Rick Barnes finally has a losing record against Kentucky
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 222-105 (.679) with a 106-65 (.620) 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 but the veteran head coach finally has a losing record in this series for the first time.
Barnes won his first game against Kentucky in 2016 and never owned a losing record. Mark Pope‘s first season sweep of the Volunteers changed that.
Top 10
- 1New
Stopping storming
Alabama AD suggests forfeits
- 2
Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson
Injury updates on Kentucky stars
- 3Trending
Matt Patricia
Ohio State hires former NFL HC, DC
- 4Hot
DeMarco Murray
PSU eyeing OU assistant
- 5
Seven QBs in first 3 rounds
New NFL mock draft
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
| Date | Result | Record |
| 02/02/2016 | Tennessee 84, Kentucky 77 (Knoxville) | Vols 1-0 |
| 02/18/2016 | Kentucky 80, Tennessee 70 (Lexington) | Tied 1-1 |
| 01/24/2017 | Tennessee 82, Kentucky 80 (Knoxville) | Vols 2-1 |
| 02/14/2017 | Kentucky 83, Tennessee 58 (Lexington) | Tied 2-2 |
| 01/06/2018 | Tennessee 76, Kentucky 65 (Knoxville) | Vols 3-2 |
| 02/06/2018 | Tennessee 61, Kentucky 59 (Lexington) | Vols 4-2 |
| 03/11/2018 | Kentucky 77, Tennessee 72 (SEC Tournament) | Vols 4-3 |
| 02/16/2019 | Kentucky 86, Tennessee 69 (Lexington) | Tied 4-4 |
| 03/02/2019 | Tennessee 71, Kentucky 52 (Knoxville) | Vols 5-4 |
| 03/16/2019 | Tennessee 82, Kentucky 78 (SEC Tournament) | Vols 6-4 |
| 02/08/2020 | Kentucky 77, Tennessee 64 (Knoxville) | Vols 6-5 |
| 03/03/2020 | Tennessee 81, Kentucky 73 (Lexington) | Vols 7-5 |
| 02/06/2021 | Tennessee 82, Kentucky 71 (Lexington) | Vols 8-5 |
| 02/20/2021 | Kentucky 70, Vols 55 (Knoxville) | Vols 8-6 |
| 01/15/2022 | Kentucky 107, Tennessee 79 (Lexington) | Vols 8-7 |
| 02/15/2022 | Tennessee 76, Kentucky 63 (Knoxville) | Vols 9-7 |
| 03/12/2022 | Tennessee 69, Kentucky 62 (SEC Tournament) | Vols 10-7 |
| 01/14/2023 | Kentucky 63, Tennessee 56 (Knoxville) | Vols 10-8 |
| 02/18/2023 | Kentucky 66, Tennessee 54 (Lexington) | Vols 10-9 |
| 02/03/2024 | Tennessee 103, Kentucky 92 (Lexington) | Vols 11-9 |
| 03/09/2024 | Kentucky 85, Tennessee 81 (Knoxville) | Vols 11-10 |
| 01/28/2025 | Kentucky 78, Tennessee 73 (Knoxville) | Tied 11-11 |
| 02/11/2025 | Kentucky 75, Tennessee 64 (Lexington) | Cats 12-11 |
Kentucky owns a 163-78 series lead over Tennessee and now owns a winning record against Rick Barnes for the first time in 23 games. The Cats have won five of the last six meetings in this series with three consecutive victories on Rocky Top.
This series has been a thorn in the Big Blue Nation’s side for nearly a decade with Barnes on the other sideline. That is quickly changing. Pope’s early rivalry record has been stellar.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard