Mark Pope has guided Kentucky to back-to-back wins, even without Jaland Lowe for the season and Jayden Quaintance indefinitely. The Wildcats are riding high—but one shocking stat has fans worried as they head to Knoxville: Kentucky has yet to show it can sustain elite play for a full 40 minutes. Tomorrow’s SEC showdown is huge for both teams.
How to Watch Kentucky vs. Tennessee
Date & Time: Saturday, January 17 | 12:00 PM ET
Venue: Food City Center, Knoxville, TN
TV: ESPN
Cable: Spectrum Channel 28 | DirecTV 206 | DISH 140
Streaming: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue & Orange Plan)
Radio / Online: Stream at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630
Local Radio: Lexington – 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP, Louisville – 840 AM WHAS, London – 103.9 FM WWEL, Hazard/Pikeville – 101.1 WSGS, Madisonville – 93.9 WKTG
Announcers: Dan Shulman & Jay Bilas
What’s at Stake
Tennessee is coming off a double-overtime thriller against Texas A&M and is eager to defeat Kentucky for a second straight time after ending the Wildcats’ NCAA run last season. Both teams are desperate to avoid a 2-3 SEC start and need a Quad 1 win to climb the NET rankings—making this matchup a must-win for both programs.
Series History
Kentucky dominates historically, holding a 163-79 all-time record over the Vols, including 60-53 in Knoxville. Tennessee did win the last meeting, but with both teams struggling for consistency this season, tomorrow’s game is anyone’s to take.
Players to Watch
Tennessee
Ja’Kobi Gillespie: Almost always on the floor in league games, he averages 19 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Kentucky must limit his defensive impact.
Nate Ament: Can take over late, though Kentucky’s bigs can challenge him physically.
Wildcard — Bishop Boswell: Averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds, he could provide a big boost if he steps up offensively.
Kentucky
Malachi Moreno: Fresh off a buzzer-beater win against LSU, he’ll need to dominate the boards against a Tennessee team that leads the nation in offensive rebounds. Tough box-outs and transition points start with him.
Key to the Game: Rebounding
Tennessee pounds the offensive glass, so Kentucky must limit second-chance points and generate transition buckets. If the Vols get multiple attempts per possession, the Wildcats could be in for a long afternoon.
Prediction
Both teams are desperate for a win, but Kentucky has yet to prove it can maintain top-level play for an entire game. On the road against a physical Tennessee squad, the Cats may struggle to put it all together.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 75, Kentucky 63
