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Tennessee and Kentucky share more than just a border.
The men’s basketball programs at the respective schools have a lengthy, storied and often heated history with one another.
The Wildcats are royalty in the sport, with eight national titles and more all-time wins than any program at the Division I level. The Vols aren’t slouches themselves, with more than 1,700 all-time victories and the somewhat regrettable status of being among the best programs to have never made a Final Four.
REQUIRED READING: Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky prediction: Who has edge in 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16?
Their paths have often collided since their first meeting on Feb. 16, 1910, a 20-5 Kentucky victory, with 241 all-time matchups between the SEC foes.
Their 242nd game comes on maybe the biggest stage the two rivals have ever shared.
Coach Rick Barnes’ Vols and coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats will face off Friday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the winner getting one step closer to the Final Four and a national championship.
Here’s a look at the postseason history between the Tennessee and Kentucky men’s basketball programs:
Regardless of who advances to the Elite Eight, Tennessee and Kentucky will make history Friday night in Indianapolis.
The Sweet 16 game between the Vols and Wildcats marks the first time the programs have ever met in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, it will be Tennessee’s first game ever in the NCAA Tournament against an SEC opponent.
Prior to 1975, the NCAA Tournament allowed only one team per conference before it expanded to a 32-team event. In the years since, the likelihood of playing an SEC team was low or at least not possible until the later rounds. With a record 14 SEC teams in the tournament this season, however, teams from the conference could only avoid each other for so long.
Tennessee and Kentucky have nearly squared off in the NCAA Tournament before, most recently in 2014, when both teams advanced to the Sweet 16 (also in Indianapolis), but the No. 11 Vols fell to Michigan, denying them a chance to take on the Wildcats in the Elite Eight.
REQUIRED READING: What time is Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky today? Time, TV schedule to watch March Madness game
While Tennessee and Kentucky have never matched wits in the NCAA Tournament, at least until Friday, they’ve done so quite often in the SEC Tournament.
The Vols and Wildcats have 18 all-time meetings in the SEC Tournament, with Kentucky holding a 12-6 advantage in those contests. Tennessee has won each of the past two SEC Tournament matchups against the Wildcats including, most recently, in 2022, when it knocked off Kentucky 69-62 in Tampa, Florida.
Tennessee has lost each of its previous two meetings against Kentucky this season, falling 78-73 on Jan. 28 in Knoxville and 75-64 two weeks later in Lexington.
The Wildcats were without a key player in each of those victories. Lamont Butler was out for the win in Knoxville while Jaxson Robinson, who’s nursing a season-ending injury and won’t play Friday, missed the victory in Lexington.
Since its series with Kentucky began in 1910, Tennessee is 78-163 all-time against the Wildcats.
The Vols have had slightly more success over the past decade, with an 11-12 record against Kentucky under Barnes. Recently, though, it’s been a bit more lopsided, with the Wildcats winning seven of the past 10 matchups.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: March Madness: Tennessee vs Kentucky NCAA Tournament, postseason history
Continue reading...
The men’s basketball programs at the respective schools have a lengthy, storied and often heated history with one another.
The Wildcats are royalty in the sport, with eight national titles and more all-time wins than any program at the Division I level. The Vols aren’t slouches themselves, with more than 1,700 all-time victories and the somewhat regrettable status of being among the best programs to have never made a Final Four.
REQUIRED READING: Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky prediction: Who has edge in 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16?
Their paths have often collided since their first meeting on Feb. 16, 1910, a 20-5 Kentucky victory, with 241 all-time matchups between the SEC foes.
Their 242nd game comes on maybe the biggest stage the two rivals have ever shared.
Coach Rick Barnes’ Vols and coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats will face off Friday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the winner getting one step closer to the Final Four and a national championship.
Here’s a look at the postseason history between the Tennessee and Kentucky men’s basketball programs:
Have Tennessee and Kentucky ever played in NCAA Tournament?
Regardless of who advances to the Elite Eight, Tennessee and Kentucky will make history Friday night in Indianapolis.
The Sweet 16 game between the Vols and Wildcats marks the first time the programs have ever met in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, it will be Tennessee’s first game ever in the NCAA Tournament against an SEC opponent.
Prior to 1975, the NCAA Tournament allowed only one team per conference before it expanded to a 32-team event. In the years since, the likelihood of playing an SEC team was low or at least not possible until the later rounds. With a record 14 SEC teams in the tournament this season, however, teams from the conference could only avoid each other for so long.
Tennessee and Kentucky have nearly squared off in the NCAA Tournament before, most recently in 2014, when both teams advanced to the Sweet 16 (also in Indianapolis), but the No. 11 Vols fell to Michigan, denying them a chance to take on the Wildcats in the Elite Eight.
REQUIRED READING: What time is Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky today? Time, TV schedule to watch March Madness game
Tennessee postseason record vs Kentucky
While Tennessee and Kentucky have never matched wits in the NCAA Tournament, at least until Friday, they’ve done so quite often in the SEC Tournament.
The Vols and Wildcats have 18 all-time meetings in the SEC Tournament, with Kentucky holding a 12-6 advantage in those contests. Tennessee has won each of the past two SEC Tournament matchups against the Wildcats including, most recently, in 2022, when it knocked off Kentucky 69-62 in Tampa, Florida.
Tennessee record vs Kentucky in 2024-25
Tennessee has lost each of its previous two meetings against Kentucky this season, falling 78-73 on Jan. 28 in Knoxville and 75-64 two weeks later in Lexington.
The Wildcats were without a key player in each of those victories. Lamont Butler was out for the win in Knoxville while Jaxson Robinson, who’s nursing a season-ending injury and won’t play Friday, missed the victory in Lexington.
Tennessee vs Kentucky series history
Since its series with Kentucky began in 1910, Tennessee is 78-163 all-time against the Wildcats.
The Vols have had slightly more success over the past decade, with an 11-12 record against Kentucky under Barnes. Recently, though, it’s been a bit more lopsided, with the Wildcats winning seven of the past 10 matchups.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: March Madness: Tennessee vs Kentucky NCAA Tournament, postseason history
Continue reading...
