Tennessee turned the tables on Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament, delivering a dominant 78-65 victory on Friday night to advance to their second straight Elite Eight.
Despite losing twice to Kentucky during the regular season, the Volunteers (30-7) made a statement in the Sweet 16, outplaying their SEC rival in all facets of the game. Zakai Zeigler led the charge with 18 points and 10 assists as Tennessee took control early and never looked back.
“We really wanted to set the tone and show them who we were,” Zeigler said. “Regardless of what happened before, we were going to play Tennessee basketball, and I feel like we did that great tonight.”
Among the excited spectators at Lucas Oil Stadium was legendary quarterback Peyton Manning, donning an orange cap as he cheered for his alma mater in the city where he won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts.
For Kentucky (24-12), first-year head coach Mark Pope saw his team struggle offensively, managing just 65 points—20 below their season average. Lamont Butler led the Wildcats with 18 points, but their usual success from beyond the arc was stifled. After making 12 three-pointers in each of their regular-season wins over Tennessee, Kentucky was held to just 6-of-15 shooting from deep.
Tennessee’s defensive intensity was evident from the start. The Vols dominated the glass, grabbing nine offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to 13 second-chance points. By halftime, they had built a commanding 43-28 lead, marking just the second time all season Kentucky had been held under 30 points in the opening half. Head coach Rick Barnes remained undefeated in the NCAA Tournament when leading by double digits at halftime (15-0).
Tennessee continued to control the game in the second half, forcing a shot-clock violation on Kentucky’s first possession and preventing any significant comeback attempts. Even when the Wildcats cut the deficit to 12 points late, the Vols quickly responded with key plays, including a putback dunk by Felix Okpara and a three-pointer by Zeigler, who confidently stared down Kentucky’s 6-foot-10 Brandon Garrison after draining the shot.
“It felt like we were playing Tennessee basketball, playing aggressive, playing smart all-around,” Okpara said.
For Kentucky, it was another painful defeat in Indianapolis, adding to past tournament heartbreaks in the city, including their 2015 Final Four loss to Wisconsin and their shocking first-round upset by Saint Peter’s in 2022.
With their statement victory, Tennessee moves on to the Elite Eight, looking to continue their strong tournament run.
