The Official #1 Tennessee @ #5 Kentucky Game Thread, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#1 Tennessee Volunteers: 23-1 (11-0 SEC)

@

#5 Kentucky Wildcats: 20-4 (9-2 SEC)

GAME 25 | TENNESSEE vs. KENTUCKY - Feb. 16, 2019 | 8:05 p.m. ET | Rupp Arena (23,000)


Line: UT +4
O/U: 144.5

TV: ESPN
Radio: Vol Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 84, XM: 84
Online: WatchESPN.com

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

Tennessee trails the all-time series with Kentucky, 154-71, dating to 1910. The Vols have won two of the last three meetings.

The Wildcats have a 90-17 edge when the series is played in Lexington.

Tennessee is 1-0 vs. Kentucky when the Vols are the AP's top-ranked team (March 2, 2008).

 

[YankeeVol]

A WIN WOULD...

Extend Tennessee's program-record win streak to 20 games (it's also the longest win streak of Rick Barnes' 32-year head coaching career).

Stretch the Vols' true road game win streak to nine.

Make the Vols 9-1 all-time as the AP's top-ranked team.

Extend Tennessee's program-record win streak in regular-season SEC games to 16 games.

Improve Tennessee's record on Saturdays to 10-0 this season.

 

[YankeeVol]

STORYLINES

This is the first matchup of two top-five SEC teams since March 8, 2003, when third-ranked Florida fell to second-ranked Kentucky, 69-67, in Gainesville.

Saturday's game is the first time an SEC team ranked in the top five has hosted the top-ranked team since Feb. 2, 1966, when No. 3 Vanderbilt hosted No. 1 Kentucky.

At tipoff Saturday, 85 full days will have elapsed since Tennessee's last loss.

The Vols have shot 50 percent or better 16 times this season and rank second in the country with a .515 field-goal percentage.

Point guard Jordan Bone is directly responsible for 33.1 percent of Tennessee's total scoring this season when you factor in his points scored and the points resulting from his assists.

In SEC games, Tennessee averages a league-best 11.3 turnovers per game.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT KENTUCKY

Prior to Kentucky's loss to LSU on Tuesday, John Calipari's squad had been playing the best basketball of any team in the country. In non-conference play, UK logged ranked wins over North Carolina, Louisville and Kansas. Kentucky dropped its first matchup of the SEC slate but responded by winning its next nine conference games.

Sophomore forward P.J. Washington (14.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg) has inserted himself into the National Player of the Year conversation with his impressive play lately. As the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Washington has scored at least 20 points in five of the last six games and recorded three of his seven double-doubles during that stretch.

Forward Keldon Johnson (14.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.5 apg) is second on the team in scoring and one of several talented freshmen on the team. The backcourt duo of Ashton Hagans (7.1 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.4 rpg, 2.1 spg) and Tyler Herro (13.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.0 spg) leads Kentucky in assists and steals per game and has been crucial in the maturation of the team.

In a freshman class that featured multiple guards, UK needed some depth in the frontcourt and landed graduate transfer forward and All-Pac 12 performer Reid Travis (11.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, .519 FG%) from Stanford. Travis also brings much-needed experience to the Wildcats, who also returned several pieces from last season's SEC Tournament Championship squad.

Kentucky plays a similar style to Tennessee. UT ranks first in the SEC in field-goal percentage and field-goal percentage defense, while UK ranks second (.475 FG%, .407 FG% defense). In scoring defense, the Wildcats are second in the conference, holding opponents to an average of 65.5 points per game.

 

[VOLifornia]

GBO!

 

[YankeeVol]

Kensucky Game Notes

 

[UT_King]

This game will be won on the glass. Also, predicting a big game for Williams.

 

[MphsBlues]

Thanks, Yank. Go Vols!

 

[sport3500]

If UT beats Kentucky tomorrow night that will be Calipari's 10th loss to UT in 25 meetings and no other SEC school has beaten Calipari more than Tennessee.

 

[hightower52]

Most excited I’ve been since Memphis 08

 

[Dallasbowlin]

Let’s beat their ass! And remember, rupp was a racist.

 

[ShoNuff]

I believe we win this one by 12. We are the #1 team start acting like it.

 

[spyfish007]

Go Vols!!! Win at Rupp and make your mark!!

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Haven’t been this excited for a game in a very long time, let’s f*****g go!!!!

 

[spyfish007]

Tennessee is 1-0 vs. Kentucky when the Vols are the AP's top-ranked team (March 2, 2008).

Ok I figured this out. We lost to Vandy, but we still had the #1 ranking when we beat Kentucky.

 

[YankeeVol]

Ok I figured this out. We lost to Vandy, but we still had the #1 ranking when we beat Kentucky.

I would assume that is correct.

 

[vols 30]

Reminder, Rick Barnes is a FRAUD | CatsIllustrated.com

LoL

 

[spyfish007]

I would assume that is correct.

Well I went and looked it up! I thought others might have the same reaction I did to the statement.

 

[YankeeVol]

Well I went and looked it up! I thought others might have the same reaction I did to the statement.

All I remember is we lost to Vandy the very next game and weren't #1 the next week.

 

[spyfish007]

All I remember is we lost to Vandy the very next game and weren't #1 the next week.

Yeah that is what I thought and I forgot they had a game on Saturday while still ranked #1.

 

[golfballs]

Haven’t been this excited for a game in a very long time, let’s f*****g go!!!!

I haven’t been this excited for a game since the last one!

I keep trying to keep from taking every game for granted.

This game should be a fun one.

 

[tnvols72]

Time to skin some kittens

 

[Dallasbowlin]

Reminder, Rick Barnes is a FRAUD | CatsIllustrated.com

LoL

God I hate those ****ers.

 

[YankeeVol]

God I hate those ****ers.

Them's your people