For the third time this season and the sixth time in the last two seasons, Tennessee and Kentucky are about to face-off on the basketball court.
No. 3 seed Tennessee (28-4, 15-3 SEC) will take on No. 2 seed Kentucky (27-5, 15-3 SEC) in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville in the semifinals of the 2019 SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The two teams will tip off around 25-30 minutes after No. 5 seed Auburn finishes up playing No. 8 seed Florida in the first semifinal game of the day.
The Vols and Wildcats split the regular season series with both teams earning blowout victories on their home courts. Kentucky trounced Tennessee 86-69 in Lexington, and the Vols returned the favor two weeks later with a 71-52 victory in Knoxville.
Now, the two teams are gearing up for the rubber match and a chance to play for an SEC title on Sunday.
These two teams played each other in the SEC Tournament Finals last year, and Kentucky came away the victor with a 77-72 win. The Vols swept the regular season series between the two teams, but the Wildcats won the most important game of the year.
The Wildcats dispatched Alabama with ease on Friday night, winning 73-55 in their quarterfinal match-up. Tennessee tipped off after Kentucky and beat Mississippi State 83-76 to advance to the semifinals.
Kentucky big man Travis Reid returned to action on Friday night, marking his first game in several weeks after he sustained a knee injury in the Wildcats’ win over Missouri the game after they beat the Vols in Lexington. He was pivotal in Kentucky’s win over the Vols in Rupp Arena, but he was absent when the two teams played in Knoxville, and the Vols took advantage of that.
Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s game. If you can’t make it over to Nashville, here’s how you can watch and listen to the Tennessee vs. Kentucky game in the SEC Tournament.
Tip-Off: Approximately 3:30 Eastern, March 16th, Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN)
TV: ESPN
Streaming Online: WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app
Radio: Vol Network (99.1 FM or 990 AM in Knoxville/surrounding areas)
Line: Kentucky (-1.5)
