Tomorrow is huge

[Cats192]

Beat UT, and everyone will be on board with this team.

Beat UT and Villanova beats Creighton, we’re in the driver seat for a 3 seed.

Beat UT and we’re the 2 seed in the SECT.

Beat UT and we may knock them out of a 1 seed.

Beat UT.

 

[Thats An Awful Idea]

Wouldn't get my hopes up for beating UT.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It would be the most significant win of the last four years, and would take BBN's enthusiasm for this UK team to another level.

That said, I don't think we take down Tennessee tomorrow. They're just a bad matchup for our guys, and I hope tomorrow is the last time we have to see them this season.

 

[AGEE11]

It is definitely the biggest game so far this season.

I also think we take the L here. SEC road games are tough and UT is always a little more so.

Good thing is, no more road games after tomorrow. We get 2-10 games of the rowdy UK traveling fan base

 

[UKWildcats1987]

We probably won't win and will be the 5 seed and get the lovely path of Arkansas (again), a SC team that gets away with murder on defense and then that same UT team if we somehow make it to Saturday.

I'm projecting SC to lose tomorrow at a desperate msu in above scenario.

 

[Zissou87]

Unfortunately, Donnie Tyndall isn't walking through that door.

 

[wccat2969]

Or Wade Houston.

Unfortunately, Donnie Tyndall isn't walking through that door.

 

[BlueBomb]

I would be surprised if we win. But we won down there a couple years ago when it seemed way less probable than this.

And BTW, it makes me sick to have discussions about hoping we can find a way to beat freakin’ UT.

 

[wccat2969]

I hope we show up and don't let them push us around. UT will be very physical and we can't back down. Also hope Bradshaw and Dillingham keep their cool.

 

[rick64]

Not expecting a win in Knoxville. But there's been a few road wins over the past few seasons that I didn't expect either, so who knows.

 

[oldsports_]

This game will tell us how muck heart these kids have. They have to want to play defense, go grab loose balls, and not be bullied.
Cats 92
VOLS 88

 

[sdryan2]

Before the season started, the over/under for wins UK would have in league play was…. Wait for it….

12.5


Always amazes me how close Vegas is on this stuff. Needless to say, it is also a big game for gamblers as well.

 

[WeWant9]

A few weeks back I said we needed one big road win from Auburn or Tenn; we did at least get the Auburn win. It will be tough tomorrow, but I do think Tenn is primed for an upset. They are riding a 7 game winning streak, and their last 4 games have been against the top of the SEC- they won the first three. They also already wrapped up the SEC regular season title. I think we can pull it out, but its got to be a 40 minute effort from the staff and players.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

A few weeks back I said we needed one big road win from Auburn or Tenn; we did at least get the Auburn win. It will be tough tomorrow, but I do think Tenn is primed for an upset. They are riding a 7 game winning streak, and their last 4 games have been against the top of the SEC- they won the first three. They also already wrapped up the SEC regular season title. I think we can pull it out, but its got to be a 40 minute effort from the staff and players.

This is true. They have won 7 straight n league and UK 7 of 8 league games.

I just can't get my hopes up. If we win I'll lead the crow eating crew.

 

[Stretch98]

Wagner is key. Stay with Ziegler and take only good shots.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The Vols don't have a lot of size, they basically have one big man, and even he only averages 25 minutes. My hope here is that the Vols were able to catch us early on when our team really had no identity.. but that our size will be tough for them to guard AND tough for them to make shots. (I know, our defense, and I agree)..

I know the Vols are good, but they didn't exactly "ace" their non-conference schedule. Kentucky beat several teams that they couldn't, back when we were REALLY erratic. I think this is a more winable game than people realize.

The problem is, will we show up. That is kind of the question still with this team. We don't have to fix all our defensive issues, but we need to be a better.

They aren't very deep, they have subpar 3pt shooting outside of Dalton. If Kentucky can find a way to take him off his game..

 

[JonathanW]

Wouldn't get my hopes up for beating UT.

That's what we heard about winning AT Auburn.
Then that's what we heard about beating Alabama.

I agree, we aren't and shouldn't be favored to win.
But we have more than a remote chance!
We should have at LEAST a 30% chance, I would estimate 40-45%.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

If we beat UT it will reignite some confidence in being able to compete against a defensive team with offensive capabilities. Losing to both SC and UT earlier in the year dampened my expectations for this team.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

The Vols don't have a lot of size, they basically have one big man, and even he only averages 25 minutes. My hope here is that the Vols were able to catch us early on when our team really had no identity.. but that our size will be tough for them to guard AND tough for them to make shots. (I know, our defense, and I agree)..

I know the Vols are good, but they didn't exactly "ace" their non-conference schedule. Kentucky beat several teams that they couldn't, back when we were REALLY erratic. I think this is a more winable game than people realize.

The problem is, will we show up. That is kind of the question still with this team. We don't have to fix all our defensive issues, but we need to be a better.

They aren't very deep, they have subpar 3pt shooting outside of Dalton. If Kentucky can find a way to take him off his game..

Don't forget Vescovi; he can fill it up from outside, too.

I think we get the win tomorrow. Wonder what the moneyline will be?

 

[UKBB4Ever]

I believe we win tomorrow. We are better than them. Everyone on our team has improved since we played them last and we didn't have Wagner then either.

 

[JonathanW]

Wagner is key. Stay with Ziegler and take only good shots.

I agree, because I think Ziegler is their key.

 

[ala_kat2]

This Tennessee team may be better than the one Ray Mears had with Ernie Grunfeld and Bernard King back in the 1970’s.
I think we get beat by 8-9 points. Our guards cannot guard Ziegler, and Knecht, James and 6th year Viscovi (sp?) are very good players.

 

[Thats An Awful Idea]

That's what we heard about winning AT Auburn.
Then that's what we heard about beating Alabama.

I agree, we aren't and shouldn't be favored to win.
But we have more than a remote chance!
We should have at LEAST a 30% chance, I would estimate 40-45%.

And there was likely a benefit of going into those games with that mindset. We also had not already gotten handled pretty easily at home by Auburn and Bama prior to those games.

We could absolutely win the game, but as I said before, I certainly would not have any expectations of doing so. We are playing possibly the best defensive team in the country on their court, while they also have 1 of the best offensive players in the country. We struggle mightily on defense and have a lot more pressure to lock up a top 4 SEC seed.

 

[JonathanW]

While unlikely we do it, I think if we "run the table" the next 9 days, we have a fair shot at a 2 seed.
To get a 3, I think we need to beat UT and not lose our first SEC-T game, OR if lose tomorrow then win the SEC-T (or make it to the Final & get some help).

Houston, UConn, Purdue are lock 1's.
Arizona and UT are 1-2's (I think it should be UT if they beat us, or if they make it to SEC-T final.
Unless they lose 2 in a row, I think UNC and Iowa St are 2's.

After those 7, anything could happen with the next 10 teams (Marq, Duke, Creighton, Baylor, Illinois, Auburn, KU, UK, Alabama, S.Carolina), all 10 with a chance at a 3. Any of the 10 could win their conf-T, with some wins over top teams, or could lose opening conf-T game.
Duke may have the last 2 right now, but they also have a tough home game Sat.
Marq is at Xavier, could be looking at 3 L's in a row.
Creighton not an easy one at Villanova, and only have 3 "good wins" all 3 at Home.
Baylor has a tough one at Texas Tech
Illinois is at Iowa
Auburn at least has a Home game vs Georgia.
Kansas won't be favored at Houston
UK won't be favored at UT
Alabama has a Home game vs a much improved Arkansas team
S.Carolina has a tough game at Miss. St.

Wow, 7 of the 10 battling for those 3's (& last 2) have tough Away games Sat.

 

[JonathanW]

And there was likely a benefit of going into those games with that mindset. We also had not already gotten handled pretty easily at home by Auburn and Bama prior to those games.

We could absolutely win the game, but as I said before, I certainly would not have any expectations of doing so. We are playing possibly the best defensive team in the country on their court, while they also have 1 of the best offensive players in the country. We struggle mightily on defense and have a lot more pressure to lock up a top 4 SEC seed.

And UT is celebrating, having won the SEC regular season. And UK is still fighting, fighting to get a SEC-T bye, fighting to not be a 4 or 5 seed. And UK is both healthier and playing better than when UT beat us. And I certainly hope UK is pissed-off about how that first game went.
Again, I'm not saying we should be favored. But don't talk like we don't have much of a chance either.

 

[Fox2monk]

Before the season started, the over/under for wins UK would have in league play was…. Wait for it….

12.5


Always amazes me how close Vegas is on this stuff. Needless to say, it is also a big game for gamblers as well.

Not so amazing when you watch the guys in the stripes that call these games.

 

[Fox2monk]

Anyway let’s go down there and drop 100, win the SECT and we will get a great seed.

 

[RMorris33]

Wouldn't get my hopes up for beating UT.

Surely they're not unbeatable. BTW the annual UT collapse in the tournament and the social media aftermath are going to be a work of art after all the hype I've been seeing about this team. Their fans are setting themselves up for disaster

 

[247CATS]

I think we win by double digits. Just have a feeling we come out firing on all cylinders!

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Surely they're not unbeatable. BTW the annual UT collapse in the tournament and the social media aftermath are going to be a work of art after all the hype I've been seeing about this team. Their fans are setting themselves up for disaster

If I were a fan teh only thing that would be dampening my enthusiasm w/ this team is Barnes' tournament track record.

 

[NociHTTP]

bUT, bUT, bUT......

 

[Padsfs07]

While unlikely we do it, I think if we "run the table" the next 9 days, we have a fair shot at a 2 seed.
To get a 3, I think we need to beat UT and not lose our first SEC-T game, OR if lose tomorrow then win the SEC-T (or make it to the Final & get some help).

Houston, UConn, Purdue are lock 1's.
Arizona and UT are 1-2's (I think it should be UT if they beat us, or if they make it to SEC-T final.
Unless they lose 2 in a row, I think UNC and Iowa St are 2's.

After those 7, anything could happen with the next 10 teams (Marq, Duke, Creighton, Baylor, Illinois, Auburn, KU, UK, Alabama, S.Carolina), all 10 with a chance at a 3. Any of the 10 could win their conf-T, with some wins over top teams, or could lose opening conf-T game.
Duke may have the last 2 right now, but they also have a tough home game Sat.
Marq is at Xavier, could be looking at 3 L's in a row.
Creighton not an easy one at Villanova, and only have 3 "good wins" all 3 at Home.
Baylor has a tough one at Texas Tech
Illinois is at Iowa
Auburn at least has a Home game vs Georgia.
Kansas won't be favored at Houston
UK won't be favored at UT
Alabama has a Home game vs a much improved Arkansas team
S.Carolina has a tough game at Miss. St.

Wow, 7 of the 10 battling for those 3's (& last 2) have tough Away games Sat.

It's going to be a great day of basketball!

 

[502 Wildcat]

Tennessee is really, really good. The most complete team in the league, IMO.

I don't expect us to win, but if we show up with some toughness this go around and hit our fair share of shots, we certainly have the firepower to steal a win.

We got bullied last game. We have to be the aggressor this time.

This will be the first game this season in which we rematch a team we lost to previously, I am curious to see how our guys handle that. We've shown a tendency of playing our A game (or close to it) in high-profile games. Let's hope that continues.

 

[Rockytopkid87]

If I were a fan teh only thing that would be dampening my enthusiasm w/ this team is Barnes' tournament track record.

Accurate

 

[bucsrule8872]

UT will be fired up for this game. Senior Day, chance to get a 1 seed in the NCAA tourney. It will take out A+ game to be in it. I bet we get blown out tomorrow. We start slow and never recover. That will be our downfall tomorrow and will be what knocks us out of the NCAA tourney this year.

 

[Woodsmoke]

Wagner is key. Stay with Ziegler and take only good shots.

This. The smurf got anything he wanted last game. I’m not worried about Knecht. He will get his but if we stip ZZ from draining 3’s and penetrating for dish offs to their bigs, we win.

 

[Woodsmoke]

UT will be fired up for this game. Senior Day, chance to get a 1 seed in the NCAA tourney. It will take out A+ game to be in it. I bet we get blown out tomorrow. We start slow and never recover. That will be our downfall tomorrow and will be what knocks us out of the NCAA tourney this year.

You can’t be serious.

 

[RMorris33]

If I were a fan teh only thing that would be dampening my enthusiasm w/ this team is Barnes' tournament track record.

27-27
Until they actually do something in March I'm not buying the hype. They're a good team but I don't see anything special about that group

 

[Thats An Awful Idea]

And UT is celebrating, having won the SEC regular season. And UK is still fighting, fighting to get a SEC-T bye, fighting to not be a 4 or 5 seed. And UK is both healthier and playing better than when UT beat us. And I certainly hope UK is pissed-off about how that first game went.
Again, I'm not saying we should be favored. But don't talk like we don't have much of a chance either.

Yes, they are hyped and running on high energy. It will be senior day for them, and they will be wild.

UT is better as well. It's not like we are the only team improving.

You seem to be interpreting I have said somewhere that we can't win, when I simply said I wouldn't get my hopes up for it.

 

[chroix]

This is like the final big paper of the year. Next up. Exam time.