Watching all the talking heads pick Tennessee

csrupp

All-American
Mar 6, 2017
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How aren't they?

Better seed.
Better computer metrics.
Better ranking in the polls.
Better overall record
Better SEC record

There's a reason they are favored in the game.
Yes, they are a better team when you look at entire body of work. That’s not very relevant for this game though. The teams aren’t playing against the other team’s body of work. They are playing each other and we are a bad match up for UTjr.
 

Wildcats1st

Heisman
Sep 16, 2017
18,949
28,911
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We're due. The last time we had a chance to do anything in the tourney E8 playing Aub after beating them twice and boat racing them the last one by 20+ they got us in the tourney.

Its our time.

rocky celebration GIF
I don’t buy the 3x (it was sarcasm) unless you qualify it by saying “it’s hard to upset a team 3x” it is but our team isnt the same as UT has seen.
 
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chroix

Heisman
Jul 22, 2013
10,406
26,273
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I don’t buy the 3x (it was sarcasm) unless you qualify it by saying “it’s hard to upset a team 3x” it is but our team isnt the same as UT has seen.

Yeah you’d think if you were missing critical pieces for the first two victories and got those pieces back for a third matchup that your odds of winning would go up rather than down. I feel like this is an old wives tale that gained a lot of traction with our fan base in particular.
 
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senonesy

All-American
Nov 30, 2017
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Am I missing something. Why is nobody picking Kentucky to beat Tennesse after beating them twice already. I understand it is hard to beat a team 3 times but come on Vegas has Tennessee as the favorite and everyone I have watched predict this game has picked Tennessee.

I know we are playing with house money but it just doesn't seem like anyone is giving us a chance.
Many in the media are picking UK to win.
 
May 27, 2007
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Yes, they are a better team when you look at entire body of work. That’s not very relevant for this game though. The teams aren’t playing against the other team’s body of work. They are playing each other and we are a bad match up for UTjr.

I think the entire body of work is way more important than two random games.

That's not to say I don't think matchups aren't important. Maybe we do match up well with them. Or maybe we just happened to play good in those two games we happened to have faced them. Who knows.
 
May 27, 2007
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I think too much is being made of it one way or the other

If we lose tomorrow, it won't be because of what happened in the previous two games.
If we win tomorrow, it also won't be because of what happened in the previous two games.

At the end of the day, these are all independent events of one another. Another game, another opportunity to play well or not play well.
 
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ScottGreene22

Heisman
Mar 18, 2018
11,172
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Surprised the line hasn’t moved any since Sunday. KY is the underdog Tennessee has the better team better Pro’s. We find a way to win. Go CATS
 

Eccain01

All-Conference
Dec 20, 2020
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The best team doesn't always win. Even in two games.

I mean that would be like saying Ohio St, Georgia, Texas and Arkansas are better than us because they beat us. That's just not true in any world.

Or that since we Florida and Duke we are better than them. We aren't.
I don’t think we’d beat Florida or duke twice. Let alone on the road. That’s my point.
 
May 27, 2007
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I don’t think we’d beat Florida or duke twice. Let alone on the road. That’s my point.

So one game vs an opponent doesn't necessarily mean you are better than them
But two games that suddenly means something?

IMO, I think you are just placing way too much weight on two games.

The OP asked why no one is picking us. There's a reason for that. That's my point.
 

UKFootball78

All-Conference
Sep 1, 2013
741
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So one game vs an opponent doesn't necessarily mean you are better than them
But two games that suddenly means something?

IMO, I think you are just placing way too much weight on two games.

The OP asked why no one is picking us. There's a reason for that. That's my point.
2 games is a pretty good indicator. Without the injuries UK would most likely have a better record and be ranked higher . I don't believe UT is the better team. They sure weren't the better team the 2 games UK played them short-handed.
 

Catzman

Heisman
Apr 29, 2002
16,861
13,176
113
The best team doesn't always win. Even in two games.

I mean that would be like saying Ohio St, Georgia, Texas and Arkansas are better than us because they beat us. That's just not true in any world.

Or that since we Florida and Duke we are better than them. We aren't.
We were the better team on the days that we BEAT them.
 

UKAlum84

All-Conference
Aug 4, 2022
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They're all gambling on the 3 times is tough mentality.

Maybe UK's basketball team is just that good.
 

the dopester

Senior
Jan 2, 2005
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Am I missing something. Why is nobody picking Kentucky to beat Tennesse after beating them twice already. I understand it is hard to beat a team 3 times but come on Vegas has Tennessee as the favorite and everyone I have watched predict this game has picked Tennessee.

I know we are playing with house money but it just doesn't seem like anyone is giving us a chance.
It’s not harder. It’s a 70/30 deal in favor of the team who won the previous two games. There’s no real downside in picking the favorite to win so that’s why everyone’s doing it.
 

KyCPA2000

Senior
Nov 24, 2007
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Am I missing something. Why is nobody picking Kentucky to beat Tennesse after beating them twice already. I understand it is hard to beat a team 3 times but come on Vegas has Tennessee as the favorite and everyone I have watched predict this game has picked Tennessee.

I know we are playing with house money but it just doesn't seem like anyone is giving us a chance.
It is not just hard to beat a team 3 times, it is super hard to be a higher ranked team 3 times.
 

UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
18,778
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Regardless of who wins between uk and ut, both are looking at a tall hill to win the natty. Uk matches up very well with ut. This is not a team Kentucky can’t beat. If Kentucky, shoots well behind the arc, we will out score them even if they have a good offensive game.

Yeah I don't think anyone thinks either of these teams is winning a national title.
 

JwUKFan11

Heisman
Nov 11, 2011
6,655
12,923
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I did answer the question. You’re obviously a little too slow to grasp it.
You're very slow if you think the stats for any team going up against a team for a 3rd time is a fair comparison.

Fair would be if you compared only when both teams were ranked and one was going into the 3rd game 2-0.
Or When the underdog was 2-0 how that 3rd game went.
 

Possum

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You're very slow if you think the stats for any team going up against a team for a 3rd time is a fair comparison.

Fair would be if you compared only when both teams were ranked and one was going into the 3rd game 2-0.
Or When the underdog was 2-0 how that 3rd game went.
You’ll figure it out eventually.
 

wardlow

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Aug 21, 2018
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It is not just hard to beat a team 3 times, it is super hard to be a higher ranked team 3 times.
There are two different narratives being rattled off and one is wrong, This one is correct. What is the percentage that the underdog wins 3x in a season?

It is not 70%. People keep perpetuating a statistic that doesn’t tell the story.
 
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csrupp

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Mar 6, 2017
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I think the entire body of work is way more important than two random games.

That's not to say I don't think matchups aren't important. Maybe we do match up well with them. Or maybe we just happened to play good in those two games we happened to have faced them. Who knows.
Yes, I agree if we are talking about which team is better on paper. But head to head results are far more important in determining which team is likely to win a future game. This is amplified even more by Pope's comments after the second game. He basically said that a lot of the things that UT does makes them a good match up for the way UK plays.
 

HalHR2500

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2002
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It’s simple - they don’t believe UK is gonna shoot 50% from 3 again and TN wont shoot 22% from 3

They think TN is better defensively.

If UK hits 12 again, we win

It’s that simple

Almanor killed them in both games from the corner (6-10)
 

Wildskatfan

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Feb 13, 2025
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I guess at what point can you say they aren’t. All of those data points still exist if Kentucky beats them a 3rd time. How many times does Kentucky have to beat them for Kentucky to be the better team? 5, 6?

Tenn has better metrics (mostly). I thinki Kentucky will prove again on Friday they are the better team.
Just have to beat them when it really counts, and we the better team.
Having said that, I think there is something to be said with beating them twice and both games just happened to be the best games of the year we shot from the floor and 3 combined.

Do we have to do it again to beat them.
I think so. Especially when you consider how bad they shot. We at least have to shoot really good in case they don't shoot so bad this game.
 

Catzman

Heisman
Apr 29, 2002
16,861
13,176
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I like our chances here. The roster and substitutions have gotten much more solid and I like Pope and his staff to game plan effectively with 4-5 days to prepare for one team.
I also believe this team has something special going on and this is the spot it comes together.

I feel like, in reference to your point, our defense has gotten a lot better whereas our offense has been good to great all year. Meanwhile their defense is stellar but offense leaves much to be desired. Our defensive improvements are better than their offensive improvements.

UT is not a bad idea to pick, but to be fair, this is the best version of UK they've seen all year. If they couldn't beat a crippled version of us at home, what are their chances against a better version of UK on a neutral court? I like our chances.

At the end of the day, a win would be gravy. I'm on cloud 9 knowing we made it this far in year one, especially with how injuries hampered the season.
 
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