Donnie Tyndall said after Tennessee’s 73-55 loss to LSU on Saturday that his team might lose to No. 1 Kentucky by 100 points if they played as poorly against the Wildcats as it did in the first half against LSU.

The Vols trailed the Tigers 47-20 at halftime in what Tyndall called the worst half of basketball he had ever coached.

It was certainly bad, and Kentucky (25-0, 12-0 SEC) is capable of doing unspeakable things to the Vols on Tuesday when the teams meet for a 7 p.m. tip at Thompson-Boling Arena.

But there are at least a few reasons to think that UT (14-10, 6-6) will keep it closer than 100 points.

1. The game could be postponed due to inclement weather.
2. With the exception of the first half of the LSU game, the Vols have not appeared inferior against any opponent this year, and if they bring that season-long edge against the Wildcats, they’ll only lose by 80, not 100.
3. That edge should be enough to prevent the Wildcats from starting the game on a 24-0 run like they did in an 83-44 shellacking of UCLA in December. Assuming there is no 24-0 UK run to start the game, a large UT crowd will remain engaged and provide an emotional boost that reduces UT’s margin of defeat to just 65.
4. UT student manager Parker Eidson is among the best in the conference when it comes to bringing water to the referees during timeouts. His kindness should eliminate any propensity towards the star-studded Wildcats that the officials may have, and it will ensure that UT stays within 50 points.
5. Josh Richardson knows how to elevate his game at important times. A game against the country’s undisputed top team constitutes such an occasion, and if he puts up 20 points that reduces UT’s deficit to just 30 points.
6. Detrick Mostella provided the Vols with a jolt against LSU, and if he stays hot against Kentucky it could energize UT and help it keep the game within 15 points.
7. UT’s zone defense has been porous recently, but if Kentucky’s guards go cold like they did in a 70-64 overtime win at Texas A&M last month, the Vols could keep the game within single-digits.
8. It will take someone more creative than the student newspaper columnist to formulate a scenario in which UT beats Kentucky on Tuesday night.
9. If there is one predictable thing about this UT basketball team, though, it’s that it is an unpredictable team. If that unpredictability falls entirely in the Vols’ favor on Tuesday, they are capable of flirting with a historic upset.
10. But they are also capable of losing by 100.