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Kentucky brings 'chip on our shoulder' into 'dog fight' at Tennessee amid losing streak

Jack PIlgrimby:Jack Pilgrim01/27/25
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Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

Kentucky is riding a two-game losing streak into maybe its toughest matchup of the season, traveling to Knoxville to take on No. 8 Tennessee after coming up empty-handed vs. No. 4 Alabama and at Vanderbilt in back-to-back matchups. The Wildcats have faced four teams ranked higher, but none in true road games while sitting at 1-3 in enemy territory overall.

It’s an elite team currently ranked No. 4 in the NET with the No. 3 scoring defense nationally and holding firm as KenPom’s No. 1 defense overall in terms of efficiency. Slow as molasses with the No. 335 tempo out of 364 teams, but the Volunteers are allowing just 58.4 points per game on 36.0 percent shooting (No. 2) and 25.4 percent from three (No. 1).

Quite the flip from Kentucky’s No. 3 scoring offense putting up 88.1 points per contest ranked No. 5 in efficiency by KenPom, No. 31 in possession length and No. 34 in tempo.

Playing with a chip on their shoulder

Two contrasting styles, only one winner. Coming off an underwhelming effort in Nashville, the Wildcats are looking to make a statement with toughness and physicality in their follow-up trip to the Volunteer State.

“They’re a tough team,” Jaxson Robinson said Monday. “I mean, I know everybody knows that, so just going in there with a chip on our shoulder and knowing we’ve got something to prove — especially after last game and the performance we put out there in the first half. We’re just looking to fix it and change it, hopefully come out with the win.”

“We know that they’re really physical and that’s what you have to be prepared for,” Ansley Almonor added. “Vandy was physical last game and Tennessee is going to take it up another notch. … It’s about being tougher. We have to go out there and fight, it’s that simple. It’s no basketball stuff, it’s about the fight. It’s a battle — no strategic strategy to it or anything. It’s really about being tougher.”

Controlling the pace

Toughness and physicality were missing in Nashville, two things the Wildcats pledge to bring to the table in Knoxville — no choice there. As for the pace, though, the Volunteers will need to figure that part out on their own.

Kentucky has no plans to slow things down and help turn the matchup into a rock fight. Tennessee will have to get out and run with Mark Pope’s group or get left behind.

“We’re going to play our game, so they’re going to have to adjust themselves. We don’t slow down for anybody,” Almonor continued. “It doesn’t matter how slow they want to play — we’ve seen other teams like Texas A&M try to play slow and that’s not really gonna work against us.”

There’s an intentionality that comes with that, though, something that hasn’t been consistent with this team over the course of the season. The spurts have been brilliant, but there have been some low lows, too. Whether the Cats are in transition or playing in the half-court, the movement has to be there to get back to the well-oiled machine we’ve seen them be at their best.

“For us, our most efficient offense is in transition, so it’s about figuring out ways to take any opportunity we can to get out and run. I think that would be really helpful for us, just making sure we’re playing with great pace,” Robinson added. “Then in the half-court, we’re cutting super hard. It’s hard for any team to guard when we do it. I think we’ve shown that throughout the whole season, but it’s a matter of just doing it consistently, which is something I talked about with the team after the Vandy loss.”

“Go out there and be tougher.”

None of it matters if Kentucky doesn’t bring the fight, however. It’s a non-negotiable, Tennessee set to throw some big-time punches like it does in every game. Will the Cats take them on the chin and roll over and die or throw them right back? That’s going to be the difference.

The hope is they’re ready to throw their own before the Volunteers even get the chance to set the tone.

“They’re physical. They got good guards that guard, they got good bigs that attack the glass and they’re physical, so it’s just gonna be a fight. It’s gonna be a dog fight,” Almonor said. “We have to go out there and be tough, it’s just that simple. No schemes, no gimmicks. It’s just go out there and be tougher. It’s that simple.”

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2025-01-29