Kentucky Stuns Tennessee Again with Another Wild Comeback in Knoxville
Kentucky basketball is starting to make a habit out of the improbable-and if you’re Tennessee, it’s starting to feel like a recurring nightmare. For the second straight game, the Wildcats clawed back from a 17-point deficit to steal a win on the road.
And once again, it happened in Knoxville, where Kentucky now owns four straight victories as an underdog. That’s six wins in the last seven trips to the Food City Center for the Cats, a stretch of dominance that hasn’t been seen since the 2003-06 run.
“It was great coming to Knoxville again,” Collin Chandler said with a grin after the game. “Our team loves playing in Knoxville.”
Yeah, no kidding.
This one might’ve been the most dramatic yet. Kentucky didn’t lead for a single second until the final minute of regulation.
With just 34 seconds left, Otega Oweh finished a fastbreak layup to give the Wildcats a 78-77 edge-their first lead of the day. They never gave it back, closing out a thrilling 80-78 win that should carry serious weight on their NCAA Tournament résumé.
And if you’re wondering how they pulled it off, well, it didn’t look likely early on. Kentucky was down 17 with 3:25 left in the first half, and the Volunteers looked in full control.
But when Tennessee star Ja’Kobi Gillespie picked up his second foul and headed to the bench, the momentum started to shift. Kentucky closed the half strong, cutting the lead to 11 and giving themselves just enough of a spark heading into the locker room.
From there, it was a slow burn. Denzel Aberdeen and Collin Chandler got hot from deep, combining for five three-pointers that chipped away at the deficit.
Oweh, who had a quiet start to the game, came alive down the stretch, playing a key role in the Wildcats’ third straight comeback win. Over their last three games, Kentucky has trailed by a combined 47 points-and won all three.
That’s not just resilience; it’s becoming their identity.
This win also snapped Tennessee’s perfect home record. The Vols entered the day 10-0 at home this season and had won 15 straight in Knoxville dating back to last year.
In fact, they were 100-2 in their last 102 home games when leading at halftime. The two losses?
Both to Kentucky. And today marked the first time in program history that Kentucky beat Tennessee in Knoxville after trailing by double digits at halftime.
Mark Pope, who’s still undefeated in Knoxville as both a player and now a head coach, got a hero’s welcome in the locker room. The team celebrated the win by showering him with water, turning the visitors’ locker room into a full-blown party. And honestly, after a comeback like that, who could blame them?
Here’s a look at Kentucky’s recent run in Knoxville:
| Date | Result | Location |
|---|
| Jan. 17, 2026 | W 80-78 | Knoxville, TN |
| Jan. 28, 2025 | W 78-73 | Knoxville, TN |
| Mar. 9, 2024 | W 85-81 | Knoxville, TN |
| Jan. 14, 2023 | W 63-56 | Knoxville, TN |
| Feb. 15, 2022 | L 63-76 | Knoxville, TN |
| Feb. 20, 2021 | W 70-55 | Knoxville, TN |
| Feb. 8, 2020 | W 77-64 | Knoxville, TN |
That’s not just a rivalry anymore-it’s a road takeover. Kentucky’s been turning Knoxville into a second home, and with performances like this, it’s easy to see why they “love playing in Knoxville.”
The Wildcats are finding ways to win even when things look bleak. And if they keep this up, no lead against them will ever feel safe.