As Kentucky gears up for its NCAA Tournament matchup against Tennessee, former UK star Kenny Walker has a message for the 2025 Wildcats: beating a good team three times is doable, but a fourth victory is a much tougher challenge.
On Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, head coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats will face their SEC rival Tennessee in the Sweet 16. Kentucky has already secured two wins over the Volunteers this season—78-73 in Knoxville and 75-64 in Lexington—and now seeks a third to advance to the Midwest Regional final.
Walker, who played for UK in the mid-1980s, recalls a similar situation during his senior season in 1985-86. That year, under first-year head coach Eddie Sutton, Kentucky faced both Alabama and LSU four times each—twice in the regular season, once in the SEC Tournament, and again in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats successfully defeated Alabama in all four matchups, but when they faced LSU for the fourth time, they fell in a heartbreaking 59-57 loss, marking one of the most painful exits in UK’s tournament history.
“You can beat a team three times,” Walker says. “But that fourth time is when things get really difficult.”
Fortunately for the 2024-25 Wildcats, they only need a third win over Tennessee to keep their season alive.
This scenario presents an interesting challenge for both coaches. For Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, adjustments are necessary to avoid a third straight loss. Meanwhile, Pope must decide whether to stick with the strategy that worked in the previous meetings or introduce new wrinkles to keep the Vols off balance.
Walker remembers how LSU’s head coach Dale Brown took an unconventional approach in 1986, implementing a hybrid defensive scheme that disrupted Kentucky’s game plan. “Dale Brown was a master of junk defenses,” Walker recalls. “It was some kind of matchup zone, and whatever it was, it threw us off.”
Despite the pressure of playing a familiar SEC opponent, Walker urges Kentucky fans to appreciate this moment, given the program’s recent struggles. “With what we’ve been through the past few years, you take whoever you get at this stage,” he says. “Tennessee is one of the best teams in the SEC, and we have to beat them again.”
Reflecting on Pope’s first season at the helm, Walker acknowledges the ups and downs but admires how the team has handled adversity. “It hasn’t been smooth, but I like the way they’ve responded.”
When asked about the psychological advantage heading into Friday’s game, Walker believes Kentucky is in a better position than Tennessee. “When you’re 0-2 against a team, sure, you’re motivated to prove something. But there’s always that little doubt in your mind because you haven’t beaten them yet,” he explains. “Kentucky should feel confident—but not overconfident—because they know they match up well with Tennessee.”
Kentucky’s History Against SEC Teams in the NCAA Tournament
Friday’s game will mark only the fourth time in NCAA Tournament history that Kentucky has faced an SEC opponent:
- 1986 Southeast Regional Semifinals: Kentucky defeated Alabama 68-63, with Walker contributing 22 points and seven rebounds.
- 1986 Southeast Regional Final: LSU upset Kentucky 59-57, ending UK’s season after three prior wins over the Tigers.
- 2019 Midwest Regional Final: Auburn defeated Kentucky 77-71 in overtime, avenging two regular-season losses.
With history as a guide, Kentucky will look to avoid LSU’s fate in 1986 and secure a third win over Tennessee to continue their tournament run.
