It's not exactly the third Saturday in October, but Tennessee (17-14, 9-9) and Alabama (16-15, 8-10) will do battle on the second Thursday in March. The eight and nine seeds will meet in the first full day of the Southeastern Conference Tournament with Kentucky waiting in the wings to take on the winner the following day.
This will be the second time that the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers meet this season. The two teams faced off on Feb. 4 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama led by as much as 39-24 in the first half, and Tennessee trailed by seven with twelve minutes left. But in the end, Tennessee was too much down the stretch. They went up by as much as four points late in the game, and held on for the 69-68 win.
The looming question is which team matches up the best for the Wildcats. The Big Blue split with Tennessee during the regular season. Kentucky won 77-64 in Knoxville, but dropped an infamous decision last Tuesday in Rupp Arena, 81-73. Alabama lost in Lexington 76-67 all the way back on January 11.
Tennessee versus Alabama
Three familiar names in orange haunted the Tide just as they have the Wildcats. John Fulkerson made 8 of 9 points and finished with 22 points. Jordan Bowden had 20 points thanks to 10 of 11 foul shooting to go along with 7 rebounds. Yves Ponds had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Alabama was carried by Kira Lewis Jr with 19 points. Jordan Shackelford was the only other Alabama player in double figures with 12 points. John Petty only had 8 points, but did grab 11 rebounds. One noticeable absence that aided the Vols was the absence of big man, Herb Jones, who was out with a hand injury.
Tennessee did not pull out the win because of a strong shooting performance. They shot 35.5% from the field and only made 2 of 18 three-pointers. What they did do is live at the line. They were 23 of 32 to be exact. Fulkerson, Bowden, and Pons combined for 26 of those attempts.
With Jones out of the game, Tennessee also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Tide 42-33. Their work on the offensive glass will be familiar to Kentucky fans as they came away with 19. They had twenty second chance points in all.
Alabama made eleven three-pointers on the night, but with Jones out, they only got to the line eight times. With the rebounding deficit and a minus eighteen on the boards, they couldn't do enough in other parts of the game to make up the difference.
This time around, Alabama limps in as losers of two in a row, three of four, and eight of twelve since January 29. Last week was disastrous. The Tide dropped an 87-79 decision in Tuscaloosa to a Vanderbilt squad who had only won one previous league game. In fairness, they were without John Petty Jr. Bama had him Saturday at Missouri, but they were woeful against Missouri in a 69-50 loss.
Tennessee, on the other hand, was blown out at home Saturday against Auburn by an 85-63 score. They have lost three of five, They have lost eight of thirteen themselves since January 25.
Kentucky versus Alabama
The Wildcats defeated the Crimson Tide 76-67 all the way back on January 11. Kentucky led throughout the game, but this game was one of the early indicators that this team has problems hanging on to double digit leads. The Big Blue led 52-37 at the 17:12 mark. But that advantage was trimmed drastically to a one-possession affair at 63-60 with 5:04 remaining.
Alabama played fast on that Saturday in Rupp Arena. They took a total of seventy-six shots and only made 36.8% of them. They were also just 4 of 21 from three-point territory. They also didn't do any damage from the line going 7 of 12.
What they did do is attack the offensive glass with sixteen rebounds on that end of the floor that led to seventeen second chance points. Kentucky also had fourteen turnovers that the Tide turned into sixteen fast break points.
The biggest differential was points in the paint. Alabama overwhelmed Kentucky 44-20 on that stat line. Alabama center, Herb Jones, led the team with 18 points. The backcourt combination of Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty Jr. also repeatedly got to the rim.
Kentucky shot 44.4% from the field, and made 9 of 15 three's for sixty percent. They were also 11 of 17 from the line. As we just said, 14 turnovers were a huge issue.
Ashton Hagans had an outstanding game with 15 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey had 13 points and 4 rebounds, but he and Hagans also had four turnovers apiece. Nick Richards had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley made six of ten three's coming off the bench to total 19 points. E.J. Montgomery added 8 points and 6 rebounds, and Nate Sestina hit two of three trifectas to score six.
Kentucky versus Tennessee
The two battles with the Volunteers are fresh on the mind of Big Blue Nation. The loss last Tuesday virtually shut down the state. We crunched the numbers of the two games and came away with some interesting facts.
Kentucky shot well over the eighty minute span. They were 50 for 102 for 49%. That will win most games. It is also significantly better than Tennessee's 43.5%. Tennessee had six more shot attempts in two games, but made three less shots.
The three-point numbers were also a mixed bag as well. Kentucky had more quality while Tennessee shot more long balls in bulk. The Cats shot twenty-three which comes out to 11.5 per game. They made eleven or 47.8% of their attempts. The Vols shot just 34.1% from deep, which was fourteen percent less. But they launched forty-four long balls, and made four more than Kentucky despite not being nearly as efficient.
Foul shooting was almost a wash. Kentucky was 39 for 45, and Tennessee was 36 for 45. Rebounding was also almost equal. The Vols barely carried that category 60-59, but they did grab more offensive boards by a 23-17 mark.
Kentucky's ball handling issues were a huge problem. They had 28 turnovers compared to 23 assists. Tennessee had 26 assists and 23 turnovers.
In a nutshell, shooting favored Kentucky, but the little things such as ball-handling and block-outs were squarely in the Volunteers' corner.
Kentucky's individual stats
Immanuel Quickley led the team in scoring in the two games against Tennessee. The sophomore guard averaged 19.5 points, and 1.5 assists. He was 40% from the field on 10 of 25. Eight of those were three-pointers, and he made exactly four. He was also a near perfect 9 of 10 from the foul line.
Tyrese Maxey was just behind Quickley with 19 points. He shot exactly 50% on 14 of 28 shooting. He was 2 of 7 from behind the arc and 12 of 21 inside. He was also 6 of 7 from the line. Maxey had 5 assists and 4 turnovers.
Nick Richards averaged 13.5 points and 8 rebounds. He only took ten shots but made seven. Richards did draw fouls and did damage at the line making 13 of 16.
Ashton Hagans was the fourth Cat in double figures at 10.5 points, but he didn't have strong shooting numbers. He was 6 for 18 overall, and 0 of 3 from deep. He did get to the foul line ten times and made nine.
E.J. Montgomery's stat line left much to be desired. He scored four points in two games and had five rebounds. The same can be said for Nate Sestina. He combined for 2 points and 3 rebounds.
Keion Brooks may have been Kentucky's second best inside player against the Vols. He averaged 4 points and 5 rebounds, including nine boards in Knoxville. He was 4 of 7 from the floor.
Tennessee fans are well aware of Johnny Juzang. He had 13 points in Knoxville and 6 in Lexington for a 9.5 point average. Five of his seven shots were via the long ball. He made four of those for an 80% clip.
Tennessee's individual stats
John Fulkerson has become a household name in the Bluegrass, and could be rightfully called the Kentucky killer. He has had two very good games, but his performance in Lexington was off the charts. The 6-foot-9 post had 27 points, and was a key to the Volunteers win by constantly keeping the Wildcats' bigs in foul trouble.
In the two games, Fulkerson averaged 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Fulkerson was 3 of 10 from the filed in the first game, and an outstanding 10 of 15 in the sequel. He shot 46.4% overall. Not surprisingly, he made a steady trek to the foul line. He was 17 of 19. He will be a major point of emphasis in John Calipari's scouting report if Tennessee gets that far.
Josiah Jordan-James came to Knoxville as one of the program's top recruits ever. He hasn't played up to that level for most of the year, but he was phenomenal in last week's game. It was even more evident because he didn't play in the first meeting. James had 16 points on 5 of 9 shooting, 2 of 4 from behind the arc, and 4 of 5 from the line. He also had 7 points and 5 assists. This is a better team with him in the lineup.
Jordan Bowden averaged 13,5 points in each game. He field goal percentage wasn't necessarily great, but his length and athleticism allowed him to get to the line twelve times overall. He made 9 of them. He also averaged 7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and played stellar defense.
Yves Pons is a factor against teams like Kentucky who don't shoot a lot of outside shots. Any shot attempt that is taken in the lane is subject to end up in the bleachers. The 6-foot-6 athletic freak blocked. five shots, but he did damage offensively as well. He was 6 for 9 in Lexington, and averaged 12 points in both meetings. He is a sketchy free throw shooter if that comes into play late in a game.
Santiago Vescovi is the fifth Volunteer to average in double figures against the Cats. The freshman point guard from Uruguay had 18 points in Knoxville, but only 4 in Lexington. His output will come down to how many three's he gets. He was 4 of 11 at Thompson -Boling, and 0 for 3 in Rupp. He does not need to be allowed to be a horse player.
KenPom is expecting a barn burner. He gives the Tide a 52% chance to win, and predicts them to come out on top 75-74.
This will be the second time that the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers meet this season. The two teams faced off on Feb. 4 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama led by as much as 39-24 in the first half, and Tennessee trailed by seven with twelve minutes left. But in the end, Tennessee was too much down the stretch. They went up by as much as four points late in the game, and held on for the 69-68 win.
The looming question is which team matches up the best for the Wildcats. The Big Blue split with Tennessee during the regular season. Kentucky won 77-64 in Knoxville, but dropped an infamous decision last Tuesday in Rupp Arena, 81-73. Alabama lost in Lexington 76-67 all the way back on January 11.
Tennessee versus Alabama
Three familiar names in orange haunted the Tide just as they have the Wildcats. John Fulkerson made 8 of 9 points and finished with 22 points. Jordan Bowden had 20 points thanks to 10 of 11 foul shooting to go along with 7 rebounds. Yves Ponds had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Alabama was carried by Kira Lewis Jr with 19 points. Jordan Shackelford was the only other Alabama player in double figures with 12 points. John Petty only had 8 points, but did grab 11 rebounds. One noticeable absence that aided the Vols was the absence of big man, Herb Jones, who was out with a hand injury.
Tennessee did not pull out the win because of a strong shooting performance. They shot 35.5% from the field and only made 2 of 18 three-pointers. What they did do is live at the line. They were 23 of 32 to be exact. Fulkerson, Bowden, and Pons combined for 26 of those attempts.
With Jones out of the game, Tennessee also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Tide 42-33. Their work on the offensive glass will be familiar to Kentucky fans as they came away with 19. They had twenty second chance points in all.
Alabama made eleven three-pointers on the night, but with Jones out, they only got to the line eight times. With the rebounding deficit and a minus eighteen on the boards, they couldn't do enough in other parts of the game to make up the difference.
This time around, Alabama limps in as losers of two in a row, three of four, and eight of twelve since January 29. Last week was disastrous. The Tide dropped an 87-79 decision in Tuscaloosa to a Vanderbilt squad who had only won one previous league game. In fairness, they were without John Petty Jr. Bama had him Saturday at Missouri, but they were woeful against Missouri in a 69-50 loss.
Tennessee, on the other hand, was blown out at home Saturday against Auburn by an 85-63 score. They have lost three of five, They have lost eight of thirteen themselves since January 25.
Kentucky versus Alabama
The Wildcats defeated the Crimson Tide 76-67 all the way back on January 11. Kentucky led throughout the game, but this game was one of the early indicators that this team has problems hanging on to double digit leads. The Big Blue led 52-37 at the 17:12 mark. But that advantage was trimmed drastically to a one-possession affair at 63-60 with 5:04 remaining.
Alabama played fast on that Saturday in Rupp Arena. They took a total of seventy-six shots and only made 36.8% of them. They were also just 4 of 21 from three-point territory. They also didn't do any damage from the line going 7 of 12.
What they did do is attack the offensive glass with sixteen rebounds on that end of the floor that led to seventeen second chance points. Kentucky also had fourteen turnovers that the Tide turned into sixteen fast break points.
The biggest differential was points in the paint. Alabama overwhelmed Kentucky 44-20 on that stat line. Alabama center, Herb Jones, led the team with 18 points. The backcourt combination of Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty Jr. also repeatedly got to the rim.
Kentucky shot 44.4% from the field, and made 9 of 15 three's for sixty percent. They were also 11 of 17 from the line. As we just said, 14 turnovers were a huge issue.
Ashton Hagans had an outstanding game with 15 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey had 13 points and 4 rebounds, but he and Hagans also had four turnovers apiece. Nick Richards had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley made six of ten three's coming off the bench to total 19 points. E.J. Montgomery added 8 points and 6 rebounds, and Nate Sestina hit two of three trifectas to score six.
Kentucky versus Tennessee
The two battles with the Volunteers are fresh on the mind of Big Blue Nation. The loss last Tuesday virtually shut down the state. We crunched the numbers of the two games and came away with some interesting facts.
Kentucky shot well over the eighty minute span. They were 50 for 102 for 49%. That will win most games. It is also significantly better than Tennessee's 43.5%. Tennessee had six more shot attempts in two games, but made three less shots.
The three-point numbers were also a mixed bag as well. Kentucky had more quality while Tennessee shot more long balls in bulk. The Cats shot twenty-three which comes out to 11.5 per game. They made eleven or 47.8% of their attempts. The Vols shot just 34.1% from deep, which was fourteen percent less. But they launched forty-four long balls, and made four more than Kentucky despite not being nearly as efficient.
Foul shooting was almost a wash. Kentucky was 39 for 45, and Tennessee was 36 for 45. Rebounding was also almost equal. The Vols barely carried that category 60-59, but they did grab more offensive boards by a 23-17 mark.
Kentucky's ball handling issues were a huge problem. They had 28 turnovers compared to 23 assists. Tennessee had 26 assists and 23 turnovers.
In a nutshell, shooting favored Kentucky, but the little things such as ball-handling and block-outs were squarely in the Volunteers' corner.
Kentucky's individual stats
Immanuel Quickley led the team in scoring in the two games against Tennessee. The sophomore guard averaged 19.5 points, and 1.5 assists. He was 40% from the field on 10 of 25. Eight of those were three-pointers, and he made exactly four. He was also a near perfect 9 of 10 from the foul line.
Tyrese Maxey was just behind Quickley with 19 points. He shot exactly 50% on 14 of 28 shooting. He was 2 of 7 from behind the arc and 12 of 21 inside. He was also 6 of 7 from the line. Maxey had 5 assists and 4 turnovers.
Nick Richards averaged 13.5 points and 8 rebounds. He only took ten shots but made seven. Richards did draw fouls and did damage at the line making 13 of 16.
Ashton Hagans was the fourth Cat in double figures at 10.5 points, but he didn't have strong shooting numbers. He was 6 for 18 overall, and 0 of 3 from deep. He did get to the foul line ten times and made nine.
E.J. Montgomery's stat line left much to be desired. He scored four points in two games and had five rebounds. The same can be said for Nate Sestina. He combined for 2 points and 3 rebounds.
Keion Brooks may have been Kentucky's second best inside player against the Vols. He averaged 4 points and 5 rebounds, including nine boards in Knoxville. He was 4 of 7 from the floor.
Tennessee fans are well aware of Johnny Juzang. He had 13 points in Knoxville and 6 in Lexington for a 9.5 point average. Five of his seven shots were via the long ball. He made four of those for an 80% clip.
Tennessee's individual stats
John Fulkerson has become a household name in the Bluegrass, and could be rightfully called the Kentucky killer. He has had two very good games, but his performance in Lexington was off the charts. The 6-foot-9 post had 27 points, and was a key to the Volunteers win by constantly keeping the Wildcats' bigs in foul trouble.
In the two games, Fulkerson averaged 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Fulkerson was 3 of 10 from the filed in the first game, and an outstanding 10 of 15 in the sequel. He shot 46.4% overall. Not surprisingly, he made a steady trek to the foul line. He was 17 of 19. He will be a major point of emphasis in John Calipari's scouting report if Tennessee gets that far.
Josiah Jordan-James came to Knoxville as one of the program's top recruits ever. He hasn't played up to that level for most of the year, but he was phenomenal in last week's game. It was even more evident because he didn't play in the first meeting. James had 16 points on 5 of 9 shooting, 2 of 4 from behind the arc, and 4 of 5 from the line. He also had 7 points and 5 assists. This is a better team with him in the lineup.
Jordan Bowden averaged 13,5 points in each game. He field goal percentage wasn't necessarily great, but his length and athleticism allowed him to get to the line twelve times overall. He made 9 of them. He also averaged 7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and played stellar defense.
Yves Pons is a factor against teams like Kentucky who don't shoot a lot of outside shots. Any shot attempt that is taken in the lane is subject to end up in the bleachers. The 6-foot-6 athletic freak blocked. five shots, but he did damage offensively as well. He was 6 for 9 in Lexington, and averaged 12 points in both meetings. He is a sketchy free throw shooter if that comes into play late in a game.
Santiago Vescovi is the fifth Volunteer to average in double figures against the Cats. The freshman point guard from Uruguay had 18 points in Knoxville, but only 4 in Lexington. His output will come down to how many three's he gets. He was 4 of 11 at Thompson -Boling, and 0 for 3 in Rupp. He does not need to be allowed to be a horse player.
KenPom is expecting a barn burner. He gives the Tide a 52% chance to win, and predicts them to come out on top 75-74.
