Adou Thiero and Justin Edwards on Dalton Knecht and the Tennessee Vols

Adou Thiero and Justin Edwards were sent to Friday’s pre-Tennessee press conference to speak on behalf of the Kentucky locker room. The recently injured Wildcats gave explanations and updates regarding the injuries behind their January absences, then previewed Saturday’s game against Tennessee in Rupp Arena.

Looking ahead to the Vols, Edwards, who nearly became a Vol during his college recruitment, stressed the importance of a good Friday practice and Saturday shoot-around to be fully prepared for the physicality coming from Knoxville.

“Coach has been emphasizing that they’re going to come in physical,” Edwards told KSR. “But be the more aggressive team first, and be able to do it for the whole 40 minutes.”

Edwards is one of the unlucky Wildcats who, at some point, will likely be asked to guard Dalton Knecht, the SEC’s co-leader in scoring. Tennessee’s superstar wing averages 28.4 points per game in league play.

Edwards said Kentucky’s attention was not on any individual Vol, but rather the Vols’ style of play.

“He’s a good player and, you know, that’s really about it. We watched film, but it was more so of their plays. We didn’t really go into personnel.”

Thiero, who may be the primary defender on Knecht, showed he is aware of Knecht’s game, saying, “He’s a great player. He’s got a nose for scoring. He’ll find a way to get to the hoop and finish or get a shot off. So, we got to find a way to stop that, or limit it.”

When asked about drawing that assignment and Knecht’s current scoring tear, Thiero replied, “Yeah, he’s been doing what he’s been doing, but, you know, we’re another team, he has to come out and show us, we’re just not gonna give him that respect, just because of what he’s been doing to other teams. So, he’s gonna have to show us the same thing.”

Thiero also scouted Tennessee veteran guard Santiago Vescovi, using firsthand experience from last year’s games and advice from UK assistant coach Chin Coleman.

“Chin said he’s probably the smartest player we’re gonna go up against. I think that’s true because last year he had me jumping a lot and creating fouls. So, we’ve just gotta be smarter about all that, for sure.”

Watch the entire pre-Tennessee press conference with Thiero and Edwards.