Men's Basketball

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

Published

6 months ago

March 8, 2024

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Time: 4:00 PM EST on March 9th
Location: Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee
TV Channel: CBS

Online Stream: CBS Sports and the CBS Sports app.
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).

Rosters: UK | UT
Stats to Know: UK | UT
KenPom: UK | UT

Team Sheet: UK | UT
Odds: The DraftKings Sportsbook odds have yet to be released, but check back Friday evening. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Kentucky just a 15.2% chance to win. EvanMiya is slightly higher at 16.4%. Bart Torvik and KenPom are the most “optimistic” at 20% and 21%. DRatings is at 26.7%.
Predictions: Bart Torvik and EvanMiya have Tennessee winning 88-78 and 85-75, respectively. KenPom is projecting an 86-77 victory for the Vols. Haslametrics is going with an 86-78 victory for the home team. DR Ratings is going with an 83-76 Tennessee win.

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

Also published on a Sea of Blue.

BB Recruiting

Five Star Recruits Hint at Teaming Up at Kentucky

Published

20 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Tristan Pharis

2025 five star recruits Caleb Wilson and Acaden Lewis hint at teaming up at Kentucky, joining Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.

UK Athletics

Top recruiting classes were the norm for Kentucky under John Calipari, but could Mark Pope pick up where his predecessor left off?

Pope’s first order of business as the coach of Kentucky was to assemble a staff and he added two of the best recruiters in the country to the staff in Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart. Together they’ve already locked down in-state, five-star talents Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno. Currently sitting with the second-ranked class in 2025, Pope and Co have their eyes set on a few more top recruits, including two who are publicly hinting at joining forces in Lexington.

This past weekend, Kentucky hosted top-five target Caleb Wilson and it could not have gone better as they rolled out the carpet for him. Amidst the visit, fellow Wildcat target Acaden Lewis announced his finalists, Kentucky being one of them. To which Wilson replied, “come on over bro.”

come on over bro— Caleb Wilson (@CalebWilson2025) September 14, 2024

The following day, Wilson posted photos from his visit, to which Lewis commented, “I wanna play w(ith) this guy.”

Acaden Lewis: “I wanna play w this guy.” https://t.co/eFsdmw0MII— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) September 15, 2024

The most recent interaction came Tuesday night as Wilson and Lewis shared some cryptic emojis.

🤷👀 https://t.co/OFPzxhWbTy— Acaden Lewis (@AcadenLewis) September 18, 2024

Recruiting is fluid and young prospects can say a lot of things. However, you have to like this for Kentucky as Wilson and Lewis are expected to make their final decisions this fall. If Pope can get commitments from both, it would be big for recruiting momentum, besting Calipari for Wilson and three other blue-blood schools for Lewis.

Current Kentucky commit Jasper Johnson is even doing his part to recruit them, sending a direct tweet to Wilson.

Come on @CalebWilson2025 . We missed in AAU. Let’s go crazy in front of the best fans in the country. BBN. “ KY til I Die”💙💙 https://t.co/Hip4IUqw3N— Jasper Johnson (@BruhJasperJ) September 18, 2024

Men's Basketball

Arkansas AD Tells Story of John Calipari (Possibly) Breaching Kentucky Contract

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek tells the story of offering John Calipari the Razorbacks job, and the subsequent breach of contract.

The week of John Calipari’s departure from Kentucky and acceptance of the Arkansas job was one of the biggest stories in sports, so much so that it overshadowed the Final Four.

Details have slowly leaked out in the months since, but Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yuracheck provided the most detailed story of events so far during a speaking event in Little Rock.

According to Yurachek, Calipari arranged for a man with a “black Phillies hat” to meet him out front of the Hilton hotel he was staying at in Phoenix. In what is described as a mobster-esque scene, the anonymous man provided Yurachek with a key card during a handshake, and whispered to him the room number, “523”.

Arkansas AD tells the story of meeting with John Calipari at the Final Four and offering him the job.

That meeting was a breach of Calipari’s contract at Kentucky.pic.twitter.com/qu34oLgeMT— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) September 16, 2024

Yurachek says after a few hours of talking with Calipari about Arkansas’ open men’s basketball coaching position and discussing other candidates, he posed the question, “Why not you?”

While the offer was not presented on paper, a verbal offer was made and discussions of prospective employment did take place. This was possibly (for legal reasons) a breach of Calipari’s contract at Kentucky as he did not inform Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, prior to or after the meeting with Yurachek, according to reports.

During the term of this Agreement, Coach [Calipari] shall notify the Director of Athletics [Barnhart] of any offers of employment, employment opportunities or requests for meetings or discussions with respect to possible employment opportunities before engaging in substantive discussions regarding such employment or employment opportunities.

On April 9th, Calipari resigned from his position at Kentucky, forfeiting $33 million that he would be owed in a buyout, and was introduced as the head coach of the Razorbacks the following day.

This probably isn’t the first situation like this, nor will it be the last. However, it is likely a story the Calipari didn’t want to be said out loud.

A crazy turn of events.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Guard Koby Brea Listed as Top Shooter in the Country for 2024-25 Season

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky Wildcats guard Koby Brea has been listed as the top three-point shooter in the country for the 2024-25 college basketball season.

Photo by Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

The Kentucky basketball team is set to shoot a lot of three-pointers this season under Mark Pope and his offense. This summer, assistant Cody Feuger went as far as to say he wants to see the Wildcats attempt 35 threes per game. For context, North Florida led the nation in three-point attempts last year with 33.2.

To shoot that many threes, you need a lot of good shooters on the roster and the Kentucky added several this offseason. A lot of talk has been on freshman Travis Perry, but the Wildcats added Dayton transfer Koby Brea, who shot a nation-leading 49.8% from three last season on 201 attempts.

With proven ELITE shooting ability at the collegiate level, it should come as no surprise that Brea was listed as the top shooter in the nation going into the 2024-25 season, by Andy Katz.

Koby Brea listed as the No. 1 three-point shooter in the country this season, by @TheAndyKatz

Brea shot a nation-leading 49.8% from three last season on 201 attempts. https://t.co/4kEUlt3Mdz— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) September 16, 2024

Brea is excited to see what he can do in Mark Pope’s offense, which he cited as the reason he transferred to Kentucky.

“That was the biggest draw for me. I was probably coming here just to see how perfect the system was for me,” said Brea during summer interviews. “Coach Pope did a great job of explaining to me where I can excel in the offense, the hit system in general, and the defensive system as well.”