Tennessee fans don't like Kentucky fans. I am pretty sure that feeling is reciprocated. The smack talk extends way beyond the court and the message boards; it bleeds right into the media coverage.
Yesterday, our sister site that covers the Vols decided to get a little "bold" with their predictions for tonight's game.
Two of them were pretty tame. They predicted that rebounding would be won by the Vols and that Nate Ament would have a big game. Okay, sure. We can deal with that. But the third one? That was just pure disrespect.
Otega Oweh gets slighted in a big way
Last month, Kentucky went to Knoxville and knocked off the Vols in stunning fashion, coming back from 17 down to steal the win. Kentucky has now won three of the last four in the rivalry, but Tennessee expert Conner Linsner doesn't see it going down like that again.
His logic?
"The biggest edge I see is that the Vols have the two best players on the court and can handle Kentucky's inside presence... Tennessee picks up a win on the road, 81-76."
Are you kidding me? I don't dispute that Ament and Gillespie are great players; they are. But to say that Tennessee has the undisputedly best two players on the court is not something I can agree with.
Did they forget about Otega Oweh?
Oweh has dropped 20+ points more than anyone else in the league. And sure, to be fair, the last game in Knoxville was probably his worst game in conference play statistically; he was just 3-of-11 for 12 points.
But who was the guy who put the Cats up with a breakaway jam in the final minute? It was Oweh. Even on an "off" night, he is a guy who loves the moment.
Kentucky has found a unique way to fight off the slow starts lately, and if they can get going early tonight, the crowd will be roaring. When Rupp is rowdy, it is very tough for an opposing team to walk away a winner.
That is why this prediction of a loss is going to fade faster than the Vols' 17-point lead last month.