Styles Make Fights: Pace of play could determine Kentucky vs. Tennessee

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UT-73251 — Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

Kentucky has a playing style. Under first-year head coach Mark Pope, the Wildcats are offense-driven and want to play with their foot on the gas pedal. Pope’s team ranks No. 34 nationally in adjusted tempo and trails only Alabama in the SEC when it comes pace of play. Kentucky is at its best in a track meet. Where Kentucky has struggled is when games turn into half court boxing matches.

In games that featured less than 70 possessions, Kentucky has defeated Colgate and Brown but has lost to Ohio State and Vanderbilt in arguably their two worst performances of the season. The Cats do not want to play in a grinder. That is exactly where Tennessee is the most comfortable.

In year 10 under head coach Rick Barnes, the Vols rank No. 335 in adjusted tempo. There are only 364 teams in Division I. Virginia, Minnesota, Houston, Clemson, and Seton Hall are the only power conference teams that play slower than the Vols. We all saw what happened when Kentucky played Clemson.

The Vols (17-3, 4-3) have only had three games reach the 70 possessions threshold and none occurred in SEC play. Tennessee wants to play slow and get their defense set. There is a good reason for that as the Vols rank No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Auburn’s electric offense only scored 53 points in 63 possessions against Tennessee on Saturday.

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Barnes’ team takes away the three-point line ranking No. 1 in three-point field goal percentage allowed (25.4%) but allows teams to shoot a bunch of threes with over 45 percent of opponents’ attempts coming from behind the arc. That is the highest volume allowed in the SEC.

Kentucky will want to play in transition and shoot threes. Tennessee will want to play slow but will give up three-point attempts. Tuesday’s meeting on Rocky Top could come down to which style of game breaks out. If this contest gets to 70-plus possessions, Kentucky’s three-point shooting (39.9% in SEC play) could give the Vols a ton of issues but the Cats have to win the volume battle.

That likely only happens if Kentucky can force Tennessee to play their style.