Kentucky Rallies From 14 Down to Stun No. 25 Tennessee 74-71 in Historic Rupp Arena Comeback

Kentucky pulled off the largest halftime comeback in Rupp Arena history Saturday night, rallying from a 14-point deficit to defeat No. 25 Tennessee 74-71 in a thrilling SEC rivalry matchup. The Wildcats trailed 42-28 at the break but completely flipped the script in the second half, outscoring the Volunteers 46-29 over the final 20 minutes to secure their second victory over Tennessee this season.

Collin Chandler emerged as the hero for Kentucky, delivering the decisive blow with a clutch three-pointer from the wing with just 27.4 seconds remaining that put the Wildcats up 71-69. The shot came off a perfect pass from Otega Oweh, who had worked to find Chandler in rhythm on the perimeter. Chandler's triple was one of three enormous three-pointers he hit down the stretch, each seeming more crucial than the last as Kentucky clawed back from what appeared to be an insurmountable hole.

Oweh led all scorers with 21 points while Denzel Aberdeen contributed 16 points in the winning effort. The Wildcats' defensive adjustments in the second half proved decisive, as they held Tennessee to just 6-of-30 shooting from the field after halftime. The Volunteers' three-point shooting completely dried up in the final 20 minutes, as they missed all six of their attempts from beyond the arc after a hot-shooting first half.

Tennessee's offense, which couldn't have played better basketball in the opening 20 minutes, went ice cold when it mattered most. The Volunteers looked poised to hand Kentucky a devastating home loss after building their 14-point halftime advantage, but their inability to maintain offensive rhythm proved catastrophic. The collapse marked a heartbreaking end to what had been a promising six-game stretch for Tennessee, during which they had won five contests.

The victory completes a season sweep for Kentucky over their SEC rivals and extends their dominance in the series. Head coach Mark Pope's halftime adjustments were masterful, as his team showed remarkable composure and discipline to methodically chip away at the deficit. The win keeps Kentucky firmly in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament berth and provides a signature victory that could prove crucial come Selection Sunday. For Tennessee, the loss serves as a painful reminder of how quickly momentum can shift in college basketball, as their strong first-half performance was completely undone by second-half struggles.