It feels like ages ago, but nearly three weeks have gone by since Tennessee had an epic meltdown against Kentucky at the Food City Center. Tennessee was up big in the game, 17 at one point, but Kentucky slowly chipped away at the lead and eventually knocked off Tennessee 80-78. Denzel Abdeeen had a monster second half, putting up 18 points, knocking down a few monster threes that gave the Wildcats plenty of momentum.
Rick Barnes, after the game, said, "Our ball-screen coverage at the point of attack was poor, and it hurt our rotations. Even when we adjusted, we didn’t finish possessions well and allowed easy baskets. Denzel Aberdeen was terrific in the second half — it didn’t matter who guarded him, he found his spots."
What Tennessee needs to do to avoid another collapse
It might sound a bit cliché, and maybe it is, but if Tennessee can simply limit turnovers, they’ll be in a much better position to win at Rupp. In the first matchup, the Volunteers had seven second-half turnovers, many at the worst possible times. Ja'Kobi Gillespie accounted for four of those, several during critical moments. However, he’s been averaging just two turnovers per game lately, showing that he’s taking better care of the basketball.
This is the game where Tennessee needs to defend the paint, too. When Tennessee was dominating in the first half, it was because they were defending the rim and making it hard for Kentucky to get the ball inside. Tennessee allowed just eight points in the paint in the first 20 minutes. In the second half, where Kentucky came back, they had 22 points in the paint. Having Felix Okpara back will be huge for Tennessee, as his presence will be needed defending the rim on Saturday night
Ever since the loss, Tennessee has been a much different team. Nate Ament has emerged as a star, and the Vols have won four straight, most of which in a dominating fashion. This matchup comes down to execution, and if the Vols play at the level they're capable of, they can easily pull off an "upset" versus Kentucky.