#8 Vols Fall to #12 Kentucky, 78-73

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The College of Tennessee males’s basketball group dropped a 78-73 end result Tuesday night time to No. 12 Kentucky in entrance of a sold-out, over-capacity crowd of twenty-two,272 at Meals Metropolis Middle.

Eighth-ranked Tennessee (17-4, 4-4 SEC) couldn’t overcome the dazzling 3-point taking pictures by the Wildcats, dropping to 4-2 in AP top-12 showdowns between the 2 colleges throughout head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure. Senior ahead Igor Miličić Jr., paced the Volunteers with a game-high 19 factors within the setback.

Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC) began 4-of-5 from 3-point vary and raced out to a 12-4 lead after simply 4:17 of motion. Tennessee closed inside two, however the Wildcats then buried back-to-back 3-pointers to return up by eight, 21-13, with 8:07 on the first-half clock.

The lead remained eight with beneath three minutes to play, however the Volunteers went on an 11-0 run in simply 2:22 to go in entrance, 33-30, and the rating held getting into the intermission. Tennessee, after a 2-of-15 begin from deep, went 3-of-5 in these closing three minutes to earn its sixteenth halftime benefit in 21 outings regardless of the Wildcats’ 7-of-14 (50.0 %) first-half clip past the arc.

Kentucky took its largest lead, 55-44, with 12:24 to go after making seven consecutive discipline objectives, 4 of which got here from lengthy vary to then stretch its 3-point ledger to 11-of-21. The Volunteers quickly countered with a 7-1 surge to trim the deficit to 5, 58-53, with 9:27 left.

Though thrice pushed its cushion again as much as 9, Tennessee wouldn’t go away. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier drilled a transition 3-pointer with 4:10 to go, the group’s fifth make from the ground in a span of six tries, to chop the margin to a few, 71-68.

Kentucky graduate guard Koby Brea hit a pair of free throws 26 seconds later to make it a five-point sport. Neither group scored for the following 2:38 when Lanier hit two free throws to make it 73-70 with 1:06 to play. Graduate guard Jaxson Robinson break up a pair of free throws 4 ticks later, however Lanier buried a 3-pointer—that snapped a skid of 9 straight misses for the Volunteers, all past the arc—to carry Tennessee inside one, 74-73, with 31 seconds on the timer.

Junior guard Otega Oweh hit two pictures from the road to increase the sting again to a few with 25.3 ticks left after which, after a cease for the Wildcats, iced the sport with two extra with 7.1 to go. The Wildcats didn’t make a discipline purpose within the closing 5:19, however went 7-of-8 on the line to clinch the choice and held Tennessee to 1-of-12 field-goal taking pictures—all have been 3-point makes an attempt—within the final 3:21.

Miličić, who completed together with his second-highest level whole as a Volunteer and set a season excessive in made 3-pointers, shot 6-of-10 general, 4-of-8 past the arc and 3-of-4 on the stripe. He added a team-best 9 rebounds and 4 assists.

Lanier scored 15 factors and pulled down 4 rebounds, whereas senior guard Zakai Zeigler had 13 factors and a game-high six assists. Zeigler, who missed the ultimate 2:17 of the primary half resulting from a proper knee harm, additionally grew to become the second participant SEC historical past to file 1,300 factors, 600 assists and 200 steals in a profession.

Brea paced Kentucky with 18 factors, taking pictures an ideal 5-of-5 from the ground, together with 3-of-3 past the arc, plus went 5-of-7 on the stripe and dished out three assists. Robinson scored 17 factors and posted a 4-of-9 long-range clip.
Oweh registered 14 factors and 6 rebounds, whereas senior ahead Amari Williams totaled 10 factors, a game-best 15 rebounds and 4 a team-high 4 assists.

Tennessee shot 11-of-45 (24.4 %) from 3-point vary, its second-most makes an attempt ever, but had one fewer make than Kentucky, which took 21 fewer tries in a 12-of-24 (50.0 %) efficiency. The Volunteers and Wildcats each made 25 discipline objectives, however Tennessee shot 34.7 % (25-of-72) and Kentucky notched a 50.0 % (25-of-50) ledger.

The Volunteers amassed a 20-8 benefit in second probability factors, behind an 18-8 margin on the offensive glass, and a 15-5 tally in factors off turnovers. They compelled 13 giveaways and dedicated a season-low 5.

Tennessee is again in motion at Meals Metropolis Middle for a Saturday matinee towards No. 5/6 Florida, with tip-off for the top-10 conflict slated for midday, stay on ESPN.

To maintain up with the College of Tennessee males’s basketball group on social media, comply with @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, in addition to /tennesseebasketball on Fb.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Tuesday’s introduced attendance of twenty-two,272—almost 600 over capability—marked the seventh-largest sellout crowd in area historical past, together with the fourth-largest for the reason that 2007-08 capability discount.
• The 22,272 followers have been probably the most to attend a DI males’s basketball sport this season, surpassing the 21,750 recorded thrice by North Carolina.
• The Volunteers, who registered their seventeenth sellout within the final three seasons (2022-25) and fourth this 12 months, fell to 34-15 all-time in Meals Metropolis Middle sellouts, together with 33-13 for the reason that capability discount and 23-7 in Barnes’ 10-year tenure.
• Tennessee is now 91-34 all-time when taking part in in entrance of 20,000-plus followers at Meals Metropolis Middle, together with 32-10 beneath Barnes, with 27 of the latter 42 over the previous 4 years (2021-25).
• The Volunteers dropped to 18-8 all-time in over-capacity crowds at Meals Metropolis Middle, together with 17-6 on the present listed capability.
• Tuesday marked the seventh time in 2024-25, all in Tennessee’s the final eight outings, over 19,000 followers have been in attendance at Meals Metropolis Middle.
• Tuesday marked the third straight AP top-15 showdown between the Volunteers and Wildcats, a second in collection historical past, alongside the three conferences between the 2 colleges in 2018-19.
• Tennessee is now 11-11 versus Kentucky in Barnes’ tenure, nonetheless good for 5 extra wins than some other college in that point interval (2015-25), as Auburn and Kansas every have six.
• Barnes has led the Volunteers to a 10-7 file towards AP top-25 Kentucky groups in his tenure, nonetheless good for 4 extra victories than some other program throughout his tenure (2015-25), as Kansas have 5 such wins.
• When going through Kentucky groups ranked within the prime 12 of the AP Ballot, Tennessee is now 7-2 beneath Barnes’ management, with Saturday snapping a six-game profitable streak in such contests.
• In Barnes’ tenure, Tennessee is now 7-4 in AP top-25 matchups towards Kentucky, together with 4-3 with each within the prime 15 and 4-2 with every within the prime 12.
• Barnes, who has two extra wins over the Wildcats than some other energetic head coach (10 by Bruce Pearl), fell to 12-13 all-time towards Kentucky in his profession as a head coach, tied with Kevin Stallings for the seventh-most wins all-time by any coach.
• Tennessee fell to 32-25 (.561) in AP top-25 showdowns in Barnes’ tenure, together with 17-5 (.773) at residence and 4-3 (.571) in 2024-25.
• The above mark in AP top-25 clashes beneath Barnes contains a 20-12 (.625) file since Feb. 26, 2022, and a 11-5 (.688) ledger since Dec. 9, 2023.
• Tennessee groups beneath Barnes’ course are actually 15-12 (.556) in AP top-15 showdowns, together with 6-2 (.750) at Meals Metropolis Middle.
• The Volunteers fell to 20-8 (.714) at residence towards AP top-25 groups within the Barnes period, together with 15-2 (.882) since Jan. 30, 2021.
• Tennessee is now 12-5 (.706) when internet hosting AP top-15 squads in Barnes’ tenure, together with 10-2 (.833) since Jan. 30, 2021.
• The Volunteers now possess a 38-40 (.487) file towards AP top-25 foes beneath Barnes, together with a 22-13 (.629) tally since Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee dropped to 24-25 (.490) when going through AP top-15 groups within the Barnes period, together with 17-8 (.680) since Dec. 22, 2021.
• The final time the Volunteers dropped back-to-back video games in SEC play was Feb. 18, 2023 (66-54 at Kentucky) and Feb. 21, 2023 (68-63 at Texas A&M).
• Zeigler exited the sport, earlier than would-be free throws, with 2:17 left within the first half resulting from a proper knee harm, however he returned for the beginning of the second stanza.
• Tennessee has conceded 35 or fewer first-half factors in 19 of its 21 contests to this point, together with 29 or fewer on 12 events and 22 or fewer six instances.
• The Volunteers have held a halftime benefit in 16 of their 21 outings this season, together with a margin of seven-plus factors 12 instances, double digits 10 instances, 12-plus eight instances, 14-plus seven instances and 23-plus thrice.
• The one time Tennessee has tried larger than 45 3-pointers in a sport was Nov. 27, 2007, when it went 14-of-50 towards North Carolina A&T.
• The Volunteers’ 33-game profitable streak when main at halftime got here to an finish in Tuesday’s setback.
• Prior committing simply 5 Tuesday, Tennessee’s low mark in turnovers this season was six on Dec. 14, 2024, at Illinois.
• Tennessee’s 20 second-chance factors set a brand new season greatest, surpassing the mark of 19 recorded each Nov. 27, 2024, versus UT Martin and Nov. 21, 2024, towards Virginia in Nassau, Bahamas.
• The 72 field-goal makes an attempt by the Volunteers set a brand new season excessive, eclipsing the determine 69 posted each Jan. 4 towards Arkansas and Dec. 17, 2024, versus Western Carolina.
• Kentucky’s 78 factors handed the 76 by Vanderbilt in a Jan. 18 highway matchup for probably the most by a Tennessee foe this season.
• The Wildcats’ 50.0 field-goal share eclipsed the 49.1 % (26-of-53) ledger Dec. 3, 2024, by Syracuse for the very best mark by a Tennessee opponent this 12 months.
• Earlier than Kentucky hit half its 3-point makes an attempt, the highest clip by a Tennessee foe in 2024-25 was 38.1 % (8-of-21) Jan. 18 at Vanderbilt.
• Williams’ 15 rebounds matched the best whole by a Tennessee foe this 12 months, equaling the tally set Jan. 7 by Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu.
• The 13 defensive boards for Williams far eclipsed the ten by Chinyelu for the highest ledger by a Tennessee opponent in 2024-25.
• Together with his layup on the 16:11 mark of the second half, Zeigler eclipsed 1,300 factors as a collegian, making him the second participant ever to file 1,300 factors, 600 assists and 200 steals at an SEC college, alongside Arkansas’ Kareem Reid (1995-99).
• The 19 factors by Miličić trailed solely his 23 in a Nov. 17, 2024, contest towards Austin Peay within the scoring column in his lone season as a Volunteer.
• Miličić has now recorded at the very least 19 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in a sport twice this season—he additionally had that line in the identical outing versus the Governors—after no Tennessee participant did so even as soon as since Feb. 2, 2019, when Grant Williams posted it at Texas A&M.