By Jimmy Hyams
Four years ago, the Tennessee Vols had a special basketball team.
They won 31 games. They were ranked No. 1 for more weeks than any team in program history. They beat heavyweights like Louisville, Gonzaga, Memphis and Kentucky.
But for all that team accomplished, it didn’t win a ring.
It didn’t win the SEC regular season. It didn’t win the SEC Tournament. It didn’t make it to the Final Four.
This Tennessee team isn’t as good as the 2018-19 version, but it could still do something that one didn’t – win a ring.
“At the beginning of the year, we wanted to win an SEC title, a regular-season title,’’ said junior guard Josiah-Jordan James. “And our fate is still in our hands.’’
Yes it is. Tennessee (18-6, 9-3) has won seven SEC games in a row for only the second time under Rick Barnes to move two games within first-place and No. 2 ranked Auburn (11-2) and one behind fourth-ranked Kentucky (10-2).
If the Vols beat the Wildcats in Thompson-Boling Arena tonight (9 p.m. ESPN), you’d have to consider UT a serious contender for the SEC championship.
Tennessee faces Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena Feb. 26 in what looms as a potential pivotal game – perhaps for both teams.
Kentucky had its way against Tennessee in the first meeting Jan. 15, a 107-89 rout. On the day in which former Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall died, Kentucky honored Hall’s memory. They shot 78.6% from the field in the first half, 68% for the game, 61% on 3s (11 of 18), hit 20 of 21 free throw attempts and scored 32 points off 20 UT turnovers.
You could argue that nobody in the country would have beaten Kentucky that day. Well, maybe the Phoenix Suns.
Tennessee actually shot well in that game: 53.4% from the field, 11 of 23 on 3s.
Despite that blowout defeat, Tennessee has been installed as a one-point favorite over Kentucky. Perhaps someone had too many adult beverages at the casino bar.
Nonetheless, Tennessee has fared well against the Blue Bloods at home. UT won four in a row (2016-19) before dropping the last two at TBA. And UT has beaten Kentucky at least once six years in a row.
That bodes well for Tennessee’s odds.
So does the team’s improvement since that debacle in Rupp Arena. UT hasn’t lost an SEC game since.
“I feel like the team we have now is night and day (better) compared to the team then,’’ James said. “I think we have grown in all aspects and gotten better since that game.’’
James has been a spark during this recent Tennessee surge. He hit over 40% from 3-point range (19 of 45) during an eight-game stretch, not counting the four minutes he played at Vanderbilt due to an injury. He then hit just one of 7 against Vanderbilt but had 10 rebounds to help the cause.
It seems if James plays well, UT plays well.
Tennessee has also prospered using a smaller lineup: Kennedy Chandler, Santi Vescovi, Zakai Ziegler, James and a big man.
John Calipari has one of his best Kentucky teams outside of the 2012 national title squad.
Guard TyTy Washington, Kentucky’s second-leading scorer, torched the Vols for 28 points at Rupp. But Washington, who earlier set a school record with 17 assists in a game, suffered an injury against Florida on Saturday and is uncertain to play.
There’s nothing uncertain about 6-9 junior Oscar Tshiebwe. The West Virginia transfer is averaging 16.4 points and a nation’s-best 15.3 rebounds. He’s had five 20-rebound games.
When UK’s Anthony Davis won national player of the year and Final Four MVP in 2012, he averaged 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds.
“You can’t talk about the national player of the year without talking about him,’’ Barnes said. “No one has found a way to slow him down.’’
In the first meeting, Tshiebwe had only nine points and 12 rebounds against the Vols. His rebound total was limited because neither team missed many shots.
For UT to have a chance against UK, the Vols must contain Tshiebwe. That means the foursome of John Fulkerson, Uros Plavsic, Brandon Hundley-Hatfield and Jonas Aidoo will have to produce.
They combined for 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists against Vanderbilt.
That might be enough to run Barnes’ record against Kentucky to 9-7.
And it might be good enough to keep UT in the SEC chase.
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