Sweeps have been rare in Kentucky vs. Tennessee series since Rick Barnes took over on Rocky Top

Former Providence, Clemson, and Texas head coach Rick Barnes is now in his 10th season at Tennessee at age 70. Under his watch, the Vols are 222-104 (.681) with a 106-64 (.624) record in SEC play. Barnes has won two SEC titles (2018, 2024), a SEC Tournament title (2022), and has brought this program to second weekend of the NCAA Tournament three times.

Rick Barnes has also made the rivalry series with Kentucky a true rivalry.

Kentucky currently owns a 162-78 series lead over Tennessee. On Tuesday night at Rupp Arena, these programs will meet for the 241st time. Since Rick Barnes arrived, there have been 22 games in this series with both teams each winning 11. The Vols own a 2-1 record in the SEC Tournament, but the regular season series has often featured each team trading blows.

There have only been two regular season sweeps over the last nine years with Tennessee winning twice in 2018 and Kentucky winning twice in 2023. The Wildcats will look to record another sweep on Tuesday night with Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas on the call.

2016	Tennessee 84, No. 20 Kentucky 77 (Knoxville)	No. 14 Kentucky 80, Tennessee 70 (Lexington)
2017	Tennessee 82, No. 4 Kentucky 80 (Knoxville)	No. 13 Kentucky 83, Tennessee 58 (Lexington)
2018	No. 23 Tennessee 76, No. 17 Kentucky 65 (Knoxville)	No. 15 Tennessee 61, No. 24 Kentucky 59 (Lexington)
2019	No. 5 Kentucky 86, No. 1 Tennessee 69 (Lexington)	No. 7 Tennessee 71, No. 4 Kentucky 52 (Knoxville)
2020	No. 15 Kentucky 77, Tennessee 64 (Knoxville)	Tennessee 81, No. 6 Kentucky 73 (Lexington)
2021	No. 11 Tennessee 82, Kentucky 71 (Lexington)	Kentucky 70, No. 19 Tennessee 55 (Knoxville)
2022	No. 18 Kentucky 107, No. 22 Tennessee 79 (Lexington)	No. 16 Tennessee 76, No. 4 Kentucky 63 (Knoxville)
2023	Kentucky 63, No. 5 Tennessee 56 (Knoxville)	Kentucky 66, No. 10 Tennessee 54 (Lexington)
2024	No. 5 Tennessee 103, No. 10 Kentucky 92 (Lexington)	No. 15 Kentucky 85, No. 4 Tennessee 81 (Knoxville)
2025	No. 12 Kentucky 78, No. 8 Tennessee 73 (Knoxville)	TBD

Kentucky is only 5-4 against Rick Barnes at Rupp Arena, but has won five of the last six meetings in Knoxville. This evenly played series has been one of the best in the SEC for a decade. Mark Pope will be looking to record his first career sweep over Tennessee. A victory on Tuesday night would give the Cats a winning record over Barnes.

Kentucky has not had that since the head coach arrived on Rocky Top.