Could Vols win for a third straight year in Rupp Arena

Kellan Grady, right, will be playing against Tennessee in Rupp Arena for the first time today. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Rick Barnes was joking but the Tennessee coach probably would just as soon not have to talk about the unthinkable for Kentucky fans — Tennessee winning for a third straight time at Rupp Arena today.

“I haven’t thought about it. Are you trying to jinx us? What are you trying to do here? We don’t think about it,” the Tennessee coach said Friday.  “Right now, where we are, we really are locked in on trying to figure out who we are and what we need to do.

“I have been up there over seven years where we didn’t play well. I haven’t thought about that. I went home last night and I was breaking down our tape. I was seeing some good things. My whole mindset with our guys today is let’s do what we are working on right here and see how it shakes out.”

Kentucky fans hope it shakes out differently because the Vols have won three of the last four games in Rupp Arena. That’s more success than any other team has had in Rupp against UK coach John Calipari — or most UK coaches.

Calipari doesn’t think Tennessee winning the last two games at Rupp provides any special motivation for his team because only Keion Brooks and Dontaie Allen were even on the team two years ago when it lost to the Vols.

“If I had a veteran team that had been through two of those, I would say yeah. If I asked this team, ‘How many games has Tennessee won in a row in our building?’ They’ll say, ‘I have no idea.’ So, it’s kind of a different deal,” Calipari said Friday.

“Like, this game is a rivalry. Well, they haven’t been here. Most of the games that are rivalries are more a rivalry on the other side than with us. It’s just how it is. This game, I think they understand that these are two good teams. Last year, you know, I think we’ve had some success up there. Maybe? I wouldn’t know.

“But he’s a good coach. It’ll be, it’s going to be a war. It will not be won in the first five minutes unless they’re on absolute fire. It’ll be a 40-minute, who-has-it-last kind of game.”

Barnes said there is no magical formula that has led to Tennessee wins at Rupp Arena.

“We’ve had some guys that have played well there. Those same guys that went up there a year ago (and won) came back here (Knoxville) and (Kentucky) came in here and beat us soundly, in every way you could be beaten,” Barnes said.

“Whatever it is, whenever we’re playing our best basketball. I hope we play our best game tomorrow, but I hope it’s not nearly as good as the game we play after that

Calipari said one constant is that the Vols always play physical for Barnes, something that has bothered UK at times this year.

“His teams are physical, they’re well-coached, their shot selection, their ability to rebound when you see it, it’s a cross-body block-out. I mean, they’re coming at bodies, and that’s been his game. If you’re not ready to physically play, you’ll stand out in this game,” Calipari said.

” Everybody in the gym will say, ‘Get him out, can’t play in this game, it’s too physical.’ But, you know, he’s got good players. He has always had good players. Like I told him, he’s done yeoman’s work. And now, you guys know I hate playing friends. But, you know, it’s the next game so let’s play it.”