Tennessee Basketball Vs. Kentucky In Sec Tournament Scouting Report

The Tennessee Volunteers are set to take on the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC tournament this week. Here’s a scouting report on what to expect from both teams.

Tennessee Basketball

The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team is the intercollegiate men’s Basketball Program for the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Volunteers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Conference (SEC). Tennessee is currently coached by Rick Barnes. They have played their home games in Thompson-Boling Arena on the university’s Knoxville, Tennessee campus since 1987.

The Volunteers have made 23 total appearances in the NCAA tournament Their combined record is 28–22. They appeared in back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2002 and 2003, reaching the Sweet Sixteen each time. The 2003 team set a school record for wins in a season with 31 en route to their appearance in the Elite Eight, which also set a school record at the time. The 2007–08 season was the first appearance since 2003.

Kentucky Basketball

In order to get an update on the Kentucky Wildcats we talked with Matt Jones of Kentucky sports radio Here is what he had to say about their team:

“The biggest thing with Kentucky right now is they’re really young. Their two best players are freshmen in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Knox. They have a bunch of other freshmen that play a lot, too. So, they’re really inexperienced.

They started the season off really well. They were unbeaten in SEC play for a while and then they just kind of fell apart. A lot of that was due to inexperience, I think, as the season wore on. They lost some close games that they probably should have won.

Right now, they’re sort of playing their way back into form. They had a Big Win over Auburn last week and then they beat Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament yesterday. So, they’re sort of playing their way back into form at the right time.”

Sec Tournament

The Tennessee Volunteers will take on the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament this Friday. Here is a scouting report for the game.

Kentucky comes into the game with a 21-10 record, including a 12-6 record in SEC play. The Wildcats are led by freshman guard Tyler Herro who averages 16 points per game Kentucky’s other key contributors include freshman forward PJ Washington (14 points, 7 rebounds per game) and junior guard Ashton Hagans (11 points, 6 assists per game).

Tennessee enters the game with a 26-5 record and a 15-3 record in SEC play. The Volunteers are led by senior guard Admiral Schofield, who averages 20 points and 6 rebounds per game Tennessee’s other key contributors include junior forward Grant Williams (19 points, 7 rebounds per game) and sophomore guard Jordan Bone (12 points, 5 assists per game).

Kentucky is a strong offensive team averaging 73 points per game The Wildcats shoot 47% from the field as a team and they are especially good from three-point range shooting 38% from beyond the arc. On defense, Kentucky gives up 66 points per game and they have been solid against both two-point and three-point shots this season.

Tennessee is an elite defensive team, giving up just 60 points per game The Volunteers are very good at defending both two-point and three-point shots and they force their opponents to turn the ball over 13 times per game. On offense, Tennessee isn’t quite as explosive as Kentucky but they still average 71 Points per game The Volunteers shoot 45% from the field as a team and 37% from three-point range.

This should be a great match-up between two of the best teams in the SEC. Kentucky has the edge on offense but Tennessee’s defense will be tough to crackedown for 40 minutes

Scouting Report

The Tennessee Volunteers will face the Kentucky Wildcats in the semifinals of the SEC tournament Here is a scouting report for the matchup.

Tennessee:
The Volunteers are led by guard Jordan Bone, who is averaging 16 points and six assists per game Bone is a gifted scorer and playmaker, and he will need to be at his best against a Kentucky team that is loaded with talent. Tennessee also has a talented frontcourt, led by forwards Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams. Both players are averaging over 15 points and six rebounds per game The Volunteers will need to use their size and strength to their advantage against the smaller Kentucky frontline.

Kentucky:
The Wildcats are led by forward PJ Washington, who is averaging 15 points and seven rebounds per game. Washington is a versatile player who can score inside and out. He will be a tough matchup for the Tennessee frontcourt. Kentucky also has a talented backcourt, led by guard Tyler Herro Herro is averaging 14 points per game and is one of the best shooters in the country. The Wildcats will need to use their speed and athleticism to their advantage against the bigger Volunteers squad.

Game Preview

No. 1 seed Tennessee will take on No. 5 seed Kentucky Thursday in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Volunteers are coming off a 67-58 win over Alabama in their tournament opener, while the Wildcats had a bye in the first round.

Kentucky is one of the most talented teams in the country, and they proved it by winning 24 games in the regular season The Wildcats are led by freshman sensation Kevin Knox, who averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game during the regular season Knox is a 6-foot-9 forward who can shoot from anywhere on the floor and he will be a tough matchup for Tennessee.

The Volunteers are one of the best Defensive Teams in the nation, and they will need to be at their best against Kentucky. Tennessee is led by forward Admiral Schofield, who averaged 13.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during the Regular Season Schofield is a 6-foot-6 junior who can shoot from long range and he will be a key player for Tennessee on Thursday night

The winner of this game will advance to the semifinals of the SEC tournament where they will take on either No. 2 seed Florida or No. 7 seed Arkansas.

Player Matchups

In the Tennessee-Kentucky matchup in the SEC tournament there are some interesting individual matchups to watch out for.

In the frontcourt, Vols big man Admiral Schofield will have his hands full with UK’s PJ Washington. Washington is a versatile 6’7″ forward who can score inside and out. He’s averaging 15.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season.

Schofield is a rugged 6’6″ forward who can also score inside and out. He’s averaging 16.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season.

In the backcourt, Tennessee’s Jordan Bone will go up against Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson. Johnson is a 6’6″ guard who is averaging 13 points and 4 rebounds per game this season.

Bone is a quick 6’3″ guard who is averaging 13 points and 3 assists per game this season.

Keys to the Game

In order to beat Kentucky, Tennessee will need to do the following:
-Control the glass: In two losses to Kentucky this season, Tennessee has been out-rebounded by a combined 27 boards. When the Vols have won the rebounding margin this season, they are 18-0. When they’ve lost it, they are 4-10. UK has some bigs that can crash the glass in PJ Washington, Reid Travis, and Nick Richards, so it will be important for Tennessee to limit their second chance opportunities.
-Knock down shots: It seems like a broken record at this point, but when Tennessee has shot well this season, they’ve usually come out on top. When the Vols have made 10 or more threes in a game, they are 12-1. When they’ve made nine or fewer, they are just 6-8. Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bone will need to have big games for UT to keep pace with UK’s high powered offense.
-Limit turnovers: One of John Calipari’s best teams at Kentucky was the 2014-15 squad that went 38-1 and won the national title. That team featured seven players who would go on to be drafted by NBA teams and they were also one of the best defensive teams in the country. One thing that stood out about that team was their ability to force turnovers; they finished second nationally in turnover margin that season. This year’s Kentucky team is long and athletic as well, and they rank sixth nationally in turnover margin. The Vols have been better lately with their ball security, but they can’t afford to give UK easy points off of turnovers.

X-Factors

In any big game there are always a few players that step up and become the difference maker. Here are a few guys that could be the x-factor in tomorrow’s huge game between Tennessee and Kentucky.

For Kentucky, freshman big man Bam Adebayo has been a force in the post all season. He is averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he will be matched up with Tennessee’s star center, Grant Williams. Adebayo will need to have a big game for Kentucky to come out on top.

Another player to watch for Kentucky is junior guard De’Aaron Fox. Fox is the Wildcats’ best player, and he will be tasked with guarding Tennessee’s best player, Admiral Schofield. Fox will need to use his speed and quickness to keep Schofield in check.

As for Tennessee, their x-factors are senior guard Robert Hubbs III and junior forward Kyle Alexander. Hubbs has been inconsistent at times this season, but he is capable of scoring in bunches. If he can get hot from the outside, it will open up things for Williams inside.

Alexander is a 6’11” forward who is averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds per game. He doesn’t put up big numbers, but he is a very good defender and shot blocker. He will need to do a good job of protecting the paint against Kentucky’s big men

Predictions

The Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats are set to do battle in the SEC Tournament this week. Here’s a look at what to expect from both teams:

Tennessee: The Volunteers come into the SEC Tournament as the top seed and will be looking to make a deep run. They are led by star guard Brent Stockstill, who is averaging 18.5 points per game. Stockstill is a talented scorer and has the ability to take over a game. He will need to be at his best if Tennessee wants to win the SEC tournament

Kentucky: The Wildcats come into the SEC tournament as the second seed. They are led by guard Malik Monk, who is averaging 21 points per game. Monk is an explosive scorer and can get hot from three-point range. If he gets going, it will be tough for anyone to stop Kentucky.

Prediction: Tennessee will win the SEC tournament. They have the better team and they re Playing on their home court Look for Stockstill to have a big week and lead the Volunteers to victory.

Game Recap

In one of the most highly-anticipated games of the season, the Tennessee Volunteers took on the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament. The game did not disappoint, as both teams fought tooth-and-nail for a victory. In the end, it was the Volunteer’s who came out on top, winning by a score of 73-71.