Greetings from Rupp Arena.
No. 22 Tennessee (11-4, 2-2 SEC) is in the building for today's trip to Lexington to take on No. 18 Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC). Tip is at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Cats are 5-point favorites. KenPom projects a 74-69 Kentucky win and gives UK 66% of winning.
My notes on Kentucky: (Stats from KenPom entering the game)
Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC) starting lineup:
Key Kentucky bench players:
Kentucky offensive strengths:
Kentucky offensive weaknesses:
Kentucky defensive strengths:
No. 22 Tennessee (11-4, 2-2 SEC) is in the building for today's trip to Lexington to take on No. 18 Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC). Tip is at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Cats are 5-point favorites. KenPom projects a 74-69 Kentucky win and gives UK 66% of winning.
My notes on Kentucky: (Stats from KenPom entering the game)
- 9th in KenPom entering the game — KenProm projects a 74-69 Kentucky win (66%)
- 181st in average height (76.9”)
- 265th toughest schedule in the country
- 215th in bench minutes (30.2%)
- 233rd in experience (1.68 years)
- 307th in minutes continuity (28%)
Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC) starting lineup:
- PG, TyTy Washington, Fr.
- Four-time SEC Freshman of the Week
- Set the school record with 17 assists vs. Georgia
- Averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 assists per game
- G, Kellan Grady, Gr. — graduate transfer from Davidson
- Team-best 44 3s on SEC-best 44.9% 3-point shooting
- Second-most returning points in college basketball
- G, Davion Mintz, Gr. — transfer from Creighton
- Made more than 100 starts in his career
- Team's leading returning scorer who averaged 11.5 points per game in 2020-21
- F, Keion Brooks, Jr.
- Averaging 10.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game
- Shooting 50.4% on the season
- F, Oscar Tshiebwe, Jr. — transfer from West Virginia
- Team-best 17.0 scoring average
- leads the country in rebounding (15.1) and defensive rebounding percentage (36.0%)
- His 12 double-doubles and offensive rebounding percentage (21.0%) rank second nationally
Key Kentucky bench players:
- PG, Sahvir Wheeler, Jr. — transfer from Georgia
- remains day-to-day with a neck injury he suffered in last week's game at LSU, but did resume practicing this week and is expected to play against Tennessee, John Calipari indicated on Friday during his weekly press conference
- F, Jacob Toppin, Jr. — transfer from Rhode Island
- G, CJ Fredrick, R-Jr. — transfer from Iowa
- G, Dontaie Allen, R-So.
- F, Lance Ware, So.
Kentucky offensive strengths:
- 8th in offensive efficiency (118.6)
- 2nd in offensive rebound% (40.7)
- 26th in block% (6.5)
- 27th in effective FG% (54.6)
- 27th in 2P% (55.7)
- 63.1% of points come off of 2’s (3rd)
- 123rd in 3P% (34.6)
- 23.6% of points come off of 3’s (338th)
- 155th in FT% (71.7)
- 13.2% of points come off of free throws (338th)
- 27th in 2P% (55.7)
- 37th in non-teal TO% (7.5)
- 50th in turnover% (16.6)
- 58th in average possession length (16.3)
Kentucky offensive weaknesses:
- 126th in adjusted tempo (69.5)
- 126th in A/FGM (53.4)
- 145th in steal% (9.1)
- 326th in FTA/FGA (23.2)
- 344th in 3PA/FGA (28.7)
Kentucky defensive strengths:
- 21st in defensive efficiency (93.4)
- 6th in offensive rebound% (20.9)
- 16th in effective FG% (44.4)
- 19th in 2P% (44.0)
- 54.3% of opponent’s points come off 2’s (83rd)
- 57th in 3P% (30.1)
- 98th in 3PA/FGA (35.3)
- 30.5% of opponents points come from three (216th)
- 19th in 2P% (44.0)
- 22nd in FTA/FGA (22.2)
- 15.2% of opponent’s points come off free throws (287th)
- 37th in A/FGM (43.4)
- 50th in block% (12.9%)
- 154th in steal% (9.6)
- 276th in non-steal turnover% (8.3)
- 208th in FT% (71.6)
