Tale of the tape: Tennessee men at Kentucky

Tennessee's Grant Williams is all smiles after shooting 22 points and getting another double-double against the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest at Thompson-Boxing Arena on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey)
Tennessee's Grant Williams is all smiles after shooting 22 points and getting another double-double against the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest at Thompson-Boxing Arena on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey)

No. 1 Tennesssee men vs. No. 5 Kentucky at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky

Time: 8 p.m. EST

TV/radio: ESPN/102.3 FM

Likely lineups (with heights and scoring averages in parentheses)

TENNESSEE (23-1, 11-0 Southeastern Conference)

Projected starters: F Kyle Alexander (6-11, 8.5); G Jordan Bone (6-3, 13.2); G Admiral Schofield (6-6, 16.7); G Lamonte Turner (6-2, 11.7); F Grant Williams (6-7, 19.4).

Key reserves: G Jordan Bowden (6-5, 11.5); F John Fulkerson (6-9, 3.7).

KENTUCKY (20-4, 9-2)

Projected starters: G Ashton Hagans (6-3, 7.1); G Tyler Herro (6-5, 13.3); G Keldon Johnson (6-6, 14.0); F Reid Travis (6-8, 11.6); F P.J. Washington (6-8, 14.4).

Key reserves: F E.J. Montgomery (6-10, 4.2); G Immanuel Quickley (6-3, 5.9).

WILDCATS REPORT

Kentucky's 10-game winning streak came to a close in crushing fashion Tuesday, with the Wildcats losing to LSU on a last-second tip-in that looked like goaltending. Washington is Kentucky's leading scorer and rebounder this season, but Herro is a solid shooter and Johnson a slasher who has made 33 3-pointers in 2018-19.

KEY MATCHUP

The game will come down to two things: who controls the guard matchups between Bone, Bowden and Turner for Tennessee and Hagans and Quickley for Kentucky; and how well the Volunteers are able to rebound on defense, because the Wildcats have averaged 12.5 offensive rebounds per game this season and generate a lot of their offense with second-chance shots.

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