Kentucky won the first two meetings this season, but Tennessee won the third and most important one, and now the Volunteers are rewarded with a trip to the Elite Eight of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
No. 2 seeded Tennessee finally got the best of No. 3 seeded Kentucky as a hot first half propelled the Volunteers past the Wildcats 78-65 for the win in the Sweet 16. Tennessee led nearly the entire contest, and the lead was in double-digits for the entire second half. Zakai Zeigler has been the leader for Tennessee all season, and the 5-foot-9-inch guard did it again Friday night with 18 points and nine assists.
Tennessee now heads to its second consecutive Elite Eight, and Rick Barnes’ team will have another chance to get the program’s first Final Four trip.
USA TODAY Sports followed the top moments from Friday’s game:
Kentucky vs. Tennessee men’s basketball score
Tennessee wins 78-65. Kentucky’s offense has improved, but Tennessee continued to knock down shots to maintain a big lead.
Zakai Ziegler led all scorers with 18 points, while Tennessee teammate Chaz Lanier added 17 points. Jordan Gainey also has 16 points. Kentucky’s leading scorer was Lamont Butler with 18 points.
Tennessee vs. Kentucky highlights
No. 2 seed Tennessee beat No. 3 seed Kentucky 78-65. Watch the video for best action from the game.
Zakai Zeigler points today
Ziegler leads Tennessee with a game-high 18 points. He also has nine assists and a rebound. He set the single-season SEC record with his dimes Friday.
Amari Williams points today
Williams has 11 points for Kentucky. He was much of the Wildcat offense in the first half, and teammate Lamont Butler has 15 points.
Quick sequence extends Tennessee lead
Tennessee scored five points in seven seconds. After a Felix Okpara dunk, Chaz Lanier stole the pass and gave it to Zeigler, who knocked down a 3-pointer. The Tennessee crowd went crazy and Kentucky coach Mark Pope called a timeout.
Chaz Lanier taking over in second half
After a quiet first half with six points, Lanier has found a rhythm in the second half to keep the Volunteers in front. He is 4-for-7 from the field out of halftime and now has 15 points.
Andrew Carr with big slam
Kentucky is trying to cut the deficit and Carr is doing his part. He had a major dunk early in the second half.
Kentucky vs. Tennessee halftime score
Tennessee leads 43-28 at halftime. The Volunteer offense shook off a slow start and were on fire for a majority of the first half, getting offensive rebounds to convert into second-chance points while Kentucky struggled to get buckets. Tennessee led by as many as 19 points, but the Wildcats cut the deficit before the end of the half.
Tennessee run extends lead
The Volunteers are clicking with an 8-0 run to take a commanding 19-point lead with just under three minutes left in the first half. Meanwhile, Kentucky has missed its last seven shot attempts and hasn’t scored in more than three minutes.
How tall is Zakai Zeigler?
Zeigler is 5-foot-9-inches, the shortest player on Tennessee.
Tennessee controlling rebounds
The early lead for Tennessee can be attributed to the early dominance on the boards. Tennessee is out rebounding Kentucky 13-6 so far. Six of Tennessee’s rebounds have come on the offensive end, leading to nine second-chance points.
3-pointers give Tennessee early lead
The 3-point shot is working for Tennessee with three buckets from downtown to fuel a 10-3 run. Tennessee took a 10 point lead eight minutes into the game.
Peyton Manning at Tennessee Sweet 16 game
Rocky Top royalty is inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Super Bowl-winning quarterback and former Volunteer Peyton Manning was shown on the broadcast.
Tennesse vs. Kentucky underway
The first NCAA Tournament game between the Wildcats and Volunteers has tipped off. After both teams went scoreless in the first 90 seconds, Volunteers forward Igor Milicic Jr. hit two free throws to get the scoring started.
Tennessee starting lineup
Chaz Lanier, G
Zakai Zeigler, G
Jahmai Mashack, G
Igor Milicic Jr., F
Felix Okpara, C
Kentucky starting lineup
Otega Oweh, G
Lamont Butler, G
Koby Brea, G
Andrew Carr, F
Amari Williams, F
What time is Kentucky vs. Tennessee basketball today?
March Madness continues Friday with the Sweet 16 matchup between the No. 3 seeded Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 2 seeded Tennessee Volunteers. The action kicks off at 7:39 p.m. ET
