How Tennessee flipped the script on Kentucky in Sweet 16 after regular season sweep
03/29/2025 12:17 AM
One of the most highly-anticipated games of the Sweet 16 was a clash between a pair of conference rivals. Tennessee basketball and Kentucky went at it in Indianapolis on Friday night for a spot in the Elite Eight in a clash of two teams who are awfully familiar with each other.
Kentucky surely came into this game with plenty of confidence after an impressive blowout of Illinois in the Round of 32. The Wildcats also went 2-0 against Tennessee in the regular season, winning a game at home in Lexington and on the road in Knoxville.
Despite the poor head-to-head record, Tennessee jumped out to a big early lead over Kentucky and never looked back in a very comfortable 78-65 win to advance to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. After the game, head coach Rick Barnes highlighted the biggest key to flipping the script against their biggest rival, via Jeff Drummond of Cats Illustrated.
“Kentucky beat us twice, and there was a reason for it,” Barnes said after the game, per Drummond. “Our No. 1 objective was guarding the 3-point line after they hit 12 in each of the other two games. Guys did a great job of that and limiting the back-door cuts.”
Tennessee did a great job of limiting the 3-point line in this game. Kentucky made just six from beyond the arc, but maybe more importantly the Wildcats attempted just 15 shots from deep. Kentucky thrives when they can let it fly from outside, and Tennessee’s defense was able to shut the Wildcats’ water off by slowing them down out there.
Now, Tennessee is into the last eight without having played a close game yet. Barnes and company await the winner of Houston and Purdue, who are currently going at it in the second half of the final game of the evening. Houston presents the tougher challenge for the Volunteers based on toughness and its extensive regular season resume, but Purdue has a massive home-court advantage at this regional playing in Indianapolis.
Regardless of who is on the other side on Sunday afternoon, Tennessee basketball will feel good about its chances based on the way it has been playing lately. If it can keep up this level of play, Barnes and company have a chance to reach their first Final Four in program history.
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