in SEC history with 1,300 points, 600 assists and 200 steals. Only Arkansas' Kareem Reid (1995-99) has achieved the feat.
• Zeigler (622) is also just 11 assists behind Mississippi State's Dee Bost (633 from 2008-12) for a top-10 spot in SEC history.
• UT's DI-leading 25.4 3P% defense is 2.0 percent better than second- place, equal to the gap from No. 2 Appalachian State (27.4) to No. 28 Saint Peter's (29.4).
• The Volunteers' 188 victories over the last eight seasons (2017- 25) rank co-eighth nationally, alongside Auburn. Only Gonzaga (228), Houston (224), Kansas (205), Duke (202), Purdue (198), San Diego State (190) and Saint Mary's (189) own more. Liberty (187) rounds out the top 10.

 

[YankeeVol]

HAPPY AT HOME

• Over the last five seasons (2020-25), the Vols' .907 (68-7) home winning percentage is eighth in DI (fourth among Power Five teams, first in SEC). In the last four years (2021-25), they are at .932 (55-4).
• In total, UT is 133-24 (.847) at Food City Center in Rick Barnes' 10 years and has twice gone undefeated at home (18-0 in 2018-19 and 16-0 in 2021-22).

 

[Bigorangefan 98]

Let’s go Vols. Take down the kittens … first of 3 big games in row … hold serve at home we should get back in the top 5 again .

 

[FlVols]

Go Vols! Whip those kitty boys! Keep it hard now these next three encounters and let’s keep marching toward March! GBO!!

 

[ttocswob]

Kick the Kats!

 

[GiveHim6InSC]

Here’s to no hangover from the Awbarn game and, as Bob says, “Counting down to a Vol victory!!!”

 

[Freak]

 

[KB5252]

I hope we beat them but I worry injuries and physical nature of the past few games and the limits of this teams scoring/creating may pile up on us.

Kentucky can score but not defend. Cautiously optimistic, this is one we should win at home.

 

[cardvolfan]

I hope we beat them but I worry injuries and physical nature of the past few games and the limits of this teams scoring/creating may pile up on us.

Kentucky can score but not defend. Cautiously optimistic, this is one we should win at home.

Interestingly, we have lost the last 4 of 5 home games to Kentucky.

 

[CNeagleVolFan]

No excuse losing this game at home when Kentucky is down one, possibly two, potential starters.

 

[CAVPUT]

No excuse losing this game at home when Kentucky is down one, possibly two, potential starters.

How's our health? Flu? Shoulders?.

 

[87&91ALUM]

Take em Vols! Need a loud crowd tonight on the Summit.

 

[SGMVols]

If Carr is out then UK’s bench is pretty much just Garrison and 3 true freshmen, as that would likely force them to start Almonor.

 

[omghulkhands]

If Carr is out then UK’s bench is pretty much just Garrison and 3 true freshmen, as that would likely force them to start Almonor.

2 of the Freshman are rural Kentucky kids as well.

 

[Tin Man]

GBO! Beat Kentucky blue!

 

[MoCo_Vol]

So Kentucky has basically played 9 players 10+ mpg

Kriisa has only played in 9 games, assuming he's still out wasn't starting either way.

Carr has missed 1 game and was starting, seems as recent as 2 days ago he was "out for potentially awhile"

Carr is 6'9"

So that'd leave Amari Williams 6'10" and Brandon Garrison 6'11" as their only bigs. They have a couple 6'7" guys but overall not a very tall team.

Oweh is 6'5"
Robinson is 6'7"
Butler is 6'2"
Brea is 6'6"

They also just played on Saturday so not a team coming off a full week rest to prepare for us like Auburn and Florida both had. Also interestingly enough Florida will have been off since Saturday for our game this weekend.


Our next mid week off is after we play Vanderbilt on the 15th...we're really in the most difficult stretch of our schedule...if we get to A&M 3-3 or better we should be setup to have a strong finish heading into March.

 

[Orangeslide]

2 of the Freshman are rural Kentucky kids as well.

Yes, Trent Noah from Harlan County and Travis Perry from Lyon County. They met in the high school state championship game their senior year.

 

[Orangeslide]

With Butler and Carr out for the cats, Vols should cover unless Kentucky hits 12 3s or more. We should own the boards and defense should be able to turn them over with their PG out. No excuse tonight the Vols should win.

 

[Orangeslide]

If we want to get back into the picture for a 1 seed, we gotta win tonight and Saturday IMO.

 

[cardvolfan]

We “should” but some of you guys forget we’ve lost the last 4 of 5 to Kentucky at home. This is going to be a battle.

 

[TheBigOne10]

Let’s f*** them up!

 

[orangemadam]

Hard fought win, closer than the line

UT 78
KY 73

 

[Lefteye]

We “should” but some of you guys forget we’ve lost the last 4 of 5 to Kentucky at home. This is going to be a battle.

Any W is a good one. Just hold serve at home. The last 4 of 5 you’ve mentioned a couple of times should have been bulletin board material for them since Saturday. Imo