The Tennessee Vols will take on the Kentucky Wildcats on Friday night in Indianapolis in the Sweet 16. 

Tennessee will be looking to advance to its second straight Elite Eight. But to get there, they'll have to find a way to beat a Kentucky team that they lost to twice during the regular season. 

Because of the Wildcats' two wins against the Vols this season, there's a popular narrative that Kentucky is a bad matchup for Tennessee. 

Vols head coach Rick Barnes, however, isn't buying that narrative. 

"They played great against us two games, and they've beaten us two games," said Barnes on Monday night during Vol Calls. "And there's nothing else I can say other than the fact that they've beat us twice." 

"I don't know that it's a bad matchup," continued Barnes when asked why Kentucky is a bad matchup for Tennessee. "Other than the fact that they just played better and they've done what they needed to do to win the game, and we haven't. And I don't think there's any secrets in terms of they shot the ball extremely well. You go back and look at what their numbers have been. The first game here (in Knoxville), now, again, they still have to make the shots, whether we guard them or don't. But early in the game here, they got some looks that you don't want to let them get. And again, they got it. They got the ball where they wanted it and they made it." 

Barnes isn't wrong. Kentucky simply shot lights out both games against Tennessee, hitting exactly 50 percent of their shots in both wins. 

The Vols actually won the rebound battle and the turnover battle during the first game, but Tennessee only hit 35 percent of their shots from the field. 

In the second game, the Vols connected on just 3-of-18 three-point attempts while Kentucky was a fantastic 12-of-24 from beyond the arc (Tennessee also won the rebound battle in the second matchup). 

Both of the Vols' losses to the Wildcats this season came down to nothing more than one team hitting shots and the other team not hitting shots. And that's likely what will determine the outcome of Friday night's matchup between these two teams. 

Tennessee Vols fan favorite reveals he’ll be in Indianapolis to support UT basketball in the Sweet 16

Vols need all the support they can get