Kentucky-Tennessee Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
FOOD CITY CENTER | KNOXVILLE, TN
JANUARY 17, 2026
ATTENDANCE: 21,678

Final Score: Kentucky 80, 24/RV Tennessee 78

Team Records and Series Notes

• For the third game in a row, Kentucky overcame a deficit of at least 12 points (17 today) as the Wildcats won 80-78 at No. 24/RV Tennessee.
• Kentucky is 12-6 overall, 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
• Tennessee is 12-6 overall, 2-3 in the SEC.
• Kentucky leads the series, 164-79.
  • UK leads 61-53 in Knoxville and the Wildcats have won the last four.
  • It is the first time UK has won four in a row in Knoxville since 2003-06.
  • It is the first time UK has won six of seven in Knoxville since 1951-1964 (12 of 13)
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats return home for a two-game set, beginning Wednesday vs. Texas at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Team Notes

• The last time Kentucky came back from at least 12 points behind in three straight was 2017 vs. Florida (12 points down), vs. Vanderbilt (19) and at Texas A&M (15).
• This was the largest halftime comeback win at Tennessee in UK history.
  • Tennessee is 100-2 over their last 102 home games when leading at the half. Their two losses have both come to Kentucky the last two seasons
• Entering today, Tennessee was 10-0 at home this season and had won 13 in a row in the Food City Center, dating back to UK’s win last year in Knoxville.
  • Over the past five seasons, Tennessee is 73-8 at home. Four of the eight losses have come to Kentucky
• Although Tennessee had a 16-14 advantage in offensive rebounds, Kentucky won second-chance points 19-7.
• Kentucky had five double figure scorers and the Wildcats are 7-0 this season when that happens.
  • UK had three double-figure scorers off the bench, winning bench points 36-22.
• Kentucky led for only 34 seconds today; in the two road wins this week, UK led by a total of 1 minute, 44 seconds.
• Kentucky shot 45.8 percent on 3-pointers, 11 of 24.
  • UK is 6-0 this season when shooting at least 40 percent on long balls, including the last three games.
  • UK is 7-1 this season when making at least 10 3-pointers and 23-4 overall under Mark Pople

Player Notes

• For the second game in a row, Denzel Aberdeen played a marvelous second half.
  • Today he scored 18 of his team-high 22 points in the second half; on Wednesday he scored all 17 of his points in the second stanza.
  • He sparked the rally with a pair of 3-pointers early in the second half.
  • It is his second 20-point game of the season.
  • Over the last three games, he has averaged 18.3 points per game.
• Otega Oweh had 12 points and has scored in double figures in all 18 games this season. He has a total streak of 21 games dating back to last season.
  • He had two steals, his 13^th straight game with at least one theft; 12 of those 13 games feature at least two steals.
• With the Wildcats struggling offensively in the first half, Jasper Johnson came off the bench to score 12 points in the opening stanza.
  • He led the team in assists with four, three of which came during the second-half rally.
  • This is his fourth double-figure game of the season and first in an SEC game.
• Collin Chandler tallied 12 points, all coming on his 4 of 6 shooting on 3-pointers.
  • It is his season-high scoring in an SEC game.
  • He has three steals, including the swipe that led to the go-ahead score with 34 seconds left.
• Mo Dioubate played a muscular all-around offensive and defensive game, leading UK in plus/minus with a +16.
  • He totaled 10 points and led the Wildcats in rebounding with six boards.
• Malachi Moreno had just three points, but he tied for the team lead in rebounding with six and tied a season high with four blocked shots.
  • For the second-game in a row, Moreno had the decisive final play of the game.
    • On Wednesday, he swished a jumper at the buzzer for the win at LSU.
    • Today, he blocked the potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.
  • Jayden Quaintance missed his third straight game while dealing with his knee recovery.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started the combination of Denzel Aberdeen, Otega Oweh, Kam Williams, Andrija Jelavic and Malachi Moreno for the second straight game.
• UK’s first substitution was Jasper Johnson at 17:52 after Aberdeen picked up two fouls.
• Tennessee jumped out 14-8, prompting a UK timeout at 15:02.
  • Tennessee extended the run to 11-0, making the lead 20-8.
• Tennessee pushed the lead to 17 points at 41-24 before UK replied with a 7-0 spurt.
• Tennessee went to halftime with a 42-31 advantage.
  • Johnson led the Wildcats with 12 points.
  • UK is now 4-5 this season when trailing at halftime, rallying from deficits against Indiana (7 points), St. John’s (7), LSU (16) and Tennessee (11).

In the Second Half

• Kentucky opened with the starters.
• Aberdeen hit a pair of 3-pointers, sparking an 11-6 run to open the half to cut the score to 48-42 at the first television timeout at 15:12.
• Kentucky gradually, gradually, gradually narrowed the gap to 77-76.
• A Chandler steal and fast-break lob to Oweh resulted in a layup and a foul as Kentucky took its first lead, 78-77, with 34 seconds remaining.
  • Oweh missed the foul shot, but Dioubate rebounded, leading to an Aberdeen layup and 80-77 score with 16 seconds left.
• Tennessee missed a 3-pointer, but Ja’kobi Gillespie rebounded and was fouled by Dioubate.
• Gillespie made the first foul shot (80-78) and intentionally missed the second.
  • In the scramble for the rebound, Jaylen Carey came up with the ball but his potential tying shot at the buzzer was blocked by Moreno.
• Tennessee did not have a field goal over the last 5:38 of game time