The Kentucky Wildcats demonstrated resilience by overcoming a 17-point deficit to defeat the No. 24 Tennessee Volunteers 80-78 on January 17, 2026, in Knoxville. This victory marked Kentucky’s second consecutive double-digit comeback on the road, following a previous win against LSU, where they rallied from 18 points down to secure a 75-74 triumph.
With this latest win, the Wildcats improved their overall record to 12-6 and their Southeastern Conference (SEC) standing to 3-2. The victory not only bolstered their position on the NCAA Tournament bubble but also showcased the team’s determination to recover from a rocky start to the season. Coach Mark Pope emphasized the significance of the moment, stating, “I hope people aren’t missing this… what this group is trying to endure.”
Kentucky’s success against Tennessee was driven by a strong performance from guard Denzel Aberdeen, who scored 18 of his team-high 22 points in the second half. The Wildcats steadily chipped away at the Vols’ lead during the final 20 minutes, demonstrating an impressive offensive strategy. Despite trailing for most of the game, Kentucky secured their first lead with just 34.3 seconds remaining when Otega Oweh converted an and-1 opportunity, bringing the score to 78-77.
Tennessee had a chance to reclaim the game when Ja’Kobi Gillespie was fouled with 2.6 seconds left and the Vols down by three points. He made the first free throw but intentionally missed the second. The plan initially appeared effective when Jaylen Carey grabbed the offensive rebound, but Kentucky’s freshman big man Malachi Moreno responded with a critical block on Carey’s last-second layup attempt, sealing the Wildcats’ comeback victory.
The Volunteers fell to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in the SEC after struggling offensively in the game’s final minutes, failing to score in the last 5:38. The defeat was compounded by a post-game confrontation between players, which was quickly defused by coaches Pope and Rick Barnes of Tennessee.
Following the game, Collin Chandler expressed his team’s excitement about playing in Knoxville, stating, “Our team loves playing in Knoxville.” This week’s performances show that even without key players like point guard Jaland Lowe, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, and center Jayden Quaintance, who missed his third consecutive game due to knee soreness, Kentucky remains competitive in the SEC.
If Quaintance, a highly regarded prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft, can return to the lineup without further injury, Kentucky may still have more surprises in store as they continue their season.
