I don’t have the constitution to write too much about this one, y’all.
Tennessee did it again, coming from ahead to tank a big lead and fall on their faces in a dreadful second half against the Kentucky Wildcats. Last time it was 80-78 in Knoxville. This time around, it was 74-71 in Lexington. And, similar to the Vols having a 17-point lead in January, the Vols stormed to a 47-33 halftime lead tonight.
And…..that appeared to have been good enough to them to win, or at least perhaps in their own minds.
It wasn’t.
The Vols got boat raced in the second half and scored just 24 points in the frame in arguably their worst offensive half of basketball of the entire season.
The Vols started the second half of competently, keeping it at 54-41 a few minutes in. But then the wheels came off. Tennessee Vol-slayer Collin Chandler hit a three to draw to 54-44, and a couple of minutes later, Denzel Aberdeen hit another to keep the momentum flowing Kentucky’s way.
The Vols would get stuck on 57 points for five and a half minutes before mercifully scoring again with 9 minutes left to bring the lead back to 59-55. But Kentucky finally inched back ahead at 61-60 on a basket by Otega Oweh with 6 minutes left. Tennessee went on a brief 5-0 run powered by an and-1 by Nate Ament, who had a huge first half with 19 points and finished with 29 for the game.
But the Vols couldn’t stop what was coming on either end of the floor. Aberdeen put UK up with just over a minute left with two free throws, and Ament gave the Vols their final lead at 69-68 on a driving layup with 59 seconds left.
And then, that Chandler guy again…..man. Kentucky called timeout, and out of it, they called up a play for him. Oweh drove and kicked out to the wing to Chandler, who knocked down a wide open three for a 71-69 lead. As much of a single-season Vol killer as I’ve seen out of any player in a very, very long time.
Rick Barnes called up a play for Ament, but he put up a highly contested mid-range jumper, missed, and Kentucky grabbed the rebound. The Cats got one of two free throws, and two free throws by J.P. Estrella with 8.6 seconds left brought it to 72-71.
Chandler took the inbounds pass, was fouled, and MISSED the front end of a one-and-one with 8.1 seconds left. But Amari Evans got outworked for the rebound, and Tennessee had to foul again with 3.7 seconds left. Two free throws made for a 74-71 lead.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie got off a half-court three that hit the backboard, clanged off the inside of the front of the rim, and bounced out.
A truly despicable loss, and one that all but closes the door on a double bye in the SEC Tournament.
I have no idea what to make of this team anymore.
