The 'Cats versus the Vols. What more can any SEC basketball fan ask for? What more can any Kentucky or Tennessee fan ask for?
The Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Mississippi Rebels yesterday to earn a tilt with the Kentucky Wildcats, who escaped the upset-minded Alabama Crimson Tide.
Game particulars are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:
Date & Time | Sat., Mar. 13, 1:00 p.m ET |
Coverage | Tournament Central TV: ABC Radio: BBSN GameTracker Online Audio Text Updates |
Location | Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tenn. |
My big concern is that this is exactly the kind of game Kentucky will need to win in the NCAA tournament to have a shot at the Final Four. Despite some pretty up and down basketball lately, this team has remained remarkably resilient, and now they get to prove to everyone that they are ready to take on all comers if they can find a way to beat the Volunteers on a "neutral" court in Nashville, Tennessee.
For the Tennessee take on things, be sure to visit Rocky Top Talk, SB Nation's outstanding Volunteer blog and one of A Sea of Blue's closest blog-friends. More following the jump.
What UK needs to do to win:
- Shoot the ball better from everywhere, particularly the three.
- Guard Tennessee in transition. They killed us in transition last time these two teams met.
- Attack the rim. The Volunteers are foul-prone, and the more they put UK on the line, the better the Wildcat's chances.
- Force the Volunteers into tough shots. UK gave away too many bunnies last game.
What UK can do to lose:
- Let Tennessee beat them down the floor.
- Play passive defense -- UT feeds on anything that they perceive as fear or hesitation.
- Settle for outside shots. UK must work to get the ball in to Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins, and Tennessee will not make that easy.
- Turn the ball over. Tennessee kills teams that turn the ball over, especially "live."
This is a bigger game than many might think. UK needs to prove to themselves they are ready, and this is the kind of game they will face in the Elite Eight or possibly even the Sweet Sixteen.
Go, 'Cats!