Its not common to beat a team in the Reg season & Tourny

[Louis_Skunt]

Revenge is one of the best motivators in life. Vols will be playing harder than ever, so hard that we're an underdog.


Auburn a few years ago- we beat them twice and they got us in the tourney.

UNC- We beat them early part of the season, they returned the favor in the elite 8.

UCLA - They beat us at Rupp with Ball, then we returned the favor in the tourney with Fox putting on a show.

Indiana- They beat us with the Watford shot, we returned the favor and hung 100 on them.

Umass with Cal - They beat us with Camby, we returned the favor in the tourney.

Wisconsin in 2015 - It wasn't the same season, but those nerds said they were crushed from the season prior and begged for an opportunity at revenge.

Hindsight is 20-20, but I wouldn't have minded a home loss to the hillbillies this year. Ziegler, Mayshack and Lanier are counting the mins. I don't like this game, I may seek counseling.

 

[aceman509]

We beat Louisville twice in 2014 and 2012. Also beat Kansas twice in 2012.

It will be a hard game to win and we are the underdogs, but I really don't think the previous results have any impact on the outcome.

 

[ukfan1622]

But that UNC game is a better example of referee cheating.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

We beat Louisville twice in 2014 and 2012. Also beat Kansas twice in 2012.

It will be a hard game to win and we are the underdogs, but I really don't think the previous results have any impact on the outcome.

They most definitely have an impact. Kids live and breathe these games. I clearly remember Lamb and Teague saying how happy they were drawing IU in 2012, wanting revenge for that game. There's hundreds of examples.

You don't think Fox had revenge on his mind vs UCLA and Ball? Fox played possessed. It most definitely has an impact.

 

[aceman509]

They most definitely have an impact. Kids live and breathe these games. I clearly remember Lamb and Teague saying how happy they were drawing IU in 2012, wanting revenge for that game. There's hundreds of examples.

You don't think Fox had revenge on his mind vs UCLA and Ball? Fox played possessed. It most definitely has an impact.

I don't think Lamb and Teague wanted to win more than IU wanted to win in 2012, nor do I think Fox and Monk wanted to beat UCLA more than they wanted to beat us.

Regular season games that could be the case. But the stakes do not get any higher than in the NCAA tournament. You can argue some guys are more focused or motivated than others, but that would apply to every game they play in.

Do you think Auburn wanted to win more than we did in 2019? Tyler Herro thought to himself "nah, I've already beaten this team twice so I don't want to play in a final four"?

 

[MdWIldcat55]

So, Kentucky doesn't want to win and advance to the Elite Eight Friday because the Cats already beat the Vols -- twice -- in the regular season and that was good enough? And Tennessee wants to win more because they lost in the regular season?

Seems like a pretty spurious theory.

There are just as many examples of a team winning in the regular season then winning in the Tournament as there are examples of the opposite. To cherry pick a few examples of either is meaningless, but here goes: Kentucky beat Kansas in the regular season in 98-99 and then in the tournament. Same in Kansas in 2011-2012. Kentucky beat Louisville in both regular season and tournament in 2012 and 2014. Kentucky beat Oklahoma this year on a last few seconds shot, then did the same thing in the SEC Tournament.

There's usually a simple explanation when one team wins in the regular season and loses in the tournament. For example, Indiana, 2012: They won at home early in the year against a freshman-laden team playing its first true road game. They lost late in the year on a neutral court against a team playing at its peak by then. UMass-Kentucky 95-96. UMass won the first game. Pitino shifted Delk from PG to 2G, brought Epps in to start. It was a totally different team by March. And on and on.

Far, far more important than who won in the regular season are match-ups, style of play and team dynamics.

 

[ukcatz12]

But that UNC game is a better example of referee cheating.

This game is funny to me because the reason we lost flip flops depending on if people want to blame the refs or use it as an example of Cal choking/underachieving.

 

[JumperJack]

At this point if our guys aren’t as equally motivated then let’s just forfeit.

 

[Aike]

It’s not common to beat 8 top 15 teams in one season. Time to make it 9!

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Revenge is a true thing. Making shots is too and Barnes and his bricklayers will have to do that.

1985 Georgetown not only played St. John's 4 times that season-losing the first game in January by 1 pt and then facing them 3 times between Feb 26 and March 29th and they beat them by 16 at MSG in the "Sweater Game", 10 at MSG in BET Championship, and then 18 pts in Final Four Semfinal.

For those who want to counter with Villanova in the same season--many won't know that Georgetown only beat them in previous 2 wins by a total of 9 pts with one game going into OT that year. You all know how well they shot in the NC game-and if Tennessee team coached by Rick Barnes does that--I'll stop posting forever. I mean that's just not going to happen with how offensively challenged his teams are.

 

[hotelblue]

it’s not common to lose your roster before the season and during the season.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

I don't think Lamb and Teague wanted to win more than IU wanted to win in 2012, nor do I think Fox and Monk wanted to beat UCLA more than they wanted to beat us.

Regular season games that could be the case. But the stakes do not get any higher than in the NCAA tournament. You can argue some guys are more focused or motivated than others, but that would apply to every game they play in.

Do you think Auburn wanted to win more than we did in 2019? Tyler Herro thought to himself "nah, I've already beaten this team twice so I don't want to play in a final four"?

Yes. There's a shade of complacency when you've already beaten a team, especially twice. And Auburn played that game with hair on fire. The energy they brought doubled ours.
I'm not saying UK won't win, but this won't be the same UT we played in Rupp or Thompson Boling.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

At this point if our guys aren’t as equally motivated then let’s just forfeit.

Don't jump to conclusions, lady. Just pointing out this won't be the same UT team we beat in Rupp.

 

[ukfan1622]

This game is funny to me because the reason we lost flip flops depending on if people want to blame the refs or use it as an example of Cal choking/underachieving.

Perhaps a better coach could have overcome the cheating but that doesn't change the fact that the rooferee was intentionally altering the outcome of the game and some call that cheating.

 

[gbl97]

I guess it depends on which team has improved more in the last 6 weeks.

 

[hotelblue]

Don't jump to conclusions, lady. Just pointing out this won't be the same UT team we beat in Rupp.

rick barnes’ style of play undermines everything for his team offensively. they could shoot 10% for 30 minutes and be down 40, he’s still not going to push pace. they are going to grind. it’s not a team that’s going to go on offensive runs or run anyone out of a gym. they outscore you over time. the game will come down to kentucky hitting shots or not. we dictate what will happen. their defense is reliable and we know what to expect. there’s nothing they could show that would surprise us. literally nothing. they’re deliberate, and it’s on purpose. so, no. we will recognize everything.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

So, Kentucky doesn't want to win and advance to the Elite Eight Friday because the Cats already beat the Vols -- twice -- in the regular season and that was good enough? And Tennessee only wants to win because they lost in the regular season?

Seems like a pretty spurious theory.

There are just as many examples of a team winning in the regular season then winning in the Tournament as there are examples of the opposite. To cherry pick a few examples of either is meaningless, but here goes: Kentucky beat Kansas in the regular season in 98-99 and then in the tournament. Same in Kansas in 2011-2012. Kentucky beat Louisville in both regular season and tournament in 2012 and 2014. Kentucky beat Oklahoma this year on a last few seconds shot, then did the same thing in the SEC Tournament.

There's usually a simple explanation when one team wins in the regular season and loses in the tournament. For example, Indiana, 2012: They won at home early in the year against a freshman-laden team playing its first true road game. They lost late in the year on a neutral court against a team playing at its peak by then. UMass-Kentucky 95-96. UMass won the first game. Pitino shifted Delk from PG to 2G, brought Epps in to start. It was a totally different team by March. UNC-Cheats, 10-11. They beat Kentucky on their home court in the Cats' first road game with a ridiculous number of fouls called on UK. On a neutral court four months later Kentucky won.

Far, far more important than who won in teh regular season are match-ups, style of play and team dynamics.

Both teams will want to win Friday. Both teams will have enormous incentive. Neither team will care overly about the regular season; if it is motivation for Tennessee, it is confidence for Kentucky.

It's just in life, it's what motivates us. If you go to Keeneland and lose back to back races, you'll end up studying the 3rd race extra hard. Cats lost to Ohio State early this year.....you telling me they wouldn't be extra motivated to see them again right now?
Losing to someone makes you hungry for a win. Winning builds confidence. Its life. Vols will play like the worlds on fire next game, watch.

 

[Ugoff]

I wonder if they were counting the minutes to their return game in Rupp on 2/11.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

It's just in life, it's what motivates us. If you go to Keeneland and lose back to back races, you'll end up studying the 3rd race extra hard. Cats lost to Ohio State early this year.....you telling me they wouldn't be extra motivated to see them again right now?
Losing to someone makes you hungry for a win. Winning builds confidence. Its life. Vols will play like the worlds on fire next game, watch.

Yeah, I heard your theory the first time. It's based on fallacious reasoning and cherry-picked examples, and a complete lack of understanding of the competitiveness of top-tier athletes.

The idea that Kentucky would have a better chance of winning Friday if the Cats had lost to the Vols in the regular season is nonsense. I guess if Kentucky somehow squares off against Alabama in the title game, that'll be a shoo-in for the Wildcats because they lost three times to Bama?

In both 2012 and 2014, Kentucky beat Louisville in the regular season. What could be a bigger revenge factor than playing your most hated rival in the NCAA Tournament after they beat you in the regular season? And Kentucky won both times -- once as the underdog.

Kentucky will be every bit as "hungry to win" Friday as Tennessee. The Elite Eight is at stake. And all the factors that were in place during the regular season will still be in place: Match-ups, style of play, offensive tendencies versus defensive schemes and so on.

Kentucky may well lose. Tennessee will be favored. But it won't be because of the regular season result.

 

[WeWant9]

I don’t disagree, but some teams just match up well against others. I do typically like to avoid teams we’ve already beaten but at this point you got to play who is in front of you. Teams can also overthink themselves in Tenn’s position, and so can UK.

If we’re going off of history, don’t forget that Tenn has a total of two E8s. History isn’t really in their favor either here.

 

[Blue Bigfoot]

If I gave you the choice of playing a team you haven't played or lost to during the season, or a team that you beat both times you played them during the season, who do you want to play?
I think it's a no brainer. You pick the team you beat twice both home and away and shorthanded.
There's no guarantee that we will win, but man sometimes good teams are just bad match ups for certain teams, and I think we are just a bad match up for them for whatever reason. If we had the choice between playing Alabama a third time or some other team, give me that other team every time. I think we are way overthinking this.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Yeah, I heard your theory the first time. It's based on fallacious reasoning and cherry-picked examples, and a complete lack of understanding of the competitiveness of top-tier athletes.

The idea that Kentucky would have a better chance of winning Friday if the Cats had lost to the Vols in the regular season is nonsense.

Kentucky will be every bot as "hungry to win" Friday as Tennessee. The Elite Eight is at stake. And all the factors that were in place during the regular season will still be in place: Match-ups, style of play, offensive tendencies versus defensive schemes and so on.

Kentucky may well lose. Tennessee will be favored. But it won't be because of the regular season result.

I disagree. Losing to a rival keeps you in the gym an extra hour, makes you hungry. We're not getting the same UT team that lost in Rupp.
But whatever...

 

[CastleRubric]

We beat Alabama four times in 1986

It can happen

 

[Jazzycat]

Both teams have improved since last playing. Mashach is the X factor as he has been a man on a mission lately….Hopefully, the Vols will have another off shooting night and UK will be hitting everything…GBB!

 

[catsfanbgky]

UT will feel a hell of a lot more pressure than UK will. They know in their mind UK has their number (Barnes for some reason just can't come up with a defensive plan to stop UK). The UK players can play lose and free. Not saying they will not have pressure to win, but they will be a lot more loose than UT. They know there is a chance of losing a 3rd time to UK, I think their guys will press a little and have thoughts if UK gets up early. Bottom line is this, IF UT shoots the ball better than they did the first 2 games, they probably win (they where horrendous), but it will not have a DAMN thing to do with playing for the third time. Look at it like this, having beat them twice, would UT not have it in the head "maybe they are just better than us ?" No ?

Also, the year the poster mention Fox v/s UCLA / UNC, in the very same year we beat Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas all three in the regular season, and then beat all three in succession to win the SEC championship. (Arkansas in the championship game). Yes they will know each others tendencies after playing 2 times, but we know as much about them as they do us, it all comes down to making shots, not how many times they played.

 

[BlueSince92]

Even given all that I’m much less worried about UT than I would be about playing literally any other team left in the tournament. No judgment if you’re feeling nervous though.

 

[IbnSaran]

We were 12 of 24 on 3s in both of those games. They were 3/18 and 11/45. if we shoot 50% or more from 3 and they shoot less than 25% I think we will win.

 

[Blueisbest]

I remember back in 86, we had already beaten Alabama 3 times, Auburn twice and LSU 3 times. So who did the NCAA match us up against in the tournament? Those 3 teams. In order to get to the Finals we had to play those 3 again, back to back to back. We topped Alabama for a 4th time and Auburn for a 3rd time. LSU, on the other hand, was able to play out of their minds (I still hate you Ricky Blanton) and beat us to go and lose to Louisville.

I still believe, to this day, that we were better than Louisville. Hell, we beat them earlier that season. Kenny Walker and Winston Bennett should've gotten a title that year.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

We beat Alabama four times in 1986

It can happen

Then LSU knocked us out the next game...

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

I disagree. Losing to a rival keeps you in the gym an extra hour, makes you hungry. We're not getting the same UT team that lost in Rupp.
But whatever...

Ok Debbie.

 

[phyrekat]

I disagree. Losing to a rival keeps you in the gym an extra hour, makes you hungry. We're not getting the same UT team that lost in Rupp.
But whatever...

So you're saying you'd rather play Alabama than Tennessee?

 

[UKBB4Ever]

We are going to beat Tenn Friday night.

Not even a question. 🏀

Sunday? If it’s Purdue I’m just as confident as beating Tenn.

If it’s Houston I’ll worry!👍

 

[KyCPA]

I don't think Lamb and Teague wanted to win more than IU wanted to win in 2012, nor do I think Fox and Monk wanted to beat UCLA more than they wanted to beat us.

Regular season games that could be the case. But the stakes do not get any higher than in the NCAA tournament. You can argue some guys are more focused or motivated than others, but that would apply to every game they play in.

Do you think Auburn wanted to win more than we did in 2019? Tyler Herro thought to himself "nah, I've already beaten this team twice so I don't want to play in a final four"?

UT will have a huge chip on their shoulder, no matter how you spin it which could work for them or against them. In the end though it comes down to shooting percentages in this one.

 

[crawfords corner]

UK has held Lanier mostly in check. He's had to work hard. That's the key to us beating them again. If he gets 18 or more they are 21-0

 

[CastleRubric]

Then LSU knocked us out the next game...

Yessir - 8 games we played against those two teams - went 7-1 but missed a final four to LSU

I think they had John Williams and - who was the guard? Mark Macon maybe? No - ?

 

[Ron Mehico]

This game is funny to me because the reason we lost flip flops depending on if people want to blame the refs or use it as an example of Cal choking/underachieving.

Honestly thats about the only tournament loss that Cal is universally excused from for 99% of UK fans. It was so bad that referee never refereed a game for UK again. Outside of a couple psychos I’ve never seen anyone give Cal much shit for that loss at all.

With regards to the OP, this is a weird 3rd game. The team that’s won twice so far was the underdog and had key players injured. Now that they’re fully healthy they’re still the underdog. So kinda odd.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Yessir - 8 games we played against those two teams - went 7-1 but missed a final four to LSU

I think they had John Williams and - who was the guard? Mark Macon maybe? No - ?

Macon sounds like an alabama player. The only one I remember, vividly, is Ricky F$ckin' Blanton

 

[CastleRubric]

Chris Jackson!

 

[actionjaksen]

Revenge is one of the best motivators in life. Vols will be playing harder than ever, so hard that we're an underdog.


Auburn a few years ago- we beat them twice and they got us in the tourney.

UNC- We beat them early part of the season, they returned the favor in the elite 8.

UCLA - They beat us at Rupp with Ball, then we returned the favor in the tourney with Fox putting on a show.

Indiana- They beat us with the Watford shot, we returned the favor and hung 100 on them.

Umass with Cal - They beat us with Camby, we returned the favor in the tourney.

Wisconsin in 2015 - It wasn't the same season, but those nerds said they were crushed from the season prior and begged for an opportunity at revenge.

Hindsight is 20-20, but I wouldn't have minded a home loss to the hillbillies this year. Ziegler, Mayshack and Lanier are counting the mins. I don't like this game, I may seek counseling.

Do you think revenge matters at this point? For example, when we play Bama in the Final Four, motivation will be purely to get to Championship Game. Not even that concerned about paying them back for earlier this season.


Friday is about advancing. That, I think, is the only motivation that will be on their minds.

 

[Lightbringer12]

this game vs Tennessee is about matchups were a bad matchup vs them like Bama is a bad matchup to us. Bama smashed us 2 of 3 times. Tennessee just can’t score enough points to win vs this Kentucky team. The teams U.K. has to worry about are athletic scoring teams and that’s not Tennessee.