What Rick Barnes Had To Say About Kentucky Being A Bad Matchup

Image: Tennessee Athletics

By Cody McClure

Kentucky has beaten Tennessee twice this season.

The first game felt like a bit of a fluke, as the Vols missed 34 three-point shots at home.

On 45 attempts. Flukey. Weird game.

The second game felt more like a real basketball game, and to Kentucky’s credit, they won it in solid fashion at the end. They came through when it mattered.

But the facts are the facts. The Vols are 0-2 against the ‘Cats and Friday night’s contest is the most important one in the long history between these teams.

So, is Kentucky a bad matchup?

“I don’t know that it’s a bad matchup,” Rick Barnes said on Vol Calls Monday. "Other than the fact that they just played better and they've done what they needed to do to win the game, and we haven't. I don't think there's any secret in terms of they shot the ball extremely well.”

So nothing fancy that UT can’t handle. They just played better and hit shots. And we didn’t.

“You go back and look at what their numbers have been … The first game here, now again, they still have to make the shots, whether we guard them or don't. But early in the game here they got some looks that you don't want to let them get. And again, they got it. They got the ball where they wanted it and they made it." 

We were out of position on defense a couple times. No big deal.

It’s clear that things went pretty wrong in the two games against Kentucky. But those mistakes are correctable. And this Tennessee team is better than it was at that time.

If the averages pan out like they should, the Vols will win round three.