How Kentucky matches up vs. No. 25 Tennessee — with a game prediction
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky leads series 164-79 and is 12-2 at Rupp in 2025-26.
- Nate Ament leads UT’s surge; Ja’Kobi Gillespie also key contributor.
- Matchups are mixed, but prediction favors Kentucky 74-71.
How the Kentucky Wildcats (16-7, 7-3 SEC) and the No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers (16-6, 6-3 SEC) match up at each position for Saturday’s SEC men’s basketball contest at Rupp Arena — with a game prediction:
Small forward
• Kentucky’s Collin Chandler (9.4 points, 3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 40.4% treys) made a last-minute steal and fed Otega Oweh for the layup that put UK ahead for good in the Wildcats’ 80-78 come-from-behind victory at Tennessee on Jan. 17. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Chandler has scored 12 points or more in five of UK’s past six games and has made 14 of 30 3-point attempts (46.7%) in that span. A product of Farmington, Utah, Chandler had 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals vs. UT in the first game.
• Tennessee freshman Nate Ament (17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 41.8% FGs) is the biggest reason the Volunteers have won four straight games since the loss to UK. The willowy 6-10, 207-pound product of Manassas, Virginia, has averaged 24.6 points during the four-game win streak. Ament has been living at the foul line, making 30 of 39 free throws over the previous four contests. Ament took only seven shots (making four) in the first game with UK, but finished with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Advantage: Tennessee
Power forward
• Kentucky sophomore Andrija Jelavic (5.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 48.9% FGs) had nine points, six rebounds and three assists in UK’s 94-78 win over Oklahoma Wednesday night. The 6-11, 225-pound product of Zagreb, Croatia, started and had five points, a rebound and an assist in 12 minutes in the first game vs. Tennessee.
• Tennessee freshman DeWayne Brown II (5.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 63.4% FGs) had seven points, two rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in the first game vs. Kentucky. The 6-8, 251-pound product of Hoover, Alabama, has averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in the four games since UT played UK.
Advantage: Even
Center
• With backup center Brandon Garrison having a season-best game vs. Oklahoma, Kentucky freshman Malachi Moreno (8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 blocks, 58.6% FGs) played only 11 minutes against the Sooners and had three points, two rebounds and three blocks. A 7-foot, 250-pound product of Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Moreno contributed a busy stat line in the prior win over Tennessee — three points, six rebounds, two assists and four blocked shots.
• A calf injury to Felix Okpara moved Tennessee sophomore J.P. Estrella (9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 63.7% FGs) into the starting lineup for UT’s 84-66 win over Ole Miss on Tuesday night in Knoxville. A 6-11, 240-pound redshirt sophomore, Estrella just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds vs. the Rebels. In Tennessee’s earlier loss to Kentucky, Estrella played nine minutes, hit both his shot attempts and scored four points.
Advantage: Kentucky
Shooting guard
• Kentucky senior Otega Oweh (17 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 47.6% FGs, 35% treys) has scored 20 points or more in eight of UK’s 10 SEC games to date. Oweh is coming off back-to-back 24-point games in the Wildcats’ wins at Arkansas (85-77) and over Oklahoma. A 6-4, 220-pound product of Newark, New Jersey, Oweh now has 974 total points in his two seasons at UK and needs 26 more to become Kentucky’s 63rd 1,000-point scorer.
• Tennessee sophomore Bishop Boswell (6.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 55.1% FGs) had 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the win over Ole Miss. A 6-4, 204-pound sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina, Boswell is averaging 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds during UT’s current four-game winning streak. He had four points, three rebounds and an assist vs. UK last month.
Advantage: Kentucky
Point guard
• Kentucky senior Denzel Aberdeen (12.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 38.2% treys) was the star of UK’s earlier win over UT in Knoxville. The 6-5, 195-pound product of Orlando, Florida, scored 22 points as UK rallied from 11 down at halftime to win. A transfer from Florida, Aberdeen left Wednesday night’s win over Oklahoma after being elbowed in the head in a rebounding scramble and went to the locker room. He was able to return, however, and finish out the contest on the court.
• Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie (18.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists) is averaging 19 points and 4.5 assists in UT’s ongoing four-game win streak. A 6-1, 188-pound product of Greeneville, Tennessee, Gillespie transferred home to UT from Maryland. He had 24 points, eight assists and two steals in the game last month vs. UK.
Advantage: Tennessee
Bench
• Kentucky junior center Brandon Garrison (4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 57.1% FGs) had the best game to date of his two-year UK career vs. Oklahoma. The 6-10, 245-pound Oklahoma City product had 20 points, 11 rebounds and three assists vs. the Sooners. ... Sophomore forward Trent Noah (3.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 38.5% treys) was one of the stars of UK’s win at Arkansas last Saturday with nine points and seven rebounds. ... Junior power forward Mouhamed Dioubate (8.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 52.8% FGs) played well against UT in the first game with 10 points and six rebounds. ... Freshman guard Jasper Johnson (6.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2 assists) played his best game of the season to date at Tennessee, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and doling out four assists vs. only one turnover in 19 minutes.
• Tennessee power forward Jaylen Carey (8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 49.3% FGs) made only 3 of 12 shots vs. UK in Knoxville but had six points, seven rebounds and three assists. ... Freshman guard Troy Henderson (2.4 points, 26 assists vs. five turnovers) played eight minutes and hit 1 of 2 3-pointers in the win over Ole Miss. ... Freshman wing Amari Evans (3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 49.2% FGs) had six points and eight rebounds in Tennessee’s 77-69 win over Auburn last Saturday. ... UT’s depth will be enhanced considerably if starting center Felix Okpara (6.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 54.2% FGs) is able to return after missing Tuesday night’s win over Ole Miss with a calf injury.
Advantage: Kentucky
Trends and history
• Kentucky leads the all-time series with Tennessee 164-79.
• UK head man Mark Pope is 3-1 vs. Tennessee.
• UT coach Rick Barnes is 13-15 overall vs. UK, and is 12-13 vs. the Wildcats as Volunteers head man.
• Kentucky is 12-2 at Rupp Arena in 2025-26. Tennessee is 2-3 in true road contests.
• Since Rick Barnes became Tennessee head coach in 2015-16, the Volunteers have gone 4-6 vs. Kentucky at Rupp Arena.
Advantage: Kentucky
Prediction
Kentucky 74, Tennessee 71
