With proper caution, it is now permissible to use the words Final Four and Tennessee in the same sentence. It is still never-never land but the Vols can see it without a telescope.

Wouldn’t it be fun to do the impossible?

Tennessee caught Kentucky flat-footed, built a 15-point first-half lead and defeated the Wildcats, 78-65, at Indianapolis Friday night. It was the Vols’ 30th victory of this special season.

Tennessee did almost everything well. It played defense with passion. It squelched Kentucky’s three-point attack. It got 10 more rebounds and 14 more second-chance points. The Vols were just plain better. For much of the game, they dominated.

For the third time in school basketball history, they qualified for the Elite Eight. For the hundredth time, be reminded that the Tennessee men have never been to a Final Four. Houston will be blocking the doorway. Tipoff will be Sunday afternoon at 2:20 on CBS for the opportunity in the main event.

I thought Rick Barnes was emotional about Tennessee advancing.

“Extremely proud of our guys. Just blessed having these guys every day, how hard they work and I’m just … thank God that I get to spend another day with them.”

Zakiah Zeigler was the best player on the floor Friday night. He scored 18, had 10 assists and was an absolute nuisance on defense. He was also a wee bit bratty.

Key series in the game came with 9:07 to go. Kentucky cut the deficit to 12. The Vols misfired but the Wildcats failed to get the rebound. Felix Okpara grabbed it and stuffed it in.

Ziggy promptly picked off a pass and nailed a three. The lead was suddenly 17. Zeigler instantly switched back to defense – or turned to taunting. He stood on tiptoes, chest to chest with 6-10 Wildcat Brandon Garrison. Neither said a word but the blue team didn’t like Ziggy’s attitude.

There wasn’t much they could do about it.

Chaz Lanier scored 17. Jordan Gainey came off the bench to make a 16-point difference. Okpara had eight points and 11 rebounds. Darlinstone Dubar contributed several important plays and five points without missing.

Third time was a charm? Kentucky twice upset Tennessee with three-point marksmanship during the regular season (24 of 48 combined). This time the Wildcats hit six of 15.

“I think they hit 12 threes in both games,” said Barnes. He knows they did. He remembers each one.

“Obviously, tonight, our number one objective was to guard the three-point line.”

Barnes smiled and said to be quite honest, that was also the objective in the two games lost.

“We didn’t play Tennessee basketball the first two times we saw them,” Zeigler said. “Tonight, we did. It’s as simple as that. We are bringing toughness and grit to the Elite Eight. We’re going to play Tennessee basketball.”

Kentucky hit 60 percent in the second half in this game and that might have been good enough for a win if the first half had been competitive. The Wildcats’ point total was their lowest of the season. The most rewarding stat for the winners was doubling UK on offensive rebounds. That led to the one-sided margin in second-chance points.

Barnes was asked if Gainey gets sufficient credit for all he does. The coach said no.

“When we’re on the road or someplace like this, and they introduce the players, we never come out because we don’t consider that we’ve got just five starters. We consider Jordan a starter, and that’s a tradition we’ve had all year.

“Our motto has been ‘It’s not about me.’ So, we don’t go out. They stay together, work together, sweat together.”

Ziggy got in a commercial for the coach. The point guard was asked how it feels to be allowed to run what he thinks should be run?

“It’s amazing having a coach like this, hall of fame coach giving me the keys and having that much trust in me … Back when I was being recruited, he said he’d give me a fair shot of being on the court … Coach Barnes has never lied to me about anything.

“For him to have that much trust in me, it’s amazing. My mom says she’s so thankful about it, and I can’t even put into words how thankful I am for Coach to have that much belief in me.”

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com