Tennessee-Kentucky basketball pregame social media buzz
No. 5 Tennessee (14-2, 4-0 SEC) will host Kentucky (10-6, 1-3 SEC) Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tipoff is slated for noon EST. ESPN will televise the Southeastern Conference matchup.
PHOTOS: Chris Lofton’s career at Tennessee
Tennessee is set to retire Chris Lofton’s No. 5 jersey Saturday.
Lofton played for the Vols from 2004-2008. He was a three-time All-American and the SEC Player of the Year in 2007.
He becomes the fifth Tennessee men’s basketball player to have his number retired. Lofton joins Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Dale Ellis and Allan Houston.
Ahead of the Tennessee-Kentucky contest, Vols Wire looks at pregame social media buzz. Pregame social media buzz is listed below.
Simply put, "Chris Lofton is one of the greatest players in the history of Tennessee Basketball and it was an absolute honor and a privilege to coach him. I'm thrilled his #5 jersey will be hanging in the rafters of Thompson Boling Arena." pic.twitter.com/c8s0vmsxeh
— Steve Forbes (@ForbesWakeHoops) January 13, 2023
Tennessee is retiring Chris Lofton jersey tomorrow. We talk to the ONLY other player to hit 100+ 3’s in a single season. Santiago Vescovi.@Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/2Es5qVROs6
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) January 13, 2023
"We had number 5 and the other team didn't."
Former Vols head coach Bruce Pearl on Chris Lofton's jersey retirement this Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena,
Courtesy: @AuburnMBB pic.twitter.com/pnpm9MHEKJ
— Karthik Venkataraman (@KarthikV_) January 12, 2023
Tennessee opens as a 14-point favorite against Kentucky at DraftKings, marking just the second time the Vols have ever been double-digit favorites against UK.
The other? March 2, 2008, in Chris Lofton’s penultimate home game. His jersey gets retired tomorrow.
— Blake Von Hagen (@blake_vonhagen) January 13, 2023
Chris Lofton, gets his number retired tomorrow when UT battle’s UK. CLo you’re the best shooter I have ever coached and you deserve to be up in the rafters with Bernard King, Ernie Grunfield, Dale Ellis, and Alan Houston. Had to wear my SEC Championship ring tonight in your honor pic.twitter.com/PCFMDVVFJn
— Tony Jones (@TJonesLive) January 14, 2023
What an honor it was to tell @clofton606’s courageous and selfless story. Now, nearly 15 years later, it will be emotional for a lot of people, including me, to be there and see his No. 5 @Vol_Hoops jersey raised to the rafters. https://t.co/wjS6nLeavt
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 13, 2023
Last night honoring @clofton606 was one of my favorite moments in Knoxville.
Chris Lofton deserves the best so we had to step up and put together an event to celebrate him for all he has achieved and the person he is.
— Mark Pancratz (@MarkPancratz) January 14, 2023
‘You guys need to get to Maysville tonight’
Chris Lofton’s loud Tennessee career began with a confusingly quiet recruitment.
On the origins of the union between UT and Lofton, the call from a VFL that accelerated it, and a father’s prophetic promise. https://t.co/S90gASbt8n
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) January 13, 2023
"The best 4 years of my life were at the University of Tennessee."
Chris Lofton is excited about his jersey retirement on Saturday when Tennessee plays Kentucky. He said about 200 family members and friends are coming to watch his special moment.
Story airs Friday at 6 on @wbir pic.twitter.com/wJ52cN8rI4
— Karthik Venkataraman (@KarthikV_) January 13, 2023
From 2004-2008, Chris Lofton lit up the scoreboards in every arena he stepped foot in and blazed a path as the greatest shooter in @Vol_Hoops history. With his number is getting retired, here’s a look at all of the jerseys he wore in his career at UT. pic.twitter.com/8LiSOnQmIs
— Chad Fields (Vols Uniform Boy) (@CfieldsVFL) January 13, 2023
How about a midweek giveaway in honor of @Vol_Hoops retiring Chris Lofton's jersey this weekend 🏀
🟠 Follow @Vol_Gear
🟠 Like this post
🟠 Tag a friend
🟠 Retweet for an extra entryGiveaway closes at Noon ET Saturday, Jan 14. pic.twitter.com/BUYDnmSFzI
— Tennessee Gear (@Vol_Gear) January 11, 2023
let's have a day
GAMEDAY » https://t.co/8uFxDz6AcW pic.twitter.com/FOkg58NNwC
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 14, 2023
be early
be loud
feed the floor pic.twitter.com/1Ooxk10B66
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 14, 2023
the Kentucky Kid put on a show in Rupp
𝗙𝗲𝗯. 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟲
31 PTS / 7-10 3PT / 7 REB#LoftonLegacy pic.twitter.com/AYZzggfsVF— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 13, 2023
"But basketball aside, the kind of person he is and what he stands for … He’s such a great person.
"And it’s more. The way he loves the program. I don’t know of any era that doesn’t love him because of the way he loves this place.” — Rick Barnes
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 12, 2023
Saturday. 5⃣ to the rafters
Tickets » https://t.co/3J3adBlKV8https://t.co/jHS9QRNvQ5
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 12, 2023
Next Up: Tennessee in Knoxville
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) January 13, 2023
PHOTOS: A look at Chris Lofton’s career at Tennessee https://t.co/SPjGi97WkV
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) January 14, 2023
