Former Tennessee star puts Vols on blast on social media after total implosion against Kentucky
The Vols’ collapse left one VFL venting his frustration online.
Tennessee’s up and down 2025-26 season went from the clouds squarely into the ground on Saturday afternoon at the Food City Center.
Tennessee stormed out a big first half lead but fell apart in the second half to lose 80-78 to the Kentucky Wildcats. It was a game that was particularly tough to watch if you were a Vol fan, as Kentucky continued to close the gap over the entire half until the final two minutes.
There, the Vols ran the playbook to a loss, handing the Wildcats the go-ahead layup and-one after a turnover by Ja’Kobi Gillespie in the final minute. Tennessee allowed an offensive rebound on the missed free throw, and Kentucky scored with under 15 seconds left to go up three points and take a vice grip on the game.
Tennessee was uncertain and tentative on their final position, forcing up a three-point miss and getting two free throws with 2.6 seconds left. Gillespie made one, then intentionally missed the second, with the Vols and Cats fumbling for control as the final buzzer sounded.
Kentucky has had Tennessee’s number in Knoxville recently, winning their fourth game in a row on the Vols’ home floor. But the last one is a particularly tough one for Tennessee backers to swallow.
That includes former Tennessee star and 2003 SEC Player of the Year Ron Slay, who took to Twitter (X) after the game with some harsh words for the team.
Former Tennessee star Ron Slay goes off on Tennessee after loss to Kentucky
“That’s a HORRIFIC loss for Tennessee,” Slay wrote. “Up by 17 and UK walked you down in your house and talked to you about it on the way back. This is a test of “WILL” for this Volunteer team. If that bell isn’t answered this will be a long long season of disappointment. #GoVols”
Those are some powerful words that aren’t minced or sugar coated in any way. Walked down is also a good way of describing the second half, as Kentucky gradually and slowly gained ground on Tennessee all the way until taking their first lead in the game’s final minute.
Rick Barnes talked after the game about how this wasn’t something that would happen with players like Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Santiago Vescovi, and Josiah-Jordan James still on the team.
“Those guys win these games,” Barnes said. “Because they’re not going to collapse on defense like that. And that’s what it was. It was a collapse defensively, and those guys weren’t nearly as talented as these guys are offensively. But at the end of the game, I think your defense still wins and taking care of the ball. You do those two things and rebound the way we normally rebound, and we’ve got a chance.”
And unfortunately for Tennessee, neither of those guys are walking through the door.
So, if Tennessee is going to avoid another disastrous ending like this one, they’re going to have to find someone who’s going to dig deep and connect with his teammates and motivate them the way Zeigler and Mashack used to do.
So far, it doesn’t look like that player is on the roster this year.
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