Many of UK coach Mark Pope's 1996 national champion teammates were in Rupp Arena Saturday night to watch Kentucky beat Tennessee. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky brought back the denim uniforms, honored its 1995-96 national championship team and finished off a regular-season sweep of Tennessee on Saturday night.
The pregame ceremony featuring most of the “Untouchables” set the stage for yet another comeback as the Wildcats rallied for a 74-71 win over No. 24 Tennessee. It marked the second time this season Kentucky overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat the Volunteers.
Kentucky rallied from a 17-point deficit in an 80-78 win over the Volunteers on Jan. 17 in Knoxville. This time, Kentucky trailed 47-33 at the break and increased its defensive pressure in the second half, which led to a successful comeback. Tennessee (16-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) had won four straight since its previous loss to the Wildcats.
“What a game … what a game,” said Kentucky coach Mark Pope, who was captain of the 1996 title team. “ It was a great college basketball game — elite-level talent on the floor making big-time plays, two teams really fighting it out. I’m really just really grateful to be a part of it. We had a normal Kentucky circus day today.”
Kentucky (17-7, 8-3) led for less than five minutes but didn’t fully gain control until Collin Chandler’s 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining gave the Wildcats a 71-69 lead. Malachi Moreno and Denzel Aberdeen sank three of four throws with 3.7 seconds left for the final margin.
Chandler, who has delivered at clutch moments against SEC foes this season said hitting the 3-pointer came within the flow of the game.
“It’s what you dream of and it’s just coming in the flow of our offense,” he said. “I’m just grateful for that moment.”
The hosts outscored Tennessee 41-24 in the second half and didn’t surrender a 3-pointer after the Volunteers sank eight in the first half, including four each by Nate Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillispie. Ament scored 21 points, including 11 straight in the first half, but was limited to just eight points in the second half.
“We weren’t very good in the first half,” Pope said. “… to take this team, it’s a terrific offensive team with elite-level talent, and hold them to 37 percent from the field is a major accomplishment.
“Our goal is to hold teams to 39 percent and we haven’t had a ton of success at that. That’s a pretty ambitious goal, but you hold the team at 37 percent, you’re going to win most times … I was proud of how our guys stepped up in the second half.”
Otega Oweh led the Wildcats 21 points and provided the assist to Chandler on the decisive trey down the stretch on his drive to the basket. Oweh has scored double figures in all 24 games this season and was inspired by the visit from members of the 1996 squad.
“It was a really cool night,” Oweh said. “I came to shootaround, brought out the new jerseys for them. We got to honor and celebrate them and what they did. We dream and aspire for that every single day.”
Despite the hype surrounding the contest, Pope wanted the current squad to embrace the moment instead of looking back at what the Wildcats accomplished three decades ago.
“I know all this is going on, but this is not about 30 years ago,” Pope said. “This is not about denim. This is not about anything except for the story that you guys are writing right now, because the story that these guys are writing right now is awesome. It’s their story.
“If you’re not enjoying it, if you’re not on this ride with us, I feel bad for you, because it just is what it is. I might not be the normal way we do things here in Kentucky, but it’s pretty great.”
