Kentucky came out firing in Rupp Arena, opening with a 6-0 run fueled by two forced turnovers—something that hasn’t been a strength this season. Tennessee responded with five straight points and slowed the game down to their preferred grind-it-out pace. By the under-8 timeout, the Wildcats held a slim 18-17 lead, but a key moment came at the 9:58 mark when Amari Williams picked up his second foul, limiting his minutes for the remainder of the half.
The Wildcats managed to keep their momentum going, taking a 27-23 lead into the final media timeout, thanks to big plays on both ends. Otega Oweh had a monster block, while Trent Noah and Brandon Garrison each knocked down critical three-pointers to stretch the lead. Noah, in particular, was on fire from deep, hitting three of Kentucky’s seven threes in the first half.
Kentucky’s hot shooting from beyond the arc (7-14, 50%) has been the difference, while Tennessee has struggled at 0-5 from deep. The Volunteers have relied on free throws, hitting 8 of 9 (88.9%), but Kentucky’s defensive intensity has forced six Tennessee turnovers, leading to six points off turnovers and eight fast-break points.
Despite Tennessee keeping the pace slow, Mark Pope liked the moments where Kentucky sped things up, saying, “When we got a little pace in the game, in moments, it helped. We try not to fight the whole game for 40 minutes.” The Wildcats will look to keep their shooting touch going in the second half and maintain control of the tempo.
Key First-Half Stats
- Kentucky Shooting: 44.8% FG, 50.0% 3PT, 100.0% FT
- Tennessee Shooting: 34.6% FG, 0.0% 3PT, 88.9% FT
- Turnovers: Kentucky 4, Tennessee 6
- Points Off Turnovers: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 2
- Rebounds: Tennessee 17, Kentucky 15
- Assists: Kentucky 8, Tennessee 3
The Wildcats hold a solid nine-point halftime lead (35-26), but Tennessee will likely make adjustments. Kentucky needs to keep knocking down shots and pushing the tempo when possible to secure a crucial SEC win.