Yes, a loose and confident Kentucky basketball can beat Tennessee a third time this season
Will Kentucky basketball defeat Tennessee at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday night? It can, of course. The Volunteers have previously lost twice to the Wildcats. after arriving in Knoxville. after arriving in Lexington. Since Rick Barnes took over as UT coach, UK has only finished the regular season sweep twice. This Kentucky squad is confident that it can defeat this Tennessee squad.
Will Kentucky defeat Tennessee in their Midwest Regional semifinal of the NCAA Tournament on Friday? The more important question is that. The better query. The Cats won’t, according to consensus. The higher seed is Tennessee. Its SEC record was superior. Is the favorite 4.5 points? Beating a strong squad three times in a single season is difficult.
Difficult, but manageable. Mark Pope’s Cats were relaxed, at least in the open locker room on Thursday. Collin Chandler remarked, “I think we are just enjoying each other a lot right now.” They were also dismissive and certain that a third meeting with Tennessee would be different by default.
Otega Oweh declared, “We must do to them what we did to them the last two times.” “We must focus on ourselves and be physically present.” It goes without saying that Tennessee is an excellent squad. Trent Noah, a freshman, remarked, “They have pretty good players.” “I simply believe it is playing our game and doing what we do.”
The NCAA Tournament is all about matches, after all. So everyone says. This season, Alabama has defeated Kentucky three times. Perhaps the Vols find it difficult to compete with the Cats. Or perhaps the Vols are easier for the Cats to match up with. One team may be in the opposing team’s collective headspace. Perhaps not.
Perhaps there were flukes. After all, in both games against Tennessee, Kentucky made 12 of 24 3-point attempts. Not mixed together. Both games—the 75-64 triumph in Lexington and the 78-73 victory in Knoxville. As if that were not strange enough, Kentucky shot 50% in every game.
