The Official #22 Tennessee @ #18 Kentucky Game Thread, 1:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#22 Tennessee Volunteers: 11-4 (2-2 SEC)

@

#18 Kentucky Wildcats: 13-3 (3-1 SEC)

GAME 16 | TENNESSEE at KENTUCKY - Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 | 1:02 p.m. ET | Rupp Arena (20,500)

Line: UT +4.5
O/U: 142.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 133 / XM: 191 / Internet: ---
Online: Watch ESPN app


Kentucky Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

• Tennessee trails the all-time series with Kentucky, 157-75, dating to 1910.
• The Wildcats have a 91-19 edge when the series is played in Lexington, but Tennessee has won three of the last four meetings at Rupp Arena, including each of the last two.
• Overall, the Vols have won six of their last 10 games vs. Kentucky.
• Vols sophomore Justin Powell is a native of Prospect, Kentucky, and a graduate of North Oldham High School in Goshen.
• Several veteran Vols played against Kentucky guard Kellan Grady during his days at Davidson; the Vols face Davidson annually in a closed preseason scrimmage in Knoxville.
• John Fulkerson and current NBA rookie Yves Pons (Grizzlies) are the only Vols ever to appear in three wins at Rupp Arena.

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - TEAM

• According to KenPom, the Vols rank second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 87.1 points per 100 possessions.
• The Vols are forcing an average of 20.3 turnovers per game during SEC play. The next-closest SEC team (LSU) forces 17.0 per game.
• Kentucky is committing only 10.5 turnovers per game in SEC play—the fewest in the league.
• The Vols rank among the Division I top 20 in turnover margin (+6.4, 3rd), steals per game (10.7, 9th) and assists per game (17.4, 16th).
• The Vols are 9-0 this season when they out-rebound their opponent. Tennessee won the rebounding battle in each of its last two trips to Rupp Arena.
• Tennessee is one of only three SEC teams that has yet to surrender 80 points this season, joining LSU and Ole Miss.
• Each of the four teams that have beaten Tennessee this season are ranked in this week's AP Top 25.
• Tennessee is shooting just .571 (40-70) from the free-throw line over its last three games.

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - PLAYERS

• Santiago Vescovi has increased his team-leading 13.6 ppg scoring average to 14.5 ppg in SEC play.
• Vescovi's 2.00 assist/turnover ratio during SEC play ranks second in the league behind only TyTy Washington Jr. (3.38).
• In two career games at Rupp Arena, Josiah-Jordan James averages 13.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
• Kennedy Chandler's 5.1 assists per game rank second among Division I true freshmen. And his 2.29 steals per game rank third among true freshmen nationally.
• Chandler has a team-high 10 steals over UT's last three games.
• The SEC record for career games played is 152, held by Kentucky's Darius Miller (2008-12). John Fulkerson is closing in, having now appeared in a Tennessee-record 145 career games.
• Fulkerson also is just eight points shy of 1,000 for his career.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT KENTUCKY

• Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC) enters Saturday's matchup coming off two straight double-digit conference wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt. The Wildcats split their opening two SEC games, defeating Missouri and falling at LSU.
• Kentucky also split its two most notable non-conference games, defeating North Carolina and falling to Duke, both at neutral sites.
• Dating to last season, Kentucky has won 12 straight games at Rupp Arena.
• Kentucky ranks eighth in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring 118.1 points per 100 possessions. The Wildcats rank 23rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing 93.1 points per 100 possessions.
• Kentucky junior Oscar Tshiebwe, a transfer forward from West Virginia, leads the nation in rebounding with 15.1 per game. Tshiebwe has four games this season with 20 or more rebounds, including a 28-rebound performance against Western Kentucky on Dec. 22. Tshiebwe also is Kentucky's leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points per game.
• Largely in part to Tshiebwe's efforts, Kentucky ranks third in the nation and first in the SEC in rebounding as a team with 43.4 per game.
• Junior guard Sahvir Wheeler, a transfer from Georgia, is averaging 9.6 points and a team-high 7.3 assists per game this season. Wheeler started every one of Kentucky's games at point guard before suffering an injury at LSU on Jan. 4, which has caused him to miss the Wildcats' last two games.
• Wheeler's 7.3 assists per game rank third in the nation and lead the SEC. As a team, the Wildcats rank 17th in the country with 17.4 assists per game.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I’ll be shocked if Vescovi has a big game. He’ll be challenged. Chandler/ZZZ could be huge factors. If the bigs can shoot par with the KY bigs that will be a big advantage for TN. Powell/Bailey/Mashack could be the wild card. It would be a great time for JJJ to do something on offense.

Better have that free throw shooting thing worked out, too.

 

[AngryButchJones]

JJJ has been great against UK. He's 2-0 against UK and had 16/7 in 2020 and 10/10 last season.

Let's hope that continues.

 

[calban]

We'd have a better chance if Wheeler is still out.

 

[SpendToWinVol]

Oscar vs Fulky oof

 

[VolPack22]

16% of our all-time wins in Lexington have come in the last 4 visits. When put that way, it’s pretty astounding.

 

[camp_steveo]

Make some free throws and get the ball inside for some easy 2s. Play physical.

GBO

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

Bad feeling about this game. Hope the offense shows up

 

[BisonVol]

This isn't a good matchup for us imo. It will take a very good outside shooting performance for us to win. Olivier will also need to be on his A game and stay out of foul trouble.

 

[508mikey]

Got to win or drop out of the rankings next week

 

[BruisedOrange]

Seeing as the game is in Lexington, our horrid free throw shooting should only cost us 3 or 4 missed points.

 

[BruisedOrange]

I'm thinking if we're to come away with a win today, it will require us to create +5 charging fouls on Kentucky. I just think that's what it's going to take to negate their individual athletic advantages (as well as us shooting the lights out from outside).

But--hey--it's the Kentucky game! Vols frequently show up for this matchup in unanticipated ways.

 

[Halph66]

Tennessee Volunteers @ Kentucky Wildcats | January 15, 2022 | NCAAB | Basketball

 

[cardvolfan]

I'm thinking if we're to come away with a win today, it will require us to create +5 charging fouls on Kentucky. I just think that's what it's going to take to negate their individual athletic advantages (as well as us shooting the lights out from outside).

But--hey--it's the Kentucky game! Vols frequently show up for this matchup in unanticipated ways.

We also have got to quit turning the ball over so much. 49 turnovers the last 3 games combined. Between that and the FT’s alone, this could kill us. I think Kentucky has been very good protecting the ball this year.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I have no idea what to think today. We could get run by 30 or win by 5 or 6. Just no clue today

 

[chuckb1448]

16% of our all-time wins in Lexington have come in the last 4 visits. When put that way, it’s pretty astounding.

Lexington is known to have biased refs so.. anyway:

Good morning Volunteers, I'm just hoping we are out of our Offensive funk and have an opportunity to win this game

Go Big Orange

 

[CAVPUT]

16% of our all-time wins in Lexington have come in the last 4 visits. When put that way, it’s pretty astounding.

Yep. Pretty amazing these last several games up there. Sweet to have a run like that. Unfortunately, I don't like the matchup in this one...at all. No way we get the whistles this time. Wonder who we draw as refs today? Maybe they'll bring TV teddy and Pat Adams together for a special occasion today? I just want to see us step up and make 'em sweat. Make 'em know they were in a damned game today.

 

[cardvolfan]

Yep. Pretty amazing these last several games up there. Sweet to have a run like that. Unfortunately, I don't like the matchup in this one...at all. No way we get the whistles this time. Wonder who we draw as refs today? Maybe they'll bring TV teddy and Pat Adams together for a special occasion today? I just want to see us step up and make 'em sweat. Make 'em know they were in a damned game today.

I think the matchups for us are going to be difficult, too. Kentucky is more than solid across the board, and they don’t have any glaring weakness that I can see. One day, someday, we are going to have the mother of all shooting games, but unless it is today, I fear the worst. Disclaimer: I had the same feeling about Arizona.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I think the matchups for us are going to be difficult, too. Kentucky is more than solid across the board, and they don’t have any glaring weakness that I can see. One day, someday, we are going to have the mother of all shooting games, but unless it is today, I fear the worst. Disclaimer: I had the same feeling about Arizona.

Kentucky hasn’t beat a ranked opponent all year

 

[Special Ed]

I'd love to see Huntley-Hatfield, for one, have a bust-out game.

 

[Jauan't Some?]

Taking my son to his first Vol sporting event.

Last time I saw the Vols in Rupp Lamonte Turner went off and Admiral put an exclamation point on the game with a run-out dunk as time expired. UK fans were PISSED.