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Kentucky vs. Tennessee, Round 2: TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Predictions

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The Kentucky Wildcats will travel to Knoxville and look to even the season series against the Tennessee Volunteers in the regular season finale.
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

After 30 games, the regular season finale is here, as Kentucky Basketball will travel to Knoxville and take on the Tennessee Volunteers, looking to even the season series.

The Volunteers just beat South Carolina in Columbia while claiming their 11th SEC regular-season championship and first outright title since the 2007-08 season.

While the battle for the SEC regular season title is over, this is an important game for both teams in terms of postseason seeding. For Tennessee, they will have a great shot at a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament with a win.

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A Kentucky win means a double-bye for the SEC Tournament and into contention for a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Both sides will be motivated for postseason purposes, but with it being a rivalry, they will also be motivated by pride. Kentucky will want to avenge their January loss to Tennessee, which the Vols controlled from start to finish. Tennessee will want to win on senior night and sweep the season series.

The Volunteers will come into the game close to being a double-digit favorite. It’s these types of games that Kentucky has been successful in as of late. Where the odds and projections count them out, and they get a statement win.

Here’s what to watch for in Round 2 of Kentucky Wildcats vs. Tennessee Volunteers.

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Contain The “Other Guys”

In the first matchup, Kentucky did a good job of slowing down Dalton Knecht, holding him to just 16 points on 35.7% shooting, tied for his lowest shooting percentage in SEC play.

The issue was they gave up season-highs to Zakai Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James, 26 points each.

Of course, defense has not been a strong suit of this Kentucky team and it will be difficult to contain Knecht to the same inefficient numbers, but they can’t allow such an explosion from the “other guys”.

With Zeigler, the key is to fight through screens, as more than half of his shot attempts this season have come from 3. That said, he is a driving threat, but shooting just 40% from the field, he is looking to pass, making it important not to overhelp on the 5-foot-9 guard.

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James and Jonas Aidoo are the Volunteers’ other scoring threats. James is a physical 4 who is also a willing shooter. An improved Justin Edwards with likely share this matchup with Adou Thiero.

As for Aidoo, he is your traditional post-up man. Whichever of Kentucky’s bigs that brings the most physicality and rebounds will get the most run in this matchup.

Physicality

Kentucky’s lack of physicality has been attacked for much of this season. However, over the last month, the Wildcats have improved in that area. Just look at their win over Mississippi State last week, where they responded to the physicality and came back from as many as 13 points.

In the first Kentucky-Tennessee matchup, both teams combined for 45 fouls, the most in a Kentucky game this season. Given Tennessee’s reputation as one of the most physical teams in the SEC, expect more of the same on Saturday. The priority will be on the boards, where Kentucky cannot give up 18 offensive boards again and give Tennessee so many extra possessions.

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Transition Offense

The one weakness of Tennessee’s top three KenPom defense is their transition defense. Self-aware of this, this was a point of emphasis for Rick Barnes last game and will be the same on Saturday.

For Kentucky, they have to force turnovers and grab defensive rebounds to get those transition opportunities. Those are two things they did not do well against Tennessee last time.

With Tennessee being fairly good at taking care of the ball, rebounding will likely be the primary source of those fastbreak chances.

Opposing Players to Watch

G Dalton Knecht, 6-6, 204 lbs

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  • 20.7 PPG (2nd in SEC)
  • 4.8 RPG
  • 40.6% 3P (12th in SEC)

G Zakai Zeigler 5-9, 171 lbs

  • 11.4 PPG
  • 5.9 APG (1st in SEC)
  • 1.9 SPG (4th in SEC)

F Jonas Aidoo, 6-11, 241 lbs

  • 12.2 PPG
  • 7.6 RPG (T-3rd in SEC)
  • 54.0% FG

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball vs. Tennessee Volunteers

How do you see this one playing out? Send us your thoughts in the comments section!

Also published on a Sea of Blue.

Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

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Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.

Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):

“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.

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With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.

Losing One of Our Own

That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.

Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.

So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.

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Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.

Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.

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Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.
Jordan Prather | IMAGN

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.

Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.

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Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.

Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.

Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.

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Men's Basketball

Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
UF Athletics

Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.

A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.

At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat. 

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In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.

Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.

Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the  fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.

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