Tennessee vs Kentucky NCAA Tournament, postseason history

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Rick Barnes previews Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky in Sweet 16

Tennessee basketball plays Kentucky in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Indianapolis in the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee and Kentucky share more than just a border.

The men’s basketball programs at the respective schools have a lengthy, storied and often heated history with one another.

The Wildcats are royalty in the sport, with eight national titles and more all-time wins than any program at the Division I level. The Vols aren’t slouches themselves, with more than 1,700 all-time victories and the somewhat regrettable status of being among the best programs to have never made a Final Four.

REQUIRED READING: Tennessee basketball vs Kentucky prediction: Who has edge in 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16?

Their paths have often collided since their first meeting on Feb. 16, 1910, a 20-5 Kentucky victory, with 241 all-time matchups between the SEC foes.

Their 242nd game comes on maybe the biggest stage the two rivals have ever shared.

Coach Rick Barnes’ Vols and coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats will face off Friday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the winner getting one step closer to the Final Four and a national championship.

Here’s a look at the postseason history between the Tennessee and Kentucky men’s basketball programs:

Have Tennessee and Kentucky ever played in NCAA Tournament?

Regardless of who advances to the Elite Eight, Tennessee and Kentucky will make history Friday night in Indianapolis.

The Sweet 16 game between the Vols and Wildcats marks the first time the programs have ever met in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, it will be Tennessee’s first game ever in the NCAA Tournament against an SEC opponent.

Prior to 1975, the NCAA Tournament allowed only one team per conference before it expanded to a 32-team event. In the years since, the likelihood of playing an SEC team was low or at least not possible until the later rounds. With a record 14 SEC teams in the…

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Publish date : 2025-03-28 23:26:00

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