Indianapolis, IN – The most competitive bracket in the regional round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tips off today in Indianapolis, with the region’s top four seeds battling for a spot in Sunday’s Elite Eight.
The action begins with a high-stakes showdown between the third-seeded Kentucky Wildcats and the second-seeded Tennessee Volunteers. This will be the third meeting this season, with Kentucky claiming victory in both prior matchups against their SEC rival. With a trip to the Elite Eight on the line, Tennessee will be eager for redemption.
TENNESSEE STARTS STRONG:
The first half of this game between Kentucky and Tennessee has intense, with both teams struggling to find their offensive rhythm early on. Kentucky had some issues finishing inside, missing a few shots in the paint, while Tennessee struggled from the perimeter, missing their first two attempts from beyond the arc.
Tennessee was the first to get on the scoreboard, thanks to Igor Milicic’s free throws at the 18:16 mark. Kentucky quickly responded with a three-pointer by Koby Brea for their first points of the game.
Zakai Zeigler was a key contributor for Tennessee, scoring seven of the Volunteers’ next ten points and helping them build a 14-7 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the half. Tennessee’s defense, particularly their perimeter defense, continued to frustrate Kentucky, forcing turnovers and limiting the Wildcats’ offensive opportunities.
Tennessee also dominated the rebounding battle, securing 12 defensive rebounds while Kentucky was limited to just 5 offensive boards. Tennessee also added three blocks and forced five Kentucky turnovers, keeping the Wildcats from getting into a good offensive flow.
As the first half came to a close, Kentucky struggled with their shooting, finishing the half at 38.5% (10 of 26) from the field, along 33.3% from three-point range (3 of 9). Two of their three-pointers came in the final minute of the half, helping them close the gap a bit.
On the other side, Tennessee was led by Zeigler’s 13 points. The Volunteers shot a solid 50% (16 of 32) from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on only 3 of 11 three-pointers (27.3%). Tennessee also held a 22-13 advantage in rebounding and a slight 8-5 edge in free throws.
Both teams were able to keep their key players out of foul trouble, heading into the break with no significant concerns in that area.
Tennessee heads into halftime with a comfortable 43-28 lead.
KENTUCKY HAS NO ANSWERS:
Kentucky came out more aggressively in the second half, but they struggled to cut into Tennessee’s lead. While the Wildcats were able to get some defensive stops, they couldn’t secure the rebounds, allowing Tennessee multiple second-chance opportunities. The Volunteers dominated in that department, holding a 19-5 advantage. Tennessee also outscored Kentucky 23-6 in bench points and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds compared to just 7 for Kentucky.
Both teams had difficulty shooting from beyond the arc. Kentucky finished 6 of 15 (40%), while Tennessee fared even worse, making just 5 of 19 (26.3%), well below their seasonal averages (Kentucky attempts 25.6 per game and Tennessee attempts 24.3).
Tennessee was led in scoring by the trio of Zakai Zeigler (18), Chaz Lanier (17) and Jordan Gainey (16). Felix Okpara pulled in 11 boards for the victors.
Lamont Butler led the Wildcats in scoring (18) with contributions also from Amari Williams (14) and Otega Oweh chipping in 13.
There were only two lead changes throughout the game, with Tennessee leading for 37:15 of the 40 minutes.
In the end, Tennessee gets revenge over their SEC rivals with a 78-65 victory.
Next up for the Volunteers will be an Elite Eight showdown on Sunday, with the winner of the game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Houston Cougars.
