John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats never had an answer for Dalton Knecht's prolific scoring, but they had enough to stifle the rest of the Vols to secure a 85-81 upset over Tennessee on Saturday night.
“Knecht went absolutely bonkers on us,” said the Wildcats coach after 13th-ranked Kentucky halted No. 4 Tennessee's late-season momentum.
Knecht scored a career-high 40 points for Tennessee, with Jonas Aidoo and Zakai Zeigler also contributing double figures. However, the rest of Tennessee's starters didn't provide enough support, leaving Knecht to carry the offense.
Despite already securing the SEC regular-season title, the loss to the Wildcats complicates the Vols' pursuit of a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Reed Sheppard, Kentucky spoil Dalton Knecht's big day for Tennessee
Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard led the scoring for Kentucky, each contributing 27 points. Sheppard ignited the Wildcats' offense with six 3-pointers in the second half and seven overall in the game. Justin Edwards contributed 16 points, while Rob Dillingham added 11.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes acknowledged Kentucky's offensive prowess, describing them as one of the most explosive teams in the country.
“They are going to make shots. Even when we guarded them they made shots. I told the guys after the game that we were way too emotional to start the game. We were impatient offensively and that played into their hands,” he added.
In his final home game for the Volunteers, Dalton Knecht, the probable SEC Player of the Year, put on a memorable show for Tennessee fans with his 40 points, marking the seventh time this season he has achieved 30 points or more.
Knecht became the first opponent to score 40 points against the Wildcats since 2013 when Texas A&M's Elston Turner achieved the same feat. This marks only the 21st time in history that any opponent has reached the 40-point mark against Kentucky.
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