Some people feel that this game has lost some of it’s luster with the season ending injury to Patrick Patterson. But I believe no matter what the other circumstances may be, it’s Tennessee and Kentucky with the SEC Championship on the line. This game is big and it’s important for Tennessee to get back on the winning track after a tough loss to Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.
TV: CBS 12:00 EST
Records:
Tennessee: 25-3, 11-2 SEC
Kentucky: 16-10, 10-3 SEC
Ranking:
UT: 1 AP / 1 USA Today
UK: NR AP / NR USA Today
Last Meeting:
January 22, 2008. Tennessee traveled to Lexington with an 11-game win streak on the line. Chris Lofton led the Vols with 22 points but Tennessee shot only 38.9% from the field as a team. The game was tied 60-60 with under two minutes remaining but the Vols cold shooting caught up to them and they were unable to score down the stretch. Kentucky knocked down their foul shots and finished off the game with a 72-66 victory.
Rosters:
| Tennessee |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| F | 1 Tyler Smith |
6-7
|
215
|
So.
|
13.4
|
6.9
|
3.6
|
| F | 4 Wayne Chism |
6-9
|
242
|
So.
|
9.1
|
6.0
|
1.1
|
| G | 5 Chris Lofton |
6-2
|
200
|
Sr.
|
15.4
|
3.4
|
2.0
|
| G | 2 JaJuan Smith |
6-2
|
195
|
Sr.
|
14.0
|
3.5
|
2.4
|
| G | 12 Ramar Smith |
6-2
|
200
|
So.
|
8.2
|
2.4
|
3.1
|
| Kentucky |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| F | 34 Ramon Harris |
6-6
|
213
|
So.
|
3.5
|
3.4
|
1.1
|
| F | 42 Mark Coury |
6-8
|
238
|
So.
|
2.2
|
2.0
|
0.7
|
| C | 54 Patrick Patterson |
6-8
|
232
|
Fr.
|
16.4
|
7.7
|
1.7
|
| G | 3 Ramel Bradley |
6-2
|
191
|
Sr.
|
15.8
|
4.6
|
3.3
|
| G | 32 Joe Crawford |
6-5
|
207
|
Sr.
|
16.8
|
3.6
|
2.3
|
Here are a few interesting links from Kentucky sites:
–Letter to the Vols from Wildcatblitz. Kentucky fans sound more and more like Bammer fans to me….. delusional. Note they don’t have much to say about this season or even much about the game. It’s all about the past. Good luck to them in the NCA…er, NIT. I hope you guys get a good draw.
–Pearl is a new Pitino. I’m sure they meant well. To Kentucky fans, comparing someone to Rick Pitino is one of the highest compliments a person can receive. Even so, I think I’ll stick to the Ray Mears comparisons. Hopefully, in a couple of years if all goes well, Kentucky fans focus their energy on comparing Billy Clyde to Joe B. Hall.
-The Sea of Blue continues the Lofton Debate. This one has been discussed to death, especially when the game with the Vols and Cats rolls around. Bottom line is not many coaches were willing to offer Lofton a scholarship out of high school and deservedly so. Even though I understand where he is trying to go with the article, saying that ‘Joe and Ramel took a long time to reach their peak, but late is better than never, and right now I wouldn’t trade either one of those young men for two Chris Loftons and a player to be named later‘ is more than just a little over the top considering what Lofton has accomplished in his college career.
Go Vols!