Tennessee is ready for revenge when Kentucky heads to Knoxville

Kentucky’s first matchup vs. Tennessee featured one of the most dominant offensive performances we’ve seen in recent memory for the Wildcats. The team scored 107 points in a 28-point blowout victory, the first time any team has scored 100 points vs. Tennessee in 15 years and the first time Kentucky broke that threshold against the Volunteers since 2001.

UT was seen as a dominant defensive team at the time, as well, entering the game ranked No. 2 overall in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. UK’s offense was simply better, scoring on 46 of 69 total possessions, good for 1.55 points per possession.

Now, though, the Wildcats are hitting the road and will try to find similar success in Knoxville where the Volunteers have yet to lose this season (13-0). It’ll be against a team that has won seven of its last eight, with its lone loss being a one-point true road loss at Texas. Since then, Tennessee has moved up to No. 7 in the latest ESPN BPI and No. 10 in the NET and KenPom.

Leadership emerges for the Volunteers

Needless to say, the Wildcats will be taking on a new group of Volunteers, one seeking revenge after a humiliating road loss on January 15. This is a different team, with leadership being a key reason for the growth.

“It’s different, we’re a different team in terms of our leadership,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said of his team’s play following the blowout loss in Lexington. “It’s been fun watching our guys the past few weeks—watching them talk to each other, coach each other, and accept each other’s coaching has been good for us. We’ve talked about that for a long time and it’s neat watching that part of our program development.”

Player empowerment

Tennessee has since racked up wins at Vanderbilt, vs. LSU, vs. Florida, vs. Texas A&M, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State and vs. Vanderbilt. Seven wins with two being Quad 1 victories and four being Quad 2. It’s a team that has zero bad wins on the schedule, making it among the best resumes in the country.

Barnes singled out veterans Josiah-Jordan James, Santiago Vescovi, Uros Plavsic and Olivier Nkamhoua as players who have stepped up as leaders following Tennessee’s loss at Kentucky. The locker room as a whole, though, has locked in, with player empowerment emerging out of the group.

“You expect it to be the older guys that play in terms of, Santi and Josiah and certainly, Uros and Olivier, they were all trending that way,” Barnes said. “I think overall it’s been a group effort, but certainly, Josiah and Santi. We have so many more guys that are locked in on the defensive end with our game plan.

“Leadership, concentration, whatever you want to call it, but when they are able to coach and talk about themselves and coach themselves, that’s when you have a chance to be a good basketball team.”

Finding consistency

Josiah-Jordan James, who had 11 points, four rebounds and two blocks in the first head-to-head matchup, says he’s grown more consistent as a leader since Tennessee’s trip to Lexington. As one could expect, accountability was necessary following the 28-point blowout loss.

“I would say just being more consistent in what I do, and what I say, and holding others accountable,” James said. “You can’t hold other people accountable if you are making the same mistakes that they are. I think I have grown more with my consistency day in and day out, with holding the highest standard of this team.”

“This is a really big week.”

While every game on the schedule is important, the revenge factor is clearly there with this matchup in particular. It’s not only a rivalry matchup, but it’s also an opportunity to shift the narrative a bit after falling in embarrassing fashion last time around.

“I think it’s really big. It is huge for both programs,” James said. “We definitely go out each and every game trying to win every game, but this one is especially special just because of the rivalry and history that we have between these two programs.

“… This is a really big week. … The next game against Kentucky is the biggest game of our season.”

Kentucky will take on Tennessee in Knoxville on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast live on ESPN.