There are many things I would like to type right now. Many things that are too inappropriate for Kentucky Sports Radio dot com. This is a family-friendly place. I can’t say exactly what I really feel about Tennessee, which is why Saturday’s victory over the Vols was that much sweeter.
Mark Pope‘s Cats did it again. Kentucky trailed by 17 points, but it didn’t matter. Kentucky climbed out of the gutter for another incredible comeback victory.
In every game away from Rupp Arena this season, Kentucky has trailed by double digits. They’ve fallen behind by 16 points in six of those seven games. The last two have somehow resulted in wins, and it’s still hard to believe.
“What it says about these guys’ resilience and toughness is that I hope nobody’s missing it,” Mark Pope said after the win.
The second half was a wild ride. Kentucky knocked down 6-10 three-pointers after intermission, but they just couldn’t get over the hump. The Cats would make it a 4-point game before hitting a wall. Could they find a way to break through?
The breakthrough happened on a Tennessee turnover in the final minute. Collin Chandler jumped into a passing lane and got the ball to Otega Oweh for an And One in transition. He missed the free throw, but the Cats corralled the ball for a second-chance bucket, giving the Cats a 3-point lead with a dozen seconds to play. It was just enough to hold on for an 80-78 win in Knoxville.
Numbers You Need to Know
4 — Straight wins in Knoxville for Kentucky
6 — UK wins in the last seven trips to the Food City Center
1:44 — Total time Kentucky had a lead in the wins at Tennessee and LSU
9 — Years since a team won consecutive road games where they trailed by 15+ points. FAU did it in 2017.
2 — Correct challenges by Mark Pope
Kentucky Cleaned the Glass in the Second Half
Sometimes numbers can be deceiving. That was not the case on the glass on Saturday.
At one point during the second half, Dan Shulman remarked, “That’s a team offensive rebound for Kentucky, their first of the game.” Tennessee dominated the glass for the first 20 minutes. The script was flipped in the second half. That second-chance bucket was the first of many. All 14 of Kentucky’s offensive rebounds came in the second half, turning into 19 points for the Wildcats. Mo Dioubate had four offensive rebounds, keeping possessions, and the Cats’ comeback hopes, alive.
Fight!
“Act like you’ve been there before.” That cliche typically applies to those who win. In this case, it should serve as a remind to the Tennessee Volunteers. No matter how many times they lose, they still haven’t figured out how to do it gracefully.
In the least surprising moment from the game, once the final horn sounded, the Vols tried to fight the Cats. If you can’t beat ’em, fight ’em. Mark Pope was quick to intervene, rushing from the bench to keep Otega Oweh and Brandon Garrison clear of the Vols. The pushing and shoving did not escalate. The escalation was saved for the postgame locker room celebration.
Kentucky players dump water on Mark Pope after beating Tennessee – Photo by UK Athletics
Two Impressive Kentucky Performances
It was a total group effort for Kentucky in Knoxville, but a couple of guards deserve an additional tip of the cap. The Cats went seven minutes without a made field goal in the first half. Jasper Johnson broke the drought. The freshman has played sparingly, but he kept the boat afloat, scoring all 12 of his points before halftime.
Just like the game in Baton Rouge, Denzel Aberdeen served as the second-half spark plug. He scored 18 of his 22 points after intermission. When things got tight, his midrange floater kept the pressure on Tennessee until the Vols broke.
More from the Kentucky Win over Tennessee
Cardiac Cats? Hitting Rock Bottom Helped Kentucky Find Its Heart
Aberdeen made every right decision down the stretch
Mo D’s Toughness Led the Way for UK
Drew Franklin Sang Rocky Top on the KSR Postgame Show
5 Takeaways from Another Insane Comeback
Rick Barnes Fights Back Voluntears in Press Conference
The Comeback by the Numbers
Pope, Aberdeen, Chandler talk about ANOTHER win over Tennessee
Don’t Overlook Jasper Johnson’s Impressive First Half
Oweh wasn’t his best, but made plays when Kentucky needed them
Highlights from the Kentucky Win
Kentucky Owns Knoxville
Cats Flipped the Script with Second Chance Points
Recapping the Kentucky win in Knoxville
Deone Walker Shines in NFL Playoffs
Buffalo gave Bills’ fans hypertension on Saturday afternoon. A late first-half turnover got the snowball rolling in the wrong direction. They trailed by 13 points early in the third quarter, when a former Kentucky Wildcat helped spark a comeback. Rookie Deone Walker jumped into a passing lane to pick off Bo Nix, giving the Bills the ball deep into Denver territory.
Unfortunately, Josh Allen responded with an interception of his own, but Buffalo found a way to overcome that 13-point deficit and take the lead. Denver scored in the final minute, giving Allen enough time to set up a game-tying field goal in the final seconds of regulation. The Bills couldn’t get a call to go their way in overtime, ultimately falling 33-30 to Denver, who will host the AFC Championship Game next weekend without their starting quarterback.
The nightcap wasn’t nearly as entertaining. Seattle returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, setting up an NFC West rout. We’ve got two more Divisional Playoff game on the slate Sunday afternoon.
3:00 | Texans (+3) at Patriots | ESPN
6:30 | Rams (-3.5) at Bears | NBC
Kentucky WBB Hits the Road
The Wildcats survived a scare on Thursday against Florida. They trailed by six points, but used a 28-16 fourth quarter to rally for a win. Today, they’re back on the road in SEC play. Mississippi State will host the seventh-ranked Wildcats at The Hump. Kentucky is averaging 9.1 made threes per game, ranking in the Top 20 nationally. Hopefully, there is more string music for the Wildcats in Starkville. Tip-off is set for 3 PM ET and can be streamed on SECN+.