KSR Gameday: Kentucky vs. Tennessee in the Sweet 16

Kentucky is playing a bitter rival as an underdog in Lucas Oil Stadium in the Sweet 16. Eleven years ago, Big Blue Nation was in the same situation. The Cats prevailed with a victory over Louisville. Tonight would be a great night for history to repeat when the Wildcats take on the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kentucky has played Tennessee 242 times, more than any other opponent, and yet this is the first time the two have ever faced off in the NCAA Tournament. The Vols have never been to a Final Four, but Rick Barnes had Tennessee in the Elite Eight a year ago with many of the same players who took Tennessee to the SEC Tournament Title game a few weeks ago.

Mark Pope checked a lot of boxes during his first season at Kentucky. Beating Tennessee twice was a big one. The Cats were shorthanded in each game, which does not put Kentucky in unfamiliar territory tonight. Kentucky shot 50% from the field and knocked down 12-24 threes in the first two wins.

Is Kentucky a bad matchup for their border rival, or will a top-five Tennessee team seize the moment en route to the program’s first-ever Final Four? The stakes could not be higher when the two teams take the floor in the opening matchup of the Midwest Regional at Lucas Oil Stadium.

[3] Kentucky vs. [2] Tennessee: How to Watch, Listen

• Date, Time: Friday, 7:39 p.m. EST
• Television: TBS or truTV (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Satellite Radio: 209 or 202

You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tip-off, or join the conversation on KSBoard.

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Gambling Trends

Kentucky is a 4.5-point underdog against Tennessee with a total of 144.5. As you’re well aware by now, the Cats won the first two regular season games outright as underdogs. Tennessee has lost in the NCAA Tournament five times to lower-seeded teams in six appearances under Barnes.

Kentucky is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games as a dog in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is 5-10 ATS as a favorite in the NCAA Tournament under Barnes with five outright losses. Kentucky is 8-3 Against the Spread (ATS) this season as an underdog with seven outright wins.

Kentucky Not Worried About Football Stadium Shooting

There are so many storylines to pick apart ahead of this matchup, that it’s hard to hone in on just one. However, many are gravitating to tonight’s setting, a football stadium. Kentucky shot the lights out in the first two wins over Tennessee. The Cats’ best shooters are downplaying the significance of the sight lines.

“I don’t really think it changes anything. I always say if the ball is round and the rim is a circle, then I think it’s all the same thing. Just excited to get out there and play,” said Koby Brea.

“I mean, at the end of the day, it’s still a 10-foot hoop and you still have a little orange basketball that you’re trying to put through it,” Trent Noah added.

Zakai Zeigler Provided Bulletin Board Material

Tennessee’s veteran point guard was spotted flipping off the UK logo after the Vols walked through the Lexington Regional. Jack Pilgrim asked some of the Cats about Zakai Zeigler‘s middle finger.

Zakai Zeigler flipped off a Kentucky logo on his way out of Rupp Arena last weekend

The Cats have thoughts.

“It’s cute when you got a team like that who hasn’t beaten us in how long?”https://t.co/LN0g6mpnGC pic.twitter.com/t0vor54ZvB

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) March 27, 2025

More from the Pregame Press Conferences

The Cats and the Vols had a lot to say before their third game of the season. KSR had wall-to-wall coverage from the pregame festivities in Indianapolis.

Tennessee Vows to Return to Form against Kentucky
Kentucky staying loose with breakfast debates ahead of Sweet 16
If Weetabix unlocks Amari Williams’ superpowers, what do the other Kentucky Wildcats use?
Mark Pop on Round 3 vs. Tennessee: “It’s mostly a free-standing game”
Otega Oweh had a great response when asked if Tennessee can stop him
Open Practice Notes from Indianapolis
Mark Pope at the podium in Indianapolis
Interviews from the Kentucky Locker Room
Rick Barnes and Zakai Zeigler at the podium
Q&A inside the Tennessee Locker Room

Previews to Prepare You For Kentucky-Tennessee

The KSR crew is starting the day at KSBar and Grille before a LIVE pregame show at Tin Roof Indy. Matt Jones will get the ball rolling at 5 p.m. EST. You need more than that to pass the time before tip-off. Jack Pilgrim spent plenty of time talking Cats and Vols from Indianapolis last night on Sources Say. Take a closer look at how they match up on film with a new edition of Zoom Action.

Thursday Sweet 16 Results

Alabama set an NCAA Tournament record with 25 made three-pointers in a 113-88 victory over BYU. That’s just one of many crazy stats from the Crimson Tide’s win. It looked shaky for Florida in the first half with Alex Condon sidelined by a sprained ankle. The Gators pulled away with Condon back on the floor in the second half for an 87-71 win.

Arizona gave it everything they had. The Duke-killer, Caleb Love, had 35 points, but it still wasn’t enough for the Wildcats. Duke survived with a 100-93 win.

Arkansas led by 16 points in the second half when they did what they’ve done all year: blow a late lead. Texas Tech needed an extra five minutes to advance to a third Elite Eight in school history. Darrion Williams hit the go-ahead bucket with just under 8 seconds to play in the extra period. John Calipari did not call a timeout to set up a game-winner. Instead, DJ Wagner took a contested, potentially game-tying step-back jump shot that fell short. The Red Raiders survived 85-83 in overtime.

Friday’s Sweet 16 Schedule

Matchup	Time (ET)	TV Channels	Odds (Spread)	Over/Under
(6) Ole Miss @ (2) Michigan State	7:09 PM	CBS	MSU -3.5	143.5
(3) Kentucky @ (2) Tennessee	7:39 PM	TBS, truTV	TENN -4.5	144.5
(5) Michigan @ (1) Auburn	9:39 PM	CBS	AUB -9.5	153.5
(4) Purdue @ (1) Houston	10:09 PM	TBS, truTV	HOU -8.5	131.5

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Kentucky is Making Moves in the Transfer Portal

Roster-building for the 2025-26 season is an afterthought for most Kentucky basketball fans, but Mark Pope’s coaching staff is busy at work. Jacob Polacheck has kept his ear close to the ground during the first days of the transfer portal. The Cats appear to be making a major move to lock up the top player in the portal, Donovan Dent. Polacheck has the latest on where the Cats stand in this high-profile recruitment.

Make sure you are LOCKED IN throughout March Madness and into the transfer portal. Join KSR+ to get bonus coverage of the Cats. Just $1 for a week.

KHSAA Sweet 16 Quarterfinals in Action

North Laurel ate up plenty of headlines during Reed Sheppard‘s tenure, but the school had never recorded a Sweet 16 victory until Thursday. Reece Davidson scored 36 of the Jaguars’ 54 points in a one-point win over Breathitt County to earn a spot in Friday’s quarterfinals against Montgomery County. A look at today’s 4-game slate at Rupp Arena:

11:00 am | Ashland Blazer vs. Bowling Green
1:30 | South Oldham vs. Jeffersontown
6:00 | North Laurel vs. Montgomery County
8:30 | Great Crossing vs. Cooper

Other UK Sports in Action

We’ve got updates from Kentucky football spring practice rolling in following this morning’s practice from Brad White and the defense. The Bat Cats open a three-game series on the road at Texas A&M, beginning at 7 p.m. EST on SEC Network+. That’s when and where you can also find the UK softball team. They’re on the road against No. 14 Arkansas.