MIKE STRANGE

Mike Strange: Tennessee deserved this one

Mike Strange
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Twenty games into a basketball season, more than two hours into a gut-check evening, Lamonte Turner  stood at the free-throw line Tuesday night. The scoreboard clock showed 5.4 seconds. On the real clock, it was 11:20 p.m. This was drama worth staying up for.

With a  crowd of 19,349 holding its breath, Turner made the first free throw, then the second. Tennessee was going to win. It was midnight for Kentucky.

The Vols had knocked on some pretty impressive doors this season. Oregon, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, North Carolina. They finally kicked one in.

A big one. An 82-80 upset of No. 4 Kentucky was yet further proof that anything can happen on a given night, no matter how young or undersized or outnumbered in recruiting stars a team might be.

"Tennessee was better than us tonight. They deserved to win the game. It would have been a shame if we made a three or something crazy to win it at the end.''

That was Kentucky coach John Calipari. His player Isaiah Briscoe did make a crazy three at the end, so it's a good thing Turner had just nailed both free throws to give the Vols a foolproof 82-77 lead.

The team with all the three-star recruits beat the team with the five-star recruits. To be fair, though, UT got 25 vital points from its five-star guy, Robert Hubbs III.

Viewing the big picture, Calipari wasn't entirely devastated by the result, even though the Vols' handed Kentucky only its third loss overall and first in SEC play. Losing to the gritty Vols will be a teaching tool in the drive toward the postseason.

Besides, he likes and respects Barnes.

"When he shook my hand,'' Barnes said, "he told me he was happy for me and I believe him.''

Box score: Tennessee vs. Kentucky

So if this was a teaching tool for Kentucky, what is it for Tennessee?

If nothing else, a terrific evening at Thompson-Boling Arena, the best of the season. ESPN's 9 p.m. tip-off wasn't a party-pooper at all.

Bernard King, noted Kentucky-killer, dropped in for a standing ovation. Ron Slay, the 2003 SEC player of the year – he's back at UT finishing his degree – took a bow.

Gus Manning, who's witnessed most of Tennessee's 69 wins over Kentucky, stayed past his bedtime to watch Turner make the free throws that sealed the verdict.

The Vols, however, should make more of this than just one fun night at the gym. It should be a teaching tool for Barnes as well.

It shows a young team that it can, in fact, beat the big boys. Don't settle for fighting the good fight only to come up short.

"I don't like to talk about being young,'' Barnes said, "because there a lot of teams in the country that are young. It's my job to teach 'em how to win.''

Study this one to learn how to win.

The Vols led for 29:50 of the 40 minutes. They made only nine turnovers. They followed the game plan Barnes and staff laid out for them at both ends of the floor.

They got back on defense and kept Kentucky's lightning transition game in check. Fast-break points were 10-9 in UT's favor, a major win.

Tennessee's guards avoided settling for quick jumpers and delivered inside touches for Hubbs, Grant Williams (13 points) and Admiral Schofield (15 points). The guards pitched in and helped UT gain a stalemate on the boards. Turner had seven rebounds.

"We've always had the mindset,'' said Schofield, "that we're bigger than what we are.''

This night the Vols were big enough.

"I do think our guys deserved to win the game tonight,''  Barnes said. "I'm happy for 'em. I actually thought there were some other games we deserved to win. But if you don’t win 'em, you really don’t deserve 'em.''

They deserved this one.

Mike Strange may be reached at mike.strange@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Strangemike44.

More GoVolsXtra headlines: