01/17/26: Tennessee 78 - 80 Kentucky
01/28/25: Tennessee 73 - 78 Kentucky
03/09/24: Tennessee 81 - 85 Kentucky (Cal's final win as UK coach)
01/14/23: Tennessee 56 - 63 Kentucky
02/14/22: Tennessee 76 - 63 Kentucky
02/20/21: Tennessee 55 - 70 Kentucky
02/08/20: Tennessee 64 - 77 Kentucky
UK's four-game winning streak in Knoxville is the Cats' longest since UK won four straight games in Knoxville between 2002 and 2005 (thank you Chuck Hayes).
The Cats are now 3-2 in the SEC, 12-6 overall, and Number 27 on Ken Pom. The Cats' second consecutive nail-biting win moves them up to Number 243 in luck. Pomeroy now projects the Cats to finish 10-8 in the SEC and 19-12 overall. That record would probably get them in the NCAA Tournament. Next week the Cats host Texas and Ole Miss.
Meanwhile, in Nashville, Vandy hosted Florida in a battle for first place. The Commodores have been very good in close games, and Florida has been poor. Ken Pomeroy calls this difference "luck," and says that it should even out over time. Vandy and Florida made Pomeroy look good today. They had Doug Shows as one of the officials, and the Commodores and the Gators played a Doug Shows special, with the teams combining for 52 free throws. But Duke Miles, Vandy's best player, fouled out late, and the Gators pulled out a 98-94 victory. Florida moves to 4-1 in the SEC, 13-5 overall, and 9 on Ken Pom. They also moved up to 343 in luck. Meanwhile, Vandy fell to 3-2 in the SEC, 16-2 overall, and 11 on Ken Pom. They fell to 126 in luck.
In Athens, Georgia pasted Arkansas 90-76. So the Razorbacks are now 3-2 in the SEC, 13-5 overall, and 26 on Ken Pom.
One final game of note. In Murray, Kentucky, the Murray State Racers beat Indiana State 85-81 for their 12th win in a row -- the sixth longest active streak in the country. The Racers are 8-0 in the Valley, 16-3 overall, and 88 on Ken Pom.
Here are the Classic SEC standings:
9. Florida: 13-5
12. Vanderbilt: 16-2
17. Alabama: 13-5
22. Tennessee: 12-6
24. Kentucky: 12-6
28. Georgia: 15-3
35. Auburn: 11-7
44. Louisiana St: 13-5
59. Mississippi: 11-7
83. Mississippi St: 10-8
The Gators have now scored at least 91 points in each of their last four games.
ReplyDeleteBuffalo and Denver are tied 30-30 in overtime, and Josh Allen just threw a bomb on 3d and 10. It was intercepted, and Denver will start from its own 20. Next score wins.
ReplyDeleteBroncos win 33-30. The Bills are the best team I can remember that hasn't reached the Super Bowl, but their performance in close playoff games is unbelievably consistent.
ReplyDeleteOn the last drive of the game, Denver QB Bo Nix fractured his ankle, and he is out for the rest of the season.
ReplyDeleteHuge win for Rick Pitino and St. John's, as the Johnnies go on the road, score 50 points in the second half, and beat Villanova 86-79. Johnnies are now 13-5 overall, and 6-1 in the Big East.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a fairly blah weekend for the NFL playoffs, but the swirling snow in Chicago looks great.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe we're back to the Broncos and Patriots in the AFC.
ReplyDeletePats making their 16th appearance (they're 11-4). Broncos making their 11th appearance (they're 8-2).
ReplyDeleteAfter next week, the Pats and the Broncos will have accounted for one third (20 of 60) of AFC/AFL appearances in the Super Bowl.
DeleteThey missed the first 11 Super Bowls, so they account for 20 of the last 49 (40.8 percent).
DeleteThis will be the third Broncos/Patriots matchup in the AFC title game.
ReplyDeleteOther three-time matchups:
ReplyDeleteSteelers/Raiders
Broncos/Browns
Patriots/Steelers
Patriots/Colts
Chiefs/Bills
There are no four-time matchups in the AFC Title Game.
DeleteThe Cowboys and 49ers have met six times in the NFC Title game. No other matchup has occurred more than twice.
DeleteThe Seahawks will be making their fourth appearance in the NFC title game. They are 3-0 in those games.
ReplyDeleteThe Bills have fired Sean McDermott and I understand why. It's one thing to keep losing to Patrick Mahomes. But when you can't beat Bo Nix, a sense of hopelessness sets in.
ReplyDeleteFlorida 79 - 61 LSU. Gators now 5-1 in the SEC.
ReplyDeleteVandy getting blown out of the gym in Fayetteville. Arkansas leads 34-17 with just under six minutes left in the first half.
ReplyDeleteArkansas 46 - 35 Vanderbilt (Halftime)
ReplyDeleteRazorbacks by 62-45 with 13 minutes left. I like Mark Byington (the Vandy coach), but Cal has coached rings around him today. It's like watching those games where Belichick would destroy a rookie QB.
ReplyDeleteGet this: Vandy is 8-20 from 2-point range. Arkansas is 18-30 from 2-point range
ReplyDeleteVandy has 19 rebounds. Arkansas has 30.
ReplyDeleteCal has the more physical team, and he has used that leverage to crush the Vandy offense and set up one fast break after another for the Razorbacks.
ReplyDeleteThis game will knock Vandy out of the AP Top 20. And it should.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to beat Cal if his teams make their three's. Arkansas is 7-16 from three-point range. So Vandy had to come out and guard the three. And once they did, Arkansas just tore their defense to shreds.
ReplyDeleteArkansas humiliates Vandy 93 to 68. That's three losses in a row for the Commodores, and they have to go back to the drawing board.
ReplyDeleteVandy (16-3) falls to 16 on Ken Pom. Arkansas (14-5) moves up to 21.
ReplyDeleteByington needs to stop the bleeding. Vandy's next three games are: at Mississippi State, home to UK, and at Ole Miss. Vandy needs to win at least two of those games.
ReplyDeleteNow Mark Pope has the chance for a huge week. He's got Texas and Ole Miss at home -- if he wins those two games, he'll be riding a five-game winning streak.
ReplyDeleteTexas leads 56-55 with 10:53 left in the game.
ReplyDeleteHaving watched all of them, the two best teams in the SEC are Florida and Arkansas.
ReplyDeleteKam Williams has left the game with a foot injury. At UK, that usually means they're out for the year.
ReplyDeleteEven without Kam Williams, the Cats lead 77-67 with 3:51 left.
ReplyDeleteCats hang on for an 85-80 win, and they are now 4-2 in the SEC. Texas went 2-18 from three-point range, and that usually won't get it done. Cats go 30-35 from the line.
ReplyDelete