CENTRAL HOOPS: #22 Tennessee vs. #17/18 Alabama

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee males’s basketball crew (20-8, 10-5) is about to proceed the 2025-26 slate Saturday, because it takes on the No. 17/18 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-7, 11-4) at Food City Center. Tipoff is about for six:00 pm ET.

The Volunteers’ matchup with the Crimson Tide is an “Orange Out” at Food City Center and all followers are inspired to put on orange.

The first 10,000 followers can even obtain a Reese’s two-count Peanut Butter Cup of their seats, whereas the primary 100 college students will obtain an “Orange Out” t-shirt courtesy of Food City and Reese’s.

In addition, all followers may have a light-up wristband of their seats to mild up Food City Center all sport lengthy, courtesy of Food City, Reese’s and Coca-Cola. The LED wristbands have a particular QR code for a digital coupon. Attendees can scan the QR code to obtain a coupon to purchase a Reese’s King Size Bar and a Zero Sugar 20-ounce Coca-Cola, and save 50 cents on their buy in any respect Food City areas.

Fans can watch Tuesday’s sport on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (coloration) may have the decision.

State-wide followers can tune in to their native Vol Network radio affiliate to listen to Voice of the Vols Mike Keith and analyst Chris Lofton depicts the motion.

THE MATCHUP

• Tennessee is 7-3 within the final 10 collection conferences, since 3/4/17. It received the final 5 video games after the Crimson Tide took the prior three.
• UT’s five-game collection profitable streak is its third-best ever. It has received 9 (1/6/68- 1/29/72) and eight (1/18/36 -2/11/38) in a row.
• Tennessee rallied from a 10-point deficit for a six-point highway win on the perimeters’ first assembly this 12 months (1/24/26). In the final matchup in Knoxville (3/1/25), the Vols have been down by 9 with underneath 10:00 left, together with by 4 with 0:31 to go, and received on a buzzer-beater.
• Eleven of the collection’ final 13 video games, together with 9 of the previous 10, had a single-digit scoring margin.
• UT has held Alabama to 70.9 ppg in 9 outings throughout Nate Oats’ tenure, conceding a excessive of 76. The Tide’s is averaging 85.2 ppg in that span (85.8 versus non-UT foes).
• Coming off to 28-9 (13-5) displaying with an Elite Eight bid final 12 months, Alabama was picked fourth within the SEC preseason ballot.
• Sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr., paces the Crimson Tide with 21.3 ppg, 4.8 apg and 1.2 spg.

NEWS & NOTES
• Rick Barnes was as an assistant at Alabama in 1985-86. After his departure, present UT assistant Gregg Polinsky changed him on workers, working there from 1986-95.
• Cade Phillips is a Jacksonville, Ala., native. His father (John David Phillips), uncle (Brodie Croyle) and grandfather (John Croyle) performed soccer at Alabama, whereas his mom (Reagan [Croyle] Phillips) performed basketball there.
• DeWayne Brown II is a Hoover, Ala., native who received three 7A state titles at Hoover High School.
• JP Star and Taylor Bol Bowen have been Brewster Academy (NH) teammates as seniors in 2022-23.
• Rick Barnes‘ 856 wins co-lead all energetic DI coaches and rank coninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• The Vols have performed three video games (2-1) this 12 months that didn’t embrace a lead of 10-plus both approach.
• Tennessee is 28-10 (.737) within the second leg of standard season home-and-homes over the past 9 years (2017-26).
• Felix Okpara’s subsequent block will make him the twentieth competitor to succeed in 100 as a Volunteer.
• Nate Ament is averaging 21.6 ppg the final 13 contests (16-plus in all).
• Tennessee is seeking to attain eleven-plus SEC wins for the fifth season in a row. It has completed that simply as soon as beforehand, with a seven-year tally from 1970-71 to 1976-77.
• The Vols are additionally searching for 21-plus wins for the fifth straight 12 months, which they’ve additionally completed eleven earlier than, from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
• UT’s 45.0 offensive rebounding proportion is on tempo to be, per KenPom, the third-best mark this century. It trails solely 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0) and 2000-01 Georgetown (45.3).
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the one colleges to make the final three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the one three within the final two Elite Eights.
• UT completed a program-best fifth within the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Volunteers’ 221 wins the final 9 years (2017-26) rank eighth in DI. Only Gonzaga (267), Houston (266), Duke (246), Kansas (233), Purdue (228), Saint Mary’s (226) and Liberty (222) possess extra.

WINNING WAYS
• Over the final 9 seasons (2017-26), Tennessee (221- 82; .729) paces all SEC packages in complete victories, total profitable proportion and postseason victories (23). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 common seasons, 2022 match).
• In that very same interval, the Volunteers are considered one of two SEC groups with even 205-plus wins and/or a profitable proportion above .690, alongside Auburn (217-84; .721).
• Over SEC play throughout the identical span, Tennessee (108-50; .684) is first in each league victories and league profitable proportion. The solely different colleges at even 100-plus wins and/or a .610 clip are Kentucky (106-52; .671), Alabama (102-57; .642) and Auburn (102-57; .642).
• In simply the final 5 seasons (2021-26), the Vols personal a 129-44 (.746) total file. That is sweet for probably the most complete wins and the most effective profitable proportion within the SEC, far forward of Auburn (.728; 123-46).
• At that point, Tennessee (61-26; .701) is second in league victories and league profitable proportion, behind solely Alabama (62-25; .713).

SERIOUS STREAKS
• The Volunteers personal 20 wins for the fifth season in a row. That ties the longest streak in program historical past, beforehand recorded each from 1980-81 to 194-85 and 2005-06 to 2009-10. It is UT’s seventh 20-win season within the final 9 years and thirty second all-time.
• Tennessee has double-figure SEC victories for the sixth straight 12 months. This is the second-longest streak in program historical past. The Vols had 10-plus SEC wins 13 seasons in a row from 1964-65 to 1976-77.

PARTICULARLY POTENT AT HOME
• Under Rick BarnesTennessee is 24-8 (.750) versus AP top-25 groups at Food City Center, together with 19-2 (.905) in its final 21 such video games (since 1/30/21).
• The Volunteers are 19-7 (.731) at residence in opposition to AP top-20 groups within the Barnes period, together with 15-2 (.882) of their final 17 such contests (since 1/30/21).
• Tennessee has a 16-5 (.762) mark when internet hosting AP top-15 squads underneath Barnes, together with a 14-2 (.875) file in its final 16 such affairs (since 1/30/21).
• Barnes has led UT to a 9-1 (.900) ledger at residence versus AP top-10 groups, with eight straight wins (since 3/2/19). That consists of good marks in opposition to AP top-six groups (8-0) and versus SEC groups (7-0).
• Tennessee is an ideal 6-0 when internet hosting AP top-five groups within the Barnes period (all since 1/24/17). The six straight wins are an SEC file, per ESPN, surpassing the mark of 5 by Kentucky in 1978-84 and 1956-59.
• The Vols received 12 straight residence video games in opposition to AP top-25 foes from 1/30/21 to 2/28/24. That is an SEC file, per CBS Sports, and the longest in DI since Kansas had 17 straight from 1/11/14 to 2/13/17. Nine of these victories have been in opposition to top-15 groups, with 5 in opposition to the highest 10 and three over top-five groups.
• Tennessee is 21-5 (.808) in AP top-25 residence matchups underneath Barnes, together with 15-5 (.750) with each groups within the high 20, 9-2 (.818) with each within the high 15 and 5-0 (1,000) with each within the high 10.

CONTAINING THE CRIMSON TIDE
• Tennessee earned a 79-73 win at #17 Alabama on 1/24/26, rallying from a 10-point first-half deficit for a fifth straight collection win. Nate Ament had a careerhigh 29 factors and Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 24.
• UT has now beat Alabama five-plus occasions in a row thrice in program historical past. This is the primary occasion since a nine-game stretch from 1/6/68 to 1/29/72.
• In addition, Tennessee has held Alabama to 76 factors or fewer in all 9 conferences since Nate Oats took over as head coach in 2019-20, permitting simply 70.9 factors per sport. As of 1/24/26, the groups’ most up-to-date assembly, the Crimson Tide was averaging 85.4 factors per sport in opposition to all different opponents throughout that seven-year stretch.