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Coming into the season, this Kentucky Wildcats team had talent. This is a roster that came into the season with expectations of being more athletic and versatile than last year’s team. The one concern was this team’s ability to shoot the ball.
Saturday in Knoxville, this team showed that it can shoot. Kentucky made 11/24 3-pointers and shot 47.5% from the floor in a come-from-behind 80-78 win over the Tennessee Volunteers.
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Trailing by as many as 17 points late in the first half, the Wildcats clawed back into the game by making shots and playing tough defense. Kentucky made 6/11 3-pointers in the second half, outscoring Tennessee 49-36 in the second half and holding the Volunteers without a basket in the final 5:38 of the game.
Saturday’s win can build confidence. Coming back from down 18 at LSU is one thing, but coming back from down 17 at Tennessee, a team led by its bigs, without Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno scoring just three points on four shot attempts, is the kind of win that builds confidence, character, and resilience.
Kentucky vs. Tennessee Stars of the Game
1. Collin Chandler: 12 pts, 4-6 3-PT FG, 3 rebs, 2 ast., 1 blk, 3 stl, 24 mins
Chandler looked like the player on Saturday that many Kentucky fans had hoped he would be this season. Every time he took a 3-point shot Saturday, it felt like there was a good chance it was going to go in.
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All six of Chandler’s shots on Saturday were from 3-point range, and he made four of them. Every one of those four 3-pointers was crucial.
For the second straight game, though, it was an assist by Chandler that won Kentucky the game in Knoxville. With 40 seconds to play, Chandler stole a pass from the Volunteers’ leading scorer, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, and then threw it ahead to Otega Oweh, who converted what proved to be the game-winning and-one six seconds later.
“It was great coming to Knoxville again. Our team loves playing in Knoxville,” Chandler said.
It’s great to see Chandler shooting…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/stars-game-kentucky-thrilling-win-031434457.html
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Publish date : 2026-01-19 03:14:00
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