INDIANAPOLIS — Tennessee was bound and determined to make the old sports saying come to fruition.
It was, indeed, hard for Kentucky to beat a good team three times in a season.
After sweeping the Volunteers in the regular season, the Wildcats had no answers for their oldest rivals on Friday in the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Region semifinals.
Second-seeded Tennessee (30-7) shot 51% from the field, dominated the glass 34-24, and held Kentucky to its lowest scoring night of the season en route to a 78-65 win at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“You know, they beat us twice, and I think they hit 12 3s in both games,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “Obviously, tonight, our No. 1 objective — and quite honestly it was the last two games, too, they just beat us — was to guard the 3-point line.”
The third time was a charm for Tennessee. Kentucky made only six 3-pointers and took a season-low 15 attempts. Without that firepower, the odds were stacked against the 3-seed.
The Vols went on a 13-3 run early in the game and never looked back. They led 43-28 at halftime and by as many as 19 points.
“It’s hard to talk about basketball right now,” said a dejected Kentucky head coach Mark Pope. “Congratulations to Tennessee. They played really hard and really well. I have a ton of respect for Coach Barnes. Mostly, we’re just sad that this is over.”
Senior point guard Zakai Zeigler led Tennessee with 18 points and 10 assists. The Vols’s backcourt also got 17 points from Chaz Lanier and 16 from Jordan Gainey.
The surprise star of the game for UT was forward Felix Okpara, who had eight points, 11 rebounds, and a blocked shot. He had seven offensive rebounds on a night when the Vols had 19 second-chance points.
Kentucky got within 12 points midway through he second half but could draw no closer.
The Cats (24-12) got 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists from grad senior point guard Lamont Butler. Grad senior center Amari Williams followed with 14 points, while Otega Oweh added 13.
“I think it’s really cool that we were able to set the culture for Coach Pope’s first year,” said Butler, attempting to set aside the disappointing finish in favor of good memories the Cats shared this season. “The bar is going to be set high for the next people who come in under Pope, and it’s going to be fun to watch, for sure.”
*****
In this “Rapid Recap” feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK loss…
KEY MOMENT:
Tennessee was the more prepared and inspired team before the ball was ever tipped. A lot was made leading up to the game that it’s hard to beat a good team three times in the same season, and that proved to be the case tonight. One must credit Vols head coach Rick Barnes for having his team well-prepared and harnessing their intensity through execution. Kentucky was never in this game.
GAME BALL:
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee – The Vols’ veteran point guard scored 18 points, dished out 10 assists, and played the type of defense that earned him the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year honors. He set the tone for Tennessee from the opening tip.
BY THE NUMBERS:
1st – Meeting between Kentucky and Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament.
3-11 – The Wildcats’ record when trailing at the half this season.
10-10 – Kentucky’s record this season when Koby Brea made two or fewer 3-pointers.
15 – Three-point attempts were the lowest for UK this season. The Cats made 12 3-pointers in each of their two wins over the Vols this season.
19-5 – Second-chance points advantage for Tennessee.
65 – UK tied its season-low in points. The Cats also scored 65 in their loss to Ohio State on Dec. 21 in New York City.
132-56 – Kentucky’s all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
QUOTABLE:
“The utmost respect for the University of Kentucky and Mark Pope. Just great respect all the way around for that university, him as a person, and the program that he’s put together in his first year.” — Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes
UP NEXT:
Kentucky officially enters the off-season, and it will move a lot faster than it has in the past. With the transfer portal already open — Pope & Co. have already landed one promising player in the form of Tulane’s Kam Williams — rebuilding the roster is Priority No. 1.
