INDIANAPOLIS — Southeastern Conference programs Kentucky and Tennessee are adding a new chapter to their men’s basketball border rivalry Friday night. They’re taking it north to Indianapolis for their first March Madness meeting.
Their NCAA tournament matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Colts, will have higher stakes but similar emotions to the other 241 in a series Kentucky leads 163-78.
Tennessee guards Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler spent Thursday’s news conference talking about just how much they despise the Midwest Region’s third-seeded Wildcats (24-11). Kentucky guard Koby Brea, meanwhile, said he expects the second-seeded Volunteers (29-7) to make some changes after his team beat them twice during the regular season.
The teams’ passionate fans wouldn’t expect any less.
“I’m big on rivalries. When I don’t like a school, I don’t like it and I want to do everything I can to make sure we win that game,” Mashack said. “I’m taking this as serious as I possibly can, and everybody knows we want nothing more than to not just win but make a statement with a team like this.”