Kentucky basketball guard Jaxson Robinson talks to the media after scoring 17 points in the Wildcats' 78-73 win over the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. UK improved to 15-5,

Kentucky got off to a very good start in this game, jumping out to an early lead and stunning the Tennessee crowd. However, the momentum didn't last long for the Wildcats as Tennessee quickly climbed back into the game and took a 33-30 lead at the half.

For Kentucky, the game before The Game was a tough one on paper — a Tuesday night road contest against Rick Barnes' Tennessee Vols, who were ranked No. 1 in the country just a few weeks ago and listed as 10.