A Sea Of Blue - Kentucky vs. Tennessee: Everything to knowOnline Home of the Big Blue Nation: Kentucky Wildcats Sports for the Discerning Fanhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46621/aseaof-fav.png2019-03-04T08:35:00-05:00http://www.aseaofblue.com/rss/stream/180113112019-03-04T08:35:00-05:002019-03-04T08:35:00-05:00The good, bad and ugly from Kentucky vs. Arkansas & Tennessee
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<img alt="Nick Richards" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O2M-pjVRgLxWFbP6c6O6xvaJdGY=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63166544/DSC_7722_result.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Marcum - Sea of Blue</figcaption>
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<p>One of the rougher weeks Kentucky has had, but there were some bright spots. </p> <p id="TDECN1">With the regular season winding down, college basketball fans have circled March 17th on the calendar. </p>
<p id="xmtudo">Selection Sunday will kick off the official start of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a> as brackets (and top seeds) will be revealed to a live TV audience. </p>
<p id="JlmoZO">The big question is can the No. 4-ranked <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> find a way to hold on to a top seed or will tough losses against Duke and Tennessee come back to haunt a team that’s most likely failed the “eye test” this past week in poor efforts against both Arkansas and Tennessee.</p>
<aside id="74A9ev"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Kentucky vs. Ole Miss: Preview, viewing info & what to watch for","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18248549/kentucky-basketball-ole-miss-rebels-game-time-tv-channel-online-stream-odds"},{"title":"Keion Brooks sets decision date","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18184563/kentucky-wildcats-basketball-recruiting-keion-brooks-indiana-hoosiers-uk"}]}'></div></aside><p id="8TiTGw">On Tuesday, the Wildcats trailed by as many as 15 points at home against the Razorbacks before fighting its way back to a 70-66 win at Rupp Arena. The real blow was an embarrassing 71-52 beat down on the road against a Tennessee team that was out to avenge a previous loss (just as lopsided, 86-69) in Lexington.</p>
<p id="qX8BRe">Now that the smoke has cleared, let’s look at the good, the bad and ugly from the past week.</p>
<h2 id="DDqPpa"><strong>GOOD</strong></h2>
<p id="heSfl5"><strong>The Bucket List</strong></p>
<p id="EgZHRF">You know it’s been a rough week when <span>Tyler Herro</span>’s free throw percentage gets top billing. But it just might be a historic season for the Wisconsin native who is currently shooting 93.4% from the line this year on 71-of-76 shooting. </p>
<p id="uKC9Ns">If the season ended today, Herro would take over the school record for highest free throw percentage in a season that’s currently held by Travis Ford (1994) and Kyle Macy (1980) who both finished their respective seasons at 91.2%. </p>
<p id="hHtG3W">Herro’s career-high 29 points against Arkansas was also the lone offensive highlight of the week as the freshman sharp-shooter was 9-of-10 from the field and connected on five three-pointers. Of course, Herro was also 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the victory. </p>
<p id="BkxOtf">Ironically, the nation’s top free throw shooter resides just down the road and wears Cardinal red as Louisville’s <span>Ryan McMahon</span> is currently shooting 94.6%. Regardless, Herro stills has the quote of the year, as kids throughout the Commonwealth will forever proclaim, “I’m A Bucket” after made free throws.</p>
<p id="LoGim0"><strong>Big Nick</strong></p>
<p id="qzOReL">If there was one bright spot over the past two games, you might just look to <span>Nick Richards</span>. The 6-foot-11 center came off the bench against Arkansas to get 15 rebounds in the absence of <span>Reid Travis</span>. </p>
<p id="a4p0HU">Richards also added seven points and three blocks in the win and played well enough to get the starting nod at Tennessee over <span>EJ Montgomery</span>. Against the Vols, Richards was once again one of the few bright spots as he finished with eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes of work. </p>
<p id="tNoWKX">While limited offensively, Richards is a good free throw shooter and is active around the rim on both ends of the floor. If he can rebound and block shots, he has the ability to change the game in the post. </p>
<p id="7Gv3UE">However, if the big guy gets too far away from the basket on the high ball screen, he’s at a high risk for turning it over and often commits silly fouls away from the basket. For the week, Nick gets a solid B on the report card and just might be ready for a breakout game.</p>
<h2 id="pO4TDz"><strong>BAD</strong></h2>
<p id="4h8xgB"><strong>Out of Synch</strong></p>
<p id="ApKQln">Over the past two games, the Kentucky offense has been brutal, first against an Arkansas matchup zone, and then against Tennessee’s pressure defense that forced 17 turnovers.</p>
<p id="93Uj4Y">In the half-court offense, a John Calipari offense typically revolves around high ball screens and pick-and-rolls. You’ll also see the occasional curl to the ball that has been very effective at times. </p>
<p id="fzJLKW">But when times get tough, this team need some set plays to get an easy score and avoid long scoring droughts. (The Cats went a combined 16 minutes without a field goal at Tennessee). </p>
<p id="33wKgM">Kentucky has to find a way to get <span>Keldon Johnson</span> going again, so why not insert a few baseline screens to keep the defense honest? More screen-the-screener action for Washington and a clear out option for Hagans are also sorely needed to stop the bleeding and put points on the board.</p>
<p id="icZ55r">Against the zone, the Cats have been at their worst this year. Playing catch on the perimeter and settling for three-point shots is not ideal and often leads to lapses in productivity. </p>
<p id="cdalkT">Instead, the Cats have to flash to the ball, play a high-low game from the elbow into the post, and run the baseline to get better shots. Most importantly, we have to hit open shots. </p>
<p id="cSHWZb"><strong>Defensive Help</strong></p>
<p id="1rxHFy">What’s happened to Kentucky’s defensive pressure on the perimeter? Did they just assume that the trio of <span>Ashton Hagans</span>, Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson had it all figured out? </p>
<p id="JOmjPy">Well, not exactly, as both Arkansas and Tennessee had its way with the Kentucky guards, hitting shots and getting to the rim with ease. Even worse, this is not about getting screened off and having to recover. The big issue is staying between their man and the basket and stopping straight line drives. </p>
<p id="N9giP2">As Calipari has said on numerous occasions, trading baskets is not good enough to make a deep run this season. If Immanuel Quickley and Jemarl Baker can play better defense, then it might be time to share more minutes during the postseason. </p>
<p id="ELcpfs">Who’s ready to D Up?</p>
<p id="pQ5VBR"><strong>The Reid Travis Effect</strong></p>
<p id="wdkWyd">For anyone that ever doubted the impact of Reid Travis this season, the past two games tell the story.</p>
<p id="um4QJ3">Travis, at 6-foot-8, is the Wildcats’ lone enforcer and the only player that can match the physicality needed to bang in the post within the SEC. Travis also has a high basketball IQ and has the ability to use his body to get to the basket and open up the lane for Kentucky’s guards. </p>
<p id="z8gFV8">Most importantly, he’s been a coach on the floor this season and brings leadership to a young team that has a tendency to get highly emotional when things get tough. As someone that’s now played in 124 games, Travis’ job is to keep everyone in check and bring out the best in each player. </p>
<p id="YnPrZH">The “Reid Travis Effect” is very real. </p>
<p id="dRrBUX"></p>
<h2 id="NOfrHQ"><strong>UGLY</strong></h2>
<p id="5lm4c2"><strong>Sideline Explosion</strong></p>
<p id="sARLkd">As frustration reached a fever pitch on Saturday in Knoxville, the CBS camera crew caught UK Coach John Calipari going ballistic on Tyler Herro during a timeout. We all know that Cal is intense on the sidelines and often gets into players pretty hard on the bench. </p>
<p id="1WhpsD">However, this interaction with Herro was a little out of the norm and wasn’t a good look for a young team that was frustrated and clearly searching for some answers.</p>
<p id="M1WNAq">When asked why he was so hard on Herro, Calipari gave a logical explanation in his postgame comments and certainly get the benefit of the doubt. </p>
<p id="DDblWx">“Because I’m telling him what to do, and he’s choosing not to do it,” Calipari said.</p>
<p id="S8W7et">However, in that moment, one could argue that tough love was not the answer. Maybe this is all on Herro, who has taken his swag-o-meter to a new level this year. Maybe it’s a communication breakdown that needs some refinement. </p>
<p id="EpdTAq">Whatever the case, this team could use a few more words of encouragement and positive vibes from the bench as they get ready for the postseason.</p>
<p id="NuNKBa">Now, let’s all have a group hug this week and move on to Ole Miss. </p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/4/18249409/uk-basketball-good-bad-ugly-kentucky-arkansas-razorbacks-tennessee-volsGreg Goins2019-03-03T14:49:43-05:002019-03-03T14:49:43-05:00John Calipari & Wildcats recap Tennessee
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<img alt="John Calipari" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GcLkJJLHwEHykQyXBgPe-ZSUhM8=/628x377:3357x2196/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63164660/DSC_9998.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Marcum - Sea of Blue</figcaption>
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<p>Live and learn. </p> <p id="DpBIqF">Kentucky’s high-scoring offense hit some unexpected lows on Saturday afternoon as No. 7-ranked Tennessee avenged an earlier defeat with a crushing 71-52 victory over the Wildcats in Knoxville. </p>
<p id="QlIYC3">The Wildcats finished the game with more turnovers (17) than field goals (14) and scored the fewest points in a game this season. To make matters worse, the Wildcats experienced multiple offensive droughts and failed to score a field goal over a combined 16 minutes of play – 9:32 in the first half and 7:12 in the second. For the game, Kentucky was just 14-44 (31.8%) from the field, 5-19 (26.3%) from three-point range and 19-29 (65.5%) from the free throw line. </p>
<p id="Y5i0r6">The loss all but eliminates any chance for an SEC regular season title as the Cats now fall to 13-3 in the conference with two games remaining (Ole Miss and Florida). Tennessee and LSU now share the conference lead with identical 14-2 records. The loss also impacts seedings for the Conference Tournament, scheduled for March 13-17 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.</p>
<p id="dB74MW">Tennessee was led in scoring by <span>Jordan Bone</span>, who had a game-high 27 points and dominated both ends of the floor. <span>Grant Williams</span>, last year’s SEC’s Player of the Year, finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. Kentucky was led by <span>PJ Washington</span>’s 13 points.</p>
<p id="KMnpBr">Kentucky scored the game’s first six points on a Washington free throw, <span>Nick Richards</span> dunk and <span>Ashton Hagans</span> three-pointer. The Cats would lead for the final time on a <span>Tyler Herro</span> basket to give Kentucky an early 14-13 lead before the Vols would go on a 24-10 run to lead 37-24 at halftime. </p>
<p id="YRNZkX">With the absence of <span>Reid Travis</span>, Kentucky’s interior defense was exposed early as foul trouble plagued the Cats throughout the opening half. Washington picked up his second foul at the 8:23 mark and did not return to action until the second half. The second half proved to be more of the same as the Cats struggled to find any confidence or offensive rhythm. </p>
<p id="9xVSZI">After the game, UK Coach John Calipari and select players met with the media to share thoughts on a frustrating result in Knoxville. Here is the recap of postgame comments, courtesy of Tennessee Athletics.</p>
<h2 id="mqj7fc">John Calipari</h2>
<p id="LGhU2i">On not having Reid Travis having an impact on today’s game:</p>
<p id="cRNac1">“It wasn’t that, they beat us. There are no excuses. We got beat every which way. Our young kids played like freshmen. They played like a deer in the headlights. The play where they walked and no call, and PJ got his second foul and I couldn’t play him in the first half. That was a huge play. I’m not saying the call had anything to do with it, but that play changed how we had to play in the first half without Reid.”</p>
<p id="J4SM3V">On <span>Jordan Bone</span>’s play today:</p>
<p id="rsASrq">“He played great. He ran downhill on us. We were trying to run the same stuff and get our guy to run down hill. We didn’t quite accomplish it. He also made runners. Our bigs were getting out of the way too fast. They didn’t trust the people behind them. When you are playing that kind of basketball, the big has to stay and trust someone behind him is going to help him. They ducked out and Bone went down and shot a lot of layups.”</p>
<p id="W5GWsZ">On the possibility of his team regressing:</p>
<p id="z4BjzM">“No, this is one game. They have not lost here in two years. For us to win without Reid, we were going to have to play one of our best games in the past 10 years. As soon as I saw how it started and when PJ got his second foul, I was like, ‘okay, how do I make this close.’ </p>
<p id="P7ap75">“I was angry because it was a 14-point game and we had three possessions. We had a chance to get the lead down to seven or eight. There was only one guy thinking we could get it down to seven or eight. Me. I asked them way they would think that way. </p>
<p id="2cYYOs">“Turnovers, PJ threw one in the seats. Tennessee deserves this. It was a great win on national television. It’s amazing, now they will say that we aren’t that good. When we beat they, they said they weren’t that good. When they beat us on their court where they haven’t lost in two years, now we aren’t that good. This is college basketball. When you are playing freshman and sophomores, you have games like this. These kids are not machines. They are not robots. Sometimes, they play bad and sometimes the other team is more inspired to play and they beat you.”</p>
<p id="viWKsy">On worrying about this loss costing his team a No. 1 seed:</p>
<p id="11nh0F">“No, because other teams have lost, and they have moved up in the poll.”</p>
<h2 id="ncnkNt"><span>Immanuel Quickley</span></h2>
<p id="eiczP1">On the difficulty of guarding Jordan Bone:</p>
<p id="EWOz2m">“He is a really good guard. He is fast and quick. He was able to get to his spots. He is experienced too. He knew where to be on the floor and how to get his teammates the ball. He really led his guys today.”</p>
<p id="u0ev1S">On Tennessee’s play today:</p>
<p id="PtptLf">“Like I said, there are no excuses, but I’m sure they had revenge on their mind. I think any team that plays us is going to be ready to play us, just because we are Kentucky. We are always going to have that target on our back. We just really didn’t match their energy today.”</p>
<h2 id="zRzjCx">Nick Richards</h2>
<p id="iW7ReU">On the game today:</p>
<p id="IAhWTM">“We just didn’t bring energy from the jump. They brought more energy than us. We didn’t execute our offense and our defense wasn’t how it usually is. We just weren’t ourselves today. It was a bad game.”</p>
<p id="RfPoKk">On each team possibly seeing each other again this season:</p>
<p id="vI7tmY">“We will definitely see them again. Obviously we will end up seeing each other in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/sec-basketball-tournament">SEC tournament</a>. It will be a good battle. The rivalry is great. We are going to see them again soon.”</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18248912/college-basketball-john-calipari-uk-wildcats-tennessee-vols-2019Greg Goins2019-03-03T12:20:37-05:002019-03-03T12:20:37-05:00Updated SEC standings and projections as the regular season wraps up
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U1aCSbULnRu0vZAzoUL_rFfB4SA=/738x492:4272x2848/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63164281/uk_huddle.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jamie Boggs - Sea of Blue</figcaption>
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<p>Only two games remain before postseason play begins. </p> <p id="vdH3rw">Saturday afternoon wasn’t a success in any way for the <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a>. </p>
<p id="AtN6Px">Missing inside bull <span>Reid Travis</span> and suffering from foul trouble and a rash of turnovers, the Cats dropped a 71-52 decision to the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/">Tennessee Volunteers</a> in Knoxville.</p>
<p id="TXEQJh">While the loss probably didn’t hurt the Cats badly in the eyes of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a> selection committee, it did push the Cats to one game back in SEC play with two games to play before the conference tournament in Nashville.</p>
<p id="WIfvXv">As the season winds up, it’s a three-team race for the top seed with the Vols and <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/">LSU Tigers</a>. Both teams sit at 14-2 in conference and the Cats are 13-3. However, the Tigers currently have tei-breaking wins over both the Vols and Cats, so LSU would have to lose one more game to not win the regular-season crown. </p>
<p id="B7GxFE">The Cats have two remaining games vs. the <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com/">Ole Miss Rebels</a> in Oxford and <a href="https://www.alligatorarmy.com/">Florida Gators</a> at home. LSU has remaining games with Florida on the road and <a href="https://www.anchorofgold.com/">Vanderbilt Commodores</a> at home. UT has the <a href="https://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com/">Mississippi State Bulldogs</a> at home and <a href="https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/">Auburn Tigers</a> on the road.</p>
<aside id="NiEDE5"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Social Media reactions to Kentucky getting thumped by Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247787/uk-basketball-twitter-kentucky-tennessee-volunteers-wildcats-sec"},{"title":"4 more thoughts & postgame notes from Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18247923/kentucky-basketball-thoughts-postgame-notes-tennessee-volunteers"}]}'></div></aside><p id="rOEB4H">Considering all three teams will probably be favorites in their games, it’s most likely UK will be the 3 seed in the tournament, which is still a good place to be with double byes going to the top four seeds.</p>
<p id="ftOcb3">But the 4 seed may be the most interesting of all. As of right now, six teams have a chance to claim that seed and the byes it holds. Those schools at 9-7 and tied for fifth are Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, Mississippi State and the <a href="https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/">South Carolina Gamecocks</a>. The <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/">Alabama Crimson Tide</a> sit at 8-8.</p>
<h2 id="5o6tFp"><strong>SEC Standings</strong></h2>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dmSg51j58TlfHk8EFzf7QdvhMGs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/15142138/gyj.jpg">
<cite>SECSports.com</cite>
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<p id="NhIubI">Most bracket experts have Tennessee, LSU, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Auburn in the Big Dance. The next group hanging around the bubble are Ole Miss, Florida, and Alabama. South Carolina is hard to figure. The Gamecocks are under .500 at 14-15, but still 9-7 in conference. </p>
<p id="CXXS0v">Figure in the <a href="https://www.arkansasfight.com/">Arkansas Razorbacks</a>, <a href="https://www.dawgsports.com/">Georgia Bulldogs</a>, <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/">Missouri Tigers</a> and <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com/">Texas A&M Aggies</a>, who could upset someone (especially Arkansas), and the makings of one of the better <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/sec-basketball-tournament">SEC Tournament</a>s in conference history are there. </p>
<p id="7jb3OI"><a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/team/kentucky-wildcats/projections">Over at Team Rankings</a>, they project LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky and Auburn to finish as the top four seeds, while the Vols are the favorites to win the SEC Tournament: </p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18248314/ncaa-basketball-ncaa-sec-standings-uk-wildcats-lsu-tigers-tennessee-volsShane Shackleford2019-03-03T07:15:00-05:002019-03-03T07:15:00-05:004 more thoughts & postgame notes from Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee
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<img alt="Kentucky v Tennessee" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-qC7y02wNlbuOfdldxjZGSGJFNc=/0x0:4428x2952/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63163065/1133262448.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Tennessee dominated at home like we did in Rupp. See you in Nashville UT </p> <p id="mOdUaR">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> had to make a trip to Knoxville for their rematch with the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/">Tennessee Volunteers</a></p>
<p id="q3udzF">Kentucky came out of the gate strong, as <span>Nick Richards</span> threw down a big dunk, and <span>Ashton Hagans</span> knocked down a three to give the Cats a quick 6-0 lead. </p>
<p id="XAH6br">However, Tennessee answered with a 9-0 run of their own to take the lead. From that point, each team battled back and forth and exchanged leads. </p>
<p id="BQXyrQ">But with 8:23 left in the half, the Cats trailed 19-18 and <span>PJ Washington</span> left the game with his second foul. </p>
<p id="LfP9Mu">From then on, the Vols outscored the Cats 18-6 and took a 37-24 lead into the break. </p>
<p id="P6hGYY">It was just that kind of day for the Cats, as the Vols’ lead swelled to 20 quick in the second half, 47-27. </p>
<p id="p3U8iT">Kentucky made a small run to cut the lead back down to 14, as a dunk by <span>EJ Montgomery</span> made it 50-36. </p>
<p id="wuEN0F">However, Tennessee answered with a run of their own, and the Cats were never able to get it back down to single digits as the Vols rolled to a 71-52 victory. </p>
<aside id="extO1T"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Recap, box score & MVP from Round 2 of Kentucky vs. Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247725/kentucky-wildcats-recap-box-score-game-mvp-kentucky-vs-tennessee-2019"},{"title":"Social Media reactions to Kentucky getting thumped by Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247787/uk-basketball-twitter-kentucky-tennessee-volunteers-wildcats-sec"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="w44aKb"><strong>Thoughts on the game</strong></h2>
<p id="EhcG7A"><strong>Horrible shooting performance</strong></p>
<p id="QVMKU2">One thing this team has done well this year is show up on the road and put together a solid performance, no matter the opponent. </p>
<p id="f8sXaD">That was far from the case in this one, as the Cats made a total of 14 field goals for the game. They were 14/44 (31.8%) for the game and 5/19 (26.3%) from three. It was just their second true road loss of the season. </p>
<p id="Ci7fix">The Cats also didn’t knock down enough free throws as they were 19/29 (65.5%) from the line. While not bad, they needed to step up in this area to account for their lack of shooting. </p>
<p id="YHWxok">When you are on the road and don’t shoot well from the field, that is a recipe for a loss and that’s exactly what happened in this one. </p>
<p id="4QKM7P"><span><strong>Keldon Johnson</strong></span><strong>, </strong><span><strong>Tyler Herro</strong></span><strong>, and Ashton Hagans didn’t show up</strong></p>
<p id="ElL7HY">When three of your go-to guys don’t show up and play at a high level, it will be hard to win. Unfortunately for Kentucky, the three guys it needed to step up turned in one of their worst outings of the season.</p>
<p id="8sRf4H">Johnson, Herro and Hagans were a combined 6/26 from the floor, and none of them scored in double digits. They also had 10 turnovers combined vs. just seven turnovers and one steal. </p>
<p id="4eQ21o">It was really disappointing to see Herro struggle to much after his strong road outings in prior games, not to mention his 29-point outing vs. Arkansas on Tuesday. Perhaps the Achilles issue he had in that game lingered into Knoxville. </p>
<p id="E9cMtW">For this team to make a deep run in March, at least two of the three must show up every night, and when none of them do, you see what the result is. </p>
<p id="RRsDfO"><strong>This team needs </strong><span><strong>Reid Travis</strong></span><strong> back</strong></p>
<p id="L7Y5Wf">Travis is the perfect player to have for a game like this when you need a tough guy to battle in the post. </p>
<p id="UdyvE7">In the first matchup, Travis was outstanding as he played excellent defense all game and almost finished with a double-double. He also was key in keeping <span>Grant Williams</span> contained throughout the matchup while also helping free up PJ Washington in the paint. </p>
<p id="0qlS4n">But without Travis, that paved the way for <span>Williams</span> to score 24 points on 7/13 shooting. It also made it tougher for Washington to defend the paint, and he ended up with two fouls within the first 12 minutes. </p>
<p id="0werRT">This team will most likely have to play one more game without him, and once they get him back, this team should look completely different. </p>
<p id="mem9AD"><strong>This sets up for an excellent rubber match </strong></p>
<p id="ITdHkg">Now that Kentucky is likely to be the three seed in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/sec-basketball-tournament">SEC Tournament</a>, it will most likely set up a Saturday, semi-final battle with the Vols. </p>
<p id="C7dDnE">Each team dominated on their home court, and Schofield gave the Cats some extra motivation by choosing to dunk that ball as time expired. </p>
<p id="GG2BK1">If each team takes care of business, the third meeting of the season will be a very fun matchup. It also may very well determine which, if either of these teams gets a 1 seed in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a>. </p>
<p id="5GvjCs">The Cats will hit the road again as they travel to face Ole Miss on Tuesday night. That game will tip-off at 9:00 pm EST on ESPN. </p>
<p id="v8spLB">Now, here are the postgame notes and milestones via UK Athletics:</p>
<p id="sb1bZw"></p>
<p id="6PYtbS"><strong>Team Records and Series Notes</strong></p>
<p id="NW39j2">· Kentucky falls to 24-5 overall and 13-3 in the Southeastern Conference, falling a game behind Tennessee and LSU for the league lead.</p>
<p id="Ykxpbt">· Tennessee is now 26-3 and 14-2 in SEC play.</p>
<p id="fEVreN">· Kentucky still leads the most played series in school history 155-72.</p>
<p id="OlxtW0">o UK leads 54-52 in games played in Knoxville, Tennessee, but Tennessee has won four straight at Thompson-Boling Arena. That’s UK’s longest losing streak on the road to Tennessee since dropping seven straight in Knoxville from 1979 to 1985.</p>
<p id="wa6kpw">· UK is now 12-9 vs. Tennessee when both teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.</p>
<p id="tlyKPg">· Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats enter the final week of the regular season, starting with a trip to Ole Miss on Tuesday. That game is slated for a 9 p.m. ET tip on ESPN. </p>
<p id="Wbfs3Y"> </p>
<p id="qoaNSU"><strong>In the First Half</strong></p>
<p id="6Q26l3">· Kentucky started the combination of <strong>Ashton Hagans, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson, PJ Washington</strong> and <strong>Nick Richards </strong>for the first time this season.</p>
<p id="7fD6PT">o Reid Travis missed his third straight game with a sprained right knee. His timetable for a return was at least two weeks from the injury, which occurred Feb. 19 at Missouri.</p>
<p id="0HKAoY">· UK jumped out to a 6-0 lead to start the game, featuring a slick lob pass from Herro to Richards for a dunk followed by a Hagans 3-pointer.</p>
<p id="7xdIpR">· Tennessee answered with a 9-0 run that lasted 3:15 of game time. Richards ended it with a free throw.</p>
<p id="gYwziR">· The Volunteers pulled in front 28-18 on a 9-0 run from the 8:38 mark to the 4:03 mark. Kentucky went scoreless for 4:59 until Richards hit a free throw at the 3:39 mark.</p>
<p id="KE57V3">· The Wildcats dealt with foul trouble nearly all half. <strong>EJ Montgomery </strong>picked up his second foul at the 9:55 mark mark and his third at 5:00, <strong>Washington </strong>was charged with his second with 8:23 (and went to the bench for the rest of the half), Johnson got his second at 5:16, and Richards picked up No. 2 at the 2:59 mark and No. 3 at 2:17.</p>
<p id="dCtthL">o When Washington went to the bench with his second foul, the Wildcats were outscored 18-6 until halftime.</p>
<p id="uMhJCy">· After a Johnson floater at the 10:23 mark, Kentucky went without a field goal for 9:32 of game time until <span><strong>Jemarl Baker Jr.</strong></span><strong> </strong>hit a 3 pointer from the left corner with 51 seconds left in the half.</p>
<p id="cvTmQt">· UK’s six field goals and 23.1-percent shooting were both first-half lows this season</p>
<p id="kWnXo7">o The six made field goals were behind only the five made in the second half vs. Missouri on Feb. 19.</p>
<p id="MxFWN6">o The 23.1 percent was a low for any half.</p>
<p id="JWTWqQ"><em> </em></p>
<p id="VYiyD5"><strong>In the Second Half</strong></p>
<p id="aOVBdh">· Kentucky opened with the same starting five: Hagans, Herro, Johnson, Washington and Richards.</p>
<p id="79VsrE">· After falling behind by 20 points, the Wildcats went on a 7-0 run – highlighted by five points from <span><strong>Immanuel Quickley</strong></span><strong> – </strong>to cut Tennessee’s lead to 47-34. The Wildcats would never get any closer.</p>
<p id="H66H0d">· UK did not score over the final 3:22 of the game.</p>
<p id="YFcLsj"> </p>
<p id="tJiw8f"><strong>Team Notes</strong></p>
<p id="Fg57kU">· UK’s road winning streak was stopped at six games. It was the longest road winning streak since the magical 2014-15 season.</p>
<p id="bN2uUj">· Kentucky is now 5-3 vs. AP Top 25 opponents and 3-2 vs. top-10 foes.</p>
<p id="Fpq4OI">· UK scored a season-low 52 points, four fewer than the previous low.</p>
<p id="9rQU0c">o It’s the fewest points the Wildcats have scored since netting just 48 in a loss to Vanderbilt on March 15, 2013, in the SEC Tournament.</p>
<p id="e7WYWr">· Kentucky shot a season-low 31.8 percent.</p>
<p id="vKrD30">o That’s UK’s lowest field-goal percentage since shooting 31.5 percent at Missouri on Feb. 3, 2018.</p>
<p id="QMvJxA">· UK made just 14 file goals, tying the fewest field goals UK made in one game during the Calipari era (March 1, 2014 at South Carolina).</p>
<p id="wxDBLC">· After dominating the Volunteers 36-20 in points in the paint in the first matchup in Lexington, Kentucky scored just 10 on Saturday. Tennessee scored 28.</p>
<p id="2DCJX9">o UK fell to 3-2 when getting outscored in the paint.</p>
<p id="HwKJdF">· It’s just the third time in 23 games UK has lost when winning the rebounding battle.</p>
<p id="NQ7K4e"></p>
<p id="vR0URT"><strong>Player Notes </strong> </p>
<p id="tPn078">· <strong>PJ Washington </strong>led UK with 13 points despite foul trouble in the first half.</p>
<p id="BHdMQf">· He’s scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 game and 19 games overall.</p>
<p id="GrZeaf">· <strong>Nick Richards </strong>started for the third time this season and first time since Nov. 23 vs. Tennessee State. He scored eight points, hauled down seven rebounds and blocked three shots.</p>
<p id="npJkzE">· He’s blocked three shots in each of the past three games</p>
<p id="Ujzp72">· UK dropped to 12-1 this season when Richards scores at least four points. </p>
<p id="pGUArT">· <strong>Immanuel Quickley </strong>scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting (2 of 4 from 3-point range).</p>
<p id="ElWkUH">· It was his best scoring output since he scored 12 on Jan. 12 against Vanderbilt.</p>
<p id="zM5QNz"><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="xZSfAt"><strong>Calipari</strong></p>
<p id="aUusZ2">· Calipari is 299-69 at UK, needing just one more win to become the fourth-fastest coach in NCAA Division I history to 300 wins at any school</p>
<p id="tqU2Pw">· Calipari has a 744-200 all-time on-court record.</p>
<p id="ABtXdU">· Calipari fell to 57-29 vs. AP Top 25 opponents at Kentucky and 23-18 vs. the top 10.</p>
<p id="oUfktK">· He is 80-52 when both opponents are ranked in the AP Top 25, including 49-25 at UK. He’s 26-17 all-time when both opponents are in the top 25 and 15-10 at UK.</p>
<p id="QO3xQV">· Calipari is 16-10 vs. Tennessee in his career.</p>
<p id="9I97EW"></p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/3/18247923/kentucky-basketball-thoughts-postgame-notes-tennessee-volunteersAdam Haste2019-03-02T16:55:28-05:002019-03-02T16:55:28-05:00Social Media reactions to Kentucky getting thumped by Tennessee
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<img alt="Kentucky v Tennessee" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FmfoZ00zR-lBKejSkhBk9AiOnXM=/778x12:3243x1655/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63161768/1133252018.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Nick Richards is already looking forward to Round 3. </p> <p id="1mIF2A">On this day two weeks ago, Kentucky obliterated then ranked No. 1 Tennessee at Rupp Arena by a final of 86-71. </p>
<p id="leZbr6">This time around, it was the Vols at home and in control, as No. 4 Kentucky took their worst loss since the opening night nightmare against Duke and fell to No. 7 Tennessee by a final score of 71-52.</p>
<p id="oe94ZG">For Kentucky, the problem was an inability to hit shots. The Cats shot only 31.8% from the field and 26.3% from three.</p>
<aside id="UnCkYa"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Recap, box score & MVP from Round 2 of Kentucky vs. Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247725/kentucky-wildcats-recap-box-score-game-mvp-kentucky-vs-tennessee-2019"},{"title":"Kentucky falls at Tennessee: 4 takeaways & postgame talk","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247756/kentucky-basketball-tennessee-vols-4-takeaways-postgame-news"}]}'></div></aside><p id="QPYAaS">Kentucky also fell victim to <span>Jordan Bone</span>’s stellar performance for Tennessee. The junior point guard dropped 27 points leading the Vols to the big win.</p>
<p id="04IAoR">With Kentucky’s loss, they now not only are unlikely to win the SEC regular season title but also made their case a little harder to make for a one seed in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA tournament</a>. </p>
<p id="eHAvqd">After a brutal day on Rocky Top, Kentucky Twitter was full of emotion: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Curb Your Kentucky Fandom” <a href="https://t.co/AmXO9hLqMY">pic.twitter.com/AmXO9hLqMY</a></p>— Hey Kentucky! (@hey_kentucky) <a href="https://twitter.com/hey_kentucky/status/1101929726237700096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jordan Bone is a problem.</p>— Tod Lanter (@tod_lanterIII) <a href="https://twitter.com/tod_lanterIII/status/1101929802230059010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If Nick Richards had done that, he would have been called for six walks.</p>— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDrumUK/status/1101930626318503936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very dramatic walk call there made sure all eyes were in him</p>— Curtis Burch (@curtisburch) <a href="https://twitter.com/curtisburch/status/1101931864745480194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nick Richards said "NAH" ... probably <a href="https://t.co/iEklFrPigT">pic.twitter.com/iEklFrPigT</a></p>— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1101932317679841280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nick Richards told Admiral "NO SIR!" <a href="https://t.co/Wlag6NlP3c">pic.twitter.com/Wlag6NlP3c</a></p>— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoushKSR/status/1101932531312676866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">*Kentucky <a href="https://t.co/SsbLcwuMeN">https://t.co/SsbLcwuMeN</a></p>— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) <a href="https://twitter.com/gbbcountry/status/1101933293799395328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/66kOphwsll">pic.twitter.com/66kOphwsll</a></p>— KY Clips™️ (@KY_Clips) <a href="https://twitter.com/KY_Clips/status/1101972229653442560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">So Tyler did a bad, I gather. <a href="https://t.co/bf6xmJmke1">https://t.co/bf6xmJmke1</a></p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1101933471658848256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This isn’t happening because of Travis being out. This is happening because Kentucky just can’t hit a shot right now.</p>— Round Daddy (@JStreble82) <a href="https://twitter.com/JStreble82/status/1101933605188702209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Grant Williams flops more than a soccer player.</p>— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoushKSR/status/1101934965095313412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cal finally got the technical he was begging for.</p>— Derek Terry (@DerekSTerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSTerry/status/1101935241793548288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">First-half recap: <a href="https://t.co/aWeNMwdy1i">pic.twitter.com/aWeNMwdy1i</a></p>— A Sea of Blue (@ASeaOfBlue) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASeaOfBlue/status/1101938228804943874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Can this game be over? <br><br>Signed <br><br>-An Enjoyable Saturday</p>— Big Blue Drew (@BigBlueDrew33) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigBlueDrew33/status/1101942810884878343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We're onto Oxford</p>— Aaron Gershon (@agershon99) <a href="https://twitter.com/agershon99/status/1101943210799190019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">“It was the first game in a while where we did not play for each other. ... The team I’m coaching, we absolutely need each.” - Cal</p>— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB/status/1101960015760506881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Would you believe me if I told you that Kentucky's largest deficit between opening night (down 37 to Duke) and tonight (down 20 against the Vols) was ... 12 points in the first five minutes in the first meeting with Vanderbilt?</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1101946463876235264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have to applaud Richards effort in this game. He’s had the most energy and efficient at the free throw line</p>— Corey Clark (@2ceezzz) <a href="https://twitter.com/2ceezzz/status/1101948952440700928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reid Travis wouldn’t have made everyone’s shots go in but I’ll say this. I think this teams approach and confidence would be much better with him. Really hope to see him play at least one regular season game before postseason play begins.</p>— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) <a href="https://twitter.com/gbbcountry/status/1101957217148956672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">How much would the Cats like to get Round 3 rubber match on a neutral floor? "We're definitely going to see them again," Nick Richards said. "It's going to be a good battle. The rivalry is great. We're going to see them again soon."</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1101958987870883841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247787/uk-basketball-twitter-kentucky-tennessee-volunteers-wildcats-secAaron Gershon2019-03-02T16:44:54-05:002019-03-02T16:44:54-05:00Recap, box score & MVP from Round 2 of Kentucky vs. Tennessee
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<figcaption>Alex Slitz Photography</figcaption>
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<p>The Cats will need to regroup quickly after a bad performance on both ends of the floor.</p> <p id="TmqBWT">#7 Tennessee beats down #4 Kentucky 71-52 on their home floor in a game to forget for the visitors. </p>
<p id="5LeP4l">The Cats didn’t exactly get to ease their way into the month of March by playing a top 10 team on the road. Kentucky traveled to Knoxville for a difficult game that carried a lot of consequence in terms of seeding for the SEC and NCAA tournaments. </p>
<p id="totZKa"><span>Reid Travis</span> was ruled out a few hours before the game, without his presence in the paint, it was obvious that the Cats would need to step up and play tough down low while also battling against the rowdy Thompson-Boling Arena crowd. </p>
<p id="Yr5JkI">Before tip-off it was reported that there was little to no blue in the stands. So it is fair to say, even with all of the tough games Kentucky has been in this season, playing #7 Tennessee on the road, was likely the toughest challenge to date and it showed. </p>
<h2 id="yPkQmE"><strong>Recap</strong></h2>
<p id="enkJBN">The Cats didn’t waiver early, going on a 6-0 run to start the game. The Vols followed up with a 5-0 run of their own by pounding the glass with second chance points. Without Travis, giving up offensive rebounds was an issue early and Tennessee came out playing some ferocious man-to-man defense. As expected, the game began physical, and Tennessee lead 15-14 at the under 12 minute timeout in the first half. </p>
<p id="ygJ8v4">Two fouls sent <span>PJ Washington</span> to the bench around the 8 minute mark and Tennessee responded by charging out to a 23-18 lead. Things got worse from there, a lot worse. </p>
<p id="RENwaY">The Cats went on a nine and a half minute scoring drought and looked abysmal on offense. Coach Calipari received a technical foul and Kentucky shot 6-26 from the field. It was brutal to watch. </p>
<p id="DzIzHa"><span>Jordan Bone</span>’s 12 points fueled the Vols and Kentucky’s horrible shooting allowed them to dominate the first 20 minutes by a score of 37-24. Credit to Tennessee for their intense defense and making the Cats look awful. It was one of the games where all you wanted was for the halftime buzzer to sound. </p>
<p id="XMJHx0">The wheels fell off early in the second half as the Vols pushed their lead to 20 points in just four minutes of gameplay. Kentucky’s offense improved but there remained no answer for <span>Jordan Bone</span> who picked apart the Cats at every opportunity. Bone had 19 points on 8/11 shooting and Tennessee was up 52-36 at the under 12 timeout. </p>
<p id="qkVptG">Nothing went right for Kentucky the entire game and having considerable foul trouble didn’t help matters much. Another long scoring drought in the second half sealed UK’s fate down in Knoxville. Kentucky finished the game 14-44 from the field. </p>
<p id="cBG64o">Jordan Bone scored 27 points on the day. </p>
<p id="LN1QVa"><span>Tyler Herro</span>, <span>Keldon Johnson</span>, and <span>Ashton Hagans</span> did very little to help their team win in a game where the back-court was much needed.<strong> </strong></p>
<p id="Mh6WP4"><strong>Kentucky had 17 turnovers and 14 fields goals which says it all. </strong></p>
<p id="NVPs9Y">Oh, well. We all knew that this game would be difficult to win. It’s likely that there will be a round 3 between these two teams, which should be a gem on a neutral court. </p>
<h2 id="hwwrNU"><strong>Game MVP </strong></h2>
<p id="rMdY3x">It was a challenging game to find an MVP but <span>Nick Richards</span> provided above average stats for Kentucky today. He finished the game with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Richards still made plenty of mistakes but he was hitting the glass hard every possession. Foul troubles really limited what he could do but props for the effort. </p>
<p id="MlHBun">Before this game started I thought that it would take a conference player of the year type performance from PJ Washington in order for Kentucky to beat the Vols on the road. That surely didn’t happen. </p>
<p id="ZOcHLu">The tone was not set by PJ Washington as it had been in past games and that resulted in Kentucky looking lost on both ends of the court. </p>
<p id="xf9sPS">He was able to get a little bit going in the second half but it was by far too little, too late for Washington and the Cats. </p>
<p id="LGlcYs">It was a tall task to win in Knoxville without Reid Travis and PJ Washington playing below par. The guards need those guys playing well in order to get their own offense going. It just wasn’t there today. </p>
<p id="qwlfXO">Kentucky needs PJ Washington to regroup and lead them, especially if Reid Travis is to miss any further action. </p>
<h2 id="kUGJvy"><strong>Box Score </strong></h2>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Xv3nmdq49sGoEPUJO9LYb2Xxt2E=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/15057199/D0ru3c4WoAUXX3a.jpg">
</figure>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247725/kentucky-wildcats-recap-box-score-game-mvp-kentucky-vs-tennessee-2019BigBlueDrew2019-03-02T16:16:57-05:002019-03-02T16:16:57-05:00Kentucky falls at Tennessee: 4 takeaways & postgame talk
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Kentucky at Tennessee" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PXKq4qYw0XlyXic0somOxe9HBeM=/0x0:3924x2616/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63161697/usa_today_12268872.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kentucky simply wasn’t ready for a visit to Knoxville and got manhandled accordingly. </p> <p id="d5wkXz">Rightfully so, the <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> had bragging rights over the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/">Tennessee Volunteers</a> after the first time the two teams met. </p>
<p id="ZQpuu5">However, on Saturday, the Volunteers responded accordingly behind their home crowd to even out the regular season series. Kentucky jumped out early but that was the closest they’d come to victory in a 71-52 defeat at Tennessee.</p>
<h2 id="z7HGRu">
<span><strong>Bone</strong></span><strong> and </strong><span><strong>Williams</strong></span><strong> Claim Revenge </strong>
</h2>
<p id="75OHUb">‘Twas the <span>Grant Williams</span> and <span>Jordan Bone</span> show on Saturday afternoon, as the two combined to score 51 points on 18-28 shooting<strong> </strong>in leading the Volunteers to victory. Kentucky had no answer for either player, as Bone sank shots all over the court and Williams lived at the free throw line.</p>
<aside id="hGM3Wn"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Social Media reactions to Kentucky getting thumped by Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247787/uk-basketball-twitter-kentucky-tennessee-volunteers-wildcats-sec"},{"title":"Recap, box score & MVP from Round 2 of Kentucky vs. Tennessee","url":"https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247725/kentucky-wildcats-recap-box-score-game-mvp-kentucky-vs-tennessee-2019"}]}'></div></aside><p id="TT2lCr">In the the first meeting between these two teams, both players “got theirs” but Kentucky was able to land larger punches at the offensive end to claim victory. This Saturday, though, that was far from the case.</p>
<p id="bqV3On">If and when these two teams meet again, Kentucky will need to game plan much better for the Volunteers.</p>
<h2 id="sMU6sv"><strong>Offense Lags</strong></h2>
<p id="aKjPw9">Thanks to the stellar play of <span>PJ Washington</span> inside, Kentucky has mostly been able to hide their lack of offensive chemistry from the point guard position. Freshman starter <span>Ashton Hagans</span> has been worse than inconsistent over the last month and Saturday wasn’t any different.</p>
<p id="tVmWrK">Whether he was missing wide open shooters or turning the ball over, Hagans didn’t provide much of anything for Kentucky in terms of a positive perspective. With Washington picking up a couple of fouls halfway through the first half, Kentucky’s offense lagged so terribly that the Wildcats at one point connected on just one of their 15 field goal attempts.</p>
<p id="zLLosO">This was easily the worst offensive game Kentucky has had this season. Some of the credit goes to Tennessee, but far too many of Kentucky’s misses were quality shots that the Cats simply weren’t hitting. There is no excuse for this, even with Travis sitting out. </p>
<p id="GNQIRb">Needless to say, head coach John Calipari has a few significant issues to fix.</p>
<h2 id="HpxMOk"><strong>Wings Couldn’t Contribute</strong></h2>
<p id="OVmMXq">Entering Saturday’s game, freshman shooting guard <span>Tyler Herro</span> was coming off a career-high 29 points against Arkansas. While the high point total was spectacular, shooting 9-10 and scoring that many points on such few shots was even better.</p>
<p id="fEoCSR">The last time Kentucky and Tennessee met, <span>Keldon Johnson</span> poured in 19 points and specifically sparked a three point clinic to sustain the Wildcats’ lead.</p>
<p id="V6v9pP">However, on Saturday, the two vanished when the pressure began to amount. Kentucky’s wings combined to shoot 4-19 and score just 13 points. Against elite competition, wins will be difficult to achieve if Herro and Johnson play as poor as they did on Saturday.</p>
<h2 id="Frtl07"><strong>Wildcats May Be In Trouble</strong></h2>
<p id="gi8gZy">Starting center <span>Reid Travis</span> has left a hole in Kentucky’s lineup that very well may be irreplaceable. While <span>EJ Montgomery</span> and <span>Nick Richards</span> bring an increase in athleticism to the lineup, Travis and his physicality had implanted a culture of toughness that Kentucky desperately needed on Saturday.</p>
<p id="d92P23">With a heavy amount of fog surrounding his injury, Travis could end up missing more time than anticipated. In that case, Kentucky needs to find their identity when he’s off the court if they wish to win multiple games this month before the NCAA tournament begins. </p>
<p id="gfKWmi">We thought this was a great team that could overcome an injury to one player, but this past week made it clear that simply isn’t the case. This can still be a very special March for Kentucky, but it’s become clear they need everyone healthy to win 4+ games in the Big Dance. </p>
<p id="KpGjlZ">Heading into the final week of the SEC regular season, Kentucky (24-5) will first travel to Ole Miss (19-10) on Tuesday before returning home to host Florida on Saturday. Tuesday’s tip-off is set for 9 pm EST with Saturday’s set for 2 pm EST. </p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18247756/kentucky-basketball-tennessee-vols-4-takeaways-postgame-newsJohn Morgan Francis2019-03-02T12:15:16-05:002019-03-02T12:15:16-05:00Kentucky vs. Tennessee Game Thread & Pregame Reading
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8bahDFv-TrmdRQqoUXjZll6NEi0=/0x0:5004x3336/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63161008/tyler_herro_transy_hdr_mode_1.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Marcum - Sea of Blue</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A huge SEC clash is on deck in Knoxville. </p> <p id="FfT8DN">The much anticipated rematch between two of the top teams in college basketball is here!</p>
<p id="Sf2rb7">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> are in Knoxville today as they prepare to take on the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/">Tennessee Volunteers</a> in a game that has mega importance for both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. </p>
<p id="fW5Qte">It has been a while since both Kentucky and Tennessee were this good at the same time, so this is very exciting for both teams and the SEC as a whole. </p>
<p id="ycjVPF">There is a lot riding on this game. If Kentucky wins, it nearly seals the deal on them being a 1 seed, so long as they can take care of business against Ole Miss and Florida. </p>
<p id="UFhMgc">If Tennessee wins, it’ll thrust them right back into the 1 seed conversation so long as they take care of their business in their last two games. </p>
<p id="X8lTuK">Thompson-Boling Arena will be rocking and you know the Vols will be ready to play after their embarrassing loss in Rupp just a couple weeks ago. The Cats will be without <span>Reid Travis</span>, which means nearly every player on the team will need to play their best game to get the win. </p>
<p id="e6Oaty">Today’s game can be seen on CBS at 2 pm EST. You can stream the game on <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/">CBS Sports</a> and<a href="https://fave.co/2yN4Yrs" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> fuboTV</a>. You can listen to an online radio stream via<a href="https://ukathletics.com/signingday/general/general/3/"> UK Athletics</a>. </p>
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<h2 id="ZR5Ice"><strong>Pregame Reading</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li id="3NhwxA"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18246506/tennessee-basketball-kentucky-wildcats-2019-analysis-expert-picks-prediction">Kentucky at Tennessee: Analysis, betting trends, expert picks & prediction</a></li>
<li id="4y3fs8"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18246617/college-basketball-watch-kentucky-were-here-hype-video">WATCH Kentucky’s “We’re Here” hype video</a></li>
<li id="QLRLyD"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/2/28/18244711/tennessee-volunteers-uk-wildcats-grant-williams-admiral-schofield">Tennessee players talk about rematch with UK, mock idea that they are “scared”</a></li>
<li id="PA5JZl"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18243803/kentucky-basketball-film-room-tyler-herro-wildcats">Kentucky Basketball Film Room: Yes, Tyler Herro, you are indeed a bucket</a></li>
<li id="iMQB3k"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18246368/uk-basketball-john-calipari-injury-update-reid-travis-tyler-herro">John Calipari gives injury update on Reid Travis and Tyler Herro</a></li>
<li id="Bt1xTr"><a href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18246340/nba-draft-rankings-2019-uk-wildcats-pj-washington-tyler-herro-keldon-johnson">Where the Wildcats stand in new ESPN draft rankings</a></li>
<li id="aVDpVj"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18246636/kentucky-football-cj-conrad-nfl-draft-scouting-combine-heart-issue-wildcats">C.J. Conrad to miss Scouting Combine due to heart issue</a></li>
<li id="s07n2Y"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18246286/ncaa-basketball-john-calipari-uk-wildcats-tennessee-vols-2019-pj-washington">John Calipari & Wildcats preview rematch with Tennessee</a></li>
<li id="D5B1UK"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/2/28/18243176/kentucky-basketball-tennessee-vols-game-time-tv-channel-online-stream-odds">Kentucky vs. Tennessee: Preview, viewing info & what to watch for in Round 2</a></li>
<li id="noVn77"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/1/18241881/nba-mock-draft-2019-uk-wildcats-basketball-tyler-herro-keldon-johnson">More mixed reviews on Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson’s NBA future</a></li>
<li id="ooMsi6"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/2/28/18243917/uk-basketball-video-of-the-new-and-improved-rupp-arena">Video of the new and improved Rupp Arena</a></li>
<li id="e6RBR5"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/2/28/18243889/tennessee-vols-kentucky-wildcats-basketball-roundtable-predictions-2019">Kentucky vs. Tennessee Roundtable and Predictions</a></li>
</ul>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/2/18246593/how-to-stream-uk-basketball-vs-tennessee-vols-2019-live-blog-game-updatesTJ Barnett