If it’s possible for a game to pulsate, Kentucky and Tennessee made it happen Saturday.
This Southeastern Conference semifinal game lived up to the third-time’s-a-charm motto. Boxing fans might think of the Thrilla in Manilla. For basketball fans, this was Nirvana in Nashville.
After trading lopsided victories in the regular season, Kentucky and Tennessee competed like the SEC heavyweights they’ve been in 2018-19.
Tennessee rallied from an eight-point deficit with less than three minutes left to win 82-78.
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With the victory, the Vols improved to 29-4 overall, advanced to Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship game against Auburn, surely gained a measure of respect it sought and — speculation will have it — got a leg up on a No.