Having already faced Tennessee twice this season and securing victories in both Lexington and Knoxville, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is well aware of the challenge his team will face in their third matchup. However, he anticipates that Tennessee’s head coach, Rick Barnes, may have some new tactics in store. While reviewing footage of Tennessee’s second-round victory over UCLA during the team’s flight home from Milwaukee, Pope noticed an unexpected adjustment in the Vols’ defensive approach.

“We’re watching the Tennessee-UCLA game on the flight back, and near the end of the first half, Tennessee implemented a three-quarter court 1-2-2 press that was more aggressive than any we’ve encountered this season,” Pope said during his conversation with Tom Leach on Monday night. “We’ve seen similar setups from Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Missouri, but this was different. It clearly caught UCLA off guard—twice in a row, they got trapped in the corner and turned the ball over. It was something new, not something we had seen in scouting reports.”

Tennessee’s defensive intensity stifled UCLA, holding them to just 58 points on 35.8% shooting. The Vols shut the Bruins down completely in the final three minutes and 21 seconds of the first half—most likely when they switched to the 1-2-2 press—allowing Tennessee to go on an 8-0 run and take a 32-25 lead into the break. That momentum carried into the second half, where Tennessee started with a dominant 14-6 stretch to strengthen their grip on the game. While Kentucky managed to score effectively against Tennessee in their previous meetings—posting 78 points at home and 75 on the road—Pope knows the Vols will be determined to tighten up defensively with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

“Tennessee is one of the most consistent teams in the nation,” Pope noted. “Depending on which metrics you look at, they’re ranked as either the best or second-best defensive team in the country. They achieve this through relentless consistency. Their defense is aggressive, they apply heavy pressure, and they’re excellent at blitzing and hard-showing ball screens. They don’t give up easy baskets, and they’ve maintained this level all season.”

For Kentucky to have offensive success against Tennessee’s formidable defense, Pope emphasized the importance of ball movement.

“Our focus will be on keeping the ball moving,” Pope explained. “The key for us has been how much motion we can generate. That’s the battle—Tennessee’s defensive pressure is designed to make offenses stagnant, so our challenge is to be aggressive in maintaining movement, both with and without the ball.”

Over the past two months, Kentucky’s defense has significantly improved. Since their Feb. 4 matchup against Ole Miss, their defensive rating has actually surpassed Tennessee’s. Pope pointed out that, according to BartTorvik, Kentucky’s defense ranked as the second-best in the NCAA Tournament’s first two rounds, trailing only Houston. Even with this improvement, facing Tennessee remains a major test. Against UCLA, the Vols knocked down 11 three-pointers, with Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler contributing a combined 35 points.

“Chaz Lanier is a major threat,” Pope said. “Zakai Zeigler is incredibly difficult to contain. They have a deep lineup of skilled scorers who can create their own shots. Watching film, it’s clear they’ve been given more freedom in their offensive sets. Our focus will be on understanding their tendencies, how they generate points, and adjusting our approach accordingly.”