Photo via SEC
Kentucky extended its winning streak to three, telling Tennessee to bite the curb, then stepping on their faces for 40 minutes. The Wildcats now have two consecutive wins at Thompson-Boling, after beating Tennessee 70-55, their first victory over one of the top 25 this season.
Tennessee could do nothing to slow Kentucky in the first half. Davion Mintz was not shy, going up three on the transition without hesitation and hitting the bottom of the net. He hit his first five attempts at three points, while Isaiah Jackson abused the internal Vols. He had 13 points, a couple of blocked shots and a thunderous slam before the break.
As excellent as the attack was in the first half, Kentucky struggled to shoot after the break. The easy transition was gone, with the UK hitting just 4/23 shots until the sub-four’s media timeout, but still leading by 20 points thanks to whistles that put Kentucky on the free-throw line. Wildcats have proven to be free, draining 17 of 20 to keep Vols at bay.
Kentucky’s defense deserves a lot of credit for today’s victory. Tennessee averaged 82 points in the last four games. On Saturday afternoon, the Vols hit just 32.1% of their shots, including 6 of 22 from behind the three-point line.
Big Blue Nation wondered if this team would turn a corner. As usual, Wildcats are catching up just in time for the postseason.