How No. 4 Kentucky and No. 7 Tennessee match up — with a game prediction
How No. 4 Kentucky (24-4, 13-2 SEC) and No. 7 Tennessee (25-3, 13-2 SEC) match up at each position — with a game prediction:
Small forward
▪ Kentucky freshman Keldon Johnson (13.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) overcame a slow start in UK’s 70-66 comeback win over Arkansas on Tuesday night to finish with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. The 6-foot-6, 211-pound freshman from South Hill, Va., had 19 points and made three of six three-point shots in UK’s 86-69 victory over Tennessee in Rupp Arena on Feb. 16.
▪ Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield (16.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 40.2 percent three-point shooting) will be playing his ninth game vs. UK. The 6-6, 241-pound senior from Zion, Ill., had 17 points and six boards vs. the Wildcats in Rupp but made only seven of 18 shots. For his career, Schofield has averaged 13.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg against Kentucky.
Advantage: Tennessee
Power forward
▪ Kentucky’s PJ Washington (15 ppg, 7.8 rpg) had a rough go vs. Arkansas, finishing with nine points and six boards while missing five of seven field goals and five of 10 foul shots. It ended a 10-game stretch in which the 6-8, 228-pound sophomore from Dallas had played like a First Team All-American, averaging 21 ppg and 8.5 rpg. Washington had 23 points and hit nine of 12 shots in the first game with UT.
▪ Tennessee’s Grant Williams (19.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 56.8 percent FGs) was limited to four field-goal attempts by Kentucky in Rupp. He made three, hit eight of nine free throws and finished with 16 points and eight boards. If UK’s Reid Travis (sprained knee) cannot play, it will be interesting to see who guards Williams. In six prior games vs. the Cats, the 6-7, 236-pound junior from Charlotte, N.C., has averaged 13.3 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Williams hit a tough shot with 4.3 seconds left that was the game-winner in UT’s 73-71 victory at Mississippi on Wednesday night.
Advantage: Even
Center
▪ Kentucky’s EJ Montgomery (4.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg) has started the past two games since the injury to Reid Travis. The 6-10, 225-pound freshman had six points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in UK’s 80-53 blowout of Auburn last Saturday but did not play well (two points, three rebounds, two turnovers, four fouls) vs. Arkansas. In the first Tennessee game, Montgomery had six points (3-of-3 field goals) and four boards in nine minutes.
▪ Tennessee’s Kyle Alexander (7.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 63.3 percent FGs) did not fare well against Kentucky in Rupp. The 6-11, 215-pound senior from Milton, Ontario, Canada fouled out in 18 minutes with four points and three rebounds. Alexander is important for the Vols vs. UK because of his length. In nine career games against Kentucky, Alexander has averaged 3.3 ppg and 2.6 rpg.
Advantage: Even
Shooting guard
▪ Kentucky’s Tyler Herro (14.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 93.2 percent FTs) is coming off a stellar offensive game vs. Arkansas. The 6-5, 195-pound Milwaukee product hit nine of 10 shots, five of six three-pointers and all six of his foul shots en route to 29 points. In the first game vs. UT, Herro did not shoot well (3-of-11) but hit eight of nine foul shots and finished with 15 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and three assists.
▪ Tennessee’s Lamonte Turner (11.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) came up huge for the Volunteers in UT’s tense win at Mississippi. The 6-2, 195-pound redshirt junior from Florence, Ala., hit eight of 12 field goals and finished with 17 points. Turner did not have a good game in Rupp Arena, going 2-of-11 from the floor and 0-of-7 on treys for four points. However, in six career games vs. UK, Turner has scored in double figures four times.
Advantage: Kentucky
Point guard
▪ Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans (7.6 ppg, 4.4 apg, 1.9 steals) has made 15 of 25 shots over the past four games. In the first meeting vs. Tennessee, the 6-3, 192-pound freshman from Cartersville, Ga., had nine points, seven assists and two steals.
▪ Tennessee’s Jordan Bone (13.1 ppg, 6.2 apg) was UT’s most efficient player in the loss to UK in Rupp Arena. The 6-3, 180-pound junior from Nashville hit eight of 13 shots, three of four treys, and finished with 19 points and six assists. In six career games vs. the Cats, Bone has averaged 10.2 points and 2.8 assists.
Advantage: Tennessee
Bench
▪ Kentucky’s Nick Richards (3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, team-high 40 blocked shots) was one of the heroes of the comeback vs. Arkansas. The 6-11, 240-pound sophomore from Kingston, Jamaica, had seven points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. In four career games vs. UT, Richards has averaged 5.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Guards Immanuel Quickley (5.4 ppg) and Jemarl Baker (1.9 ppg) are mired in shooting droughts. Quickley, a 6-3, 185-pound freshman, is 10-of-39 on field goals over his past 13 games. A 6-4, 192-pound redshirt freshman, Baker is 5-of-21 over his last eight.
▪ Tennessee’s Jordan Bowden (10.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg) broke free from a slump and hit a big shot in the final minute of UT’s win at Ole Miss. The 6-5, 193-pound junior from Knoxville did not play well vs. UK in Rupp (1-of-7 FGs, 0-of-4 treys, three points) and is 2-of-16 from the field combined in his past two games against Kentucky. John Fulkerson (3.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg) is a 6-9, 197-pound redshirt sophomore who UT Coach Rick Barnes has challenged to step up to give the Volunteers more interior length.
Advantage: Kentucky
Intangibles and history
▪ Kentucky leads the all-time series with Tennessee 155-71. However, in the John Calipari coaching era, UK is only 3-5 vs. the Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena.
▪ Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes is 4-4 vs. the Wildcats as Tennessee head man, and 5-6 overall against Kentucky as a college head coach.
▪ UK has not beaten UT twice in the same since the Kentucky’s 2011-12 NCAA championship team bested the Volunteers 65-62 in Knoxville and 69-44 in Lexington.
Advantage: Tennessee
Prediction
Tennessee 78, Kentucky 75
