HOOPS CENTRAL: Tennessee vs. Alabama

Saturday, January 24

Tuscaloosa, AL

8:30 PM ET

University of Tennessee

Alabama

January 23, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats Tennessee Notes Alabama Notes

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men's basketball team (12-6, 2-3) is set to continue the 2025-26 slate Saturday, as they travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide (13-5, 3-2). Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.

GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO

Opponent: Alabama Crimson Tide
Tipoff: Saturday, Jan. 24 | 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Coleman Coliseum
Watch Online: ESPN
Online: Listen Live | Live Stats

TENNESSEE

Roster Schedule Game Notes

ALABAMA

Roster Schedule Game Notes

THE LATEST FROM THE VOLS

Vols in the Pros Update: Jan. 23 Auburn Game Sold Out; Limited Tickets Remain for LSU #24/RV Vols Come up Short against Kentucky, 80-78 Ament One of 15 on Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watch List #24/RV Vols Upend Texas A&M, 87-82, in Double-Overtime Thriller Earn 90th Consecutive AP Top-25 Ranking

Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Richard Hendrix (color) will have the call.

Fans state-wide can tune in to their local Vol Network radio affiliate to hear Voice of the Vols Mike Keith and analyst Chris Lofton depict the action.

THE MATCHUP
• UT is 6-3 in the last nine series meetings, since 3/4/17. The Vols won the last four games after the Crimson Tide took the prior three.
• Ten of the series' last 12 games, including eight of the past nine, had a single-digit scoring margin.
• The Vols are seeking a third series winning streak of at least five in a row. The last was a nine-game stretch from 1/6/68 to 1/29/72.
• In last year's AP top-six clash, the first in series history, UT posted a 79-76 home victory on 3/1/25. The Vols trailed by nine with under 10:00 to go and by four with 0:31 left, but won on a 35-footer at the buzzer by Jahmai Mashack, who scored the final five points.
• UT has held Alabama to 70.6 ppg in eight outings during Nate Oats' tenure, conceding a high of 76. Its average in that span is 84.9 ppg.
• After finishing 28-9 (13-5) and reaching the Elite Eight last year, the Crimson Tide placed fourth in the SEC preseason poll.
• Sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr., a Preseason First Team AllSEC pick, paces Alabama with 22.0 ppg, 4.7 apg and 1.4 spg.

NEWS & NOTES
• Rick Barnes was as an assistant at Alabama in 1985-86. After his departure, current UT assistant Gregg Polinsky replaced him on staff, working there from 1986-95.
• Tennessee's J.P. Estrella and Alabama's Taylor Bol Bowen were teammates at Brewster Academy (N.H.) as seniors in 2022-23.
• Cade Phillips is a Jacksonville, Ala., native. His father (John David Phillips), uncle (Brodie Croyle) and grandfather (John Croyle) played football at Alabama, while his mother (Reagan [Croyle] Phillips) played basketball there.
• DeWayne Brown II is a Hoover, Ala., native who won three 7A state titles at Hoover High School.
• This is the third time in four SEC Saturdays UT is on the road versus a team currently ranked top-20.
• Nate Ament is averaging 19.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 1.0 bpg over UT's last three contests. He is 22-of-26 (84.6%) at the line in that span.
• Amari Evans has 58 points on a 23-of-33 (69.7%) field-goal clip in the last eight games after totaling five points on 1-of-10 shooting in Tennessee's first 10 contests.
• Rick Barnes' 848 wins are second among active DI coaches and No. 10 all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• This will be Rick Barnes' 1,278th game as a head coach, matching Rollie Massimino for ninth-most all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• The only regular season game in the last six years (2020-26) the Volunteers played while unranked in the AP Poll was on 3/7/21, a 65- 54 home win over Florida.
• EvanMiya.com analytically labels Ja'Kobi Gillespie the eighth-best player in the nation, atop the SEC.
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights.
• UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Volunteers' 213 wins the last nine seasons (2017-26) rank co-ninth in Division I, alongside Arizona (213). Only Houston (260), Gonzaga (259), Duke (237), Kansas (226), Purdue (223), Saint Mary's (218), Liberty (215) and Auburn (214) own more.

WINNING WAYS
• Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee paces all SEC programs in postseason victories (23), plus ranks second in total victories (213) and overall winning percentage (.727; 213-80). In that period, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same span, the Vols are one of two SEC teams with 200-plus wins and/or a winning percentage above .695, alongside Auburn (214-78; .733).
• Over SEC play across the same period, Tennessee (100-48; .676) is second in league victories and league winning percentage. It trails only Kentucky (101-48; .678) in both. The only other schools at 90-plus wins and/or a .600 clip are Auburn (99-51; .660) and Alabama (94-55; .631).
• In just the last five seasons (2021-26), the Vols own a 121-42 (.742) overall record. That is good for second in the SEC in both total wins and winning percentage, just shy of Auburn (120-40; .750).
• In that same time, Tennessee (53-24; .688) is third in the SEC in league winning percentage and co-third in league wins. It trails just Auburn (56-22; .718) and Alabama (54-23; .701) in both, while tying Kentucky (53-25; .679) in the latter.

RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES...
• TOP 25: In the past five seasons (2021-26), the Vols' 32 AP top-25 wins lead DI. Only Connecticut (31), Alabama (30), Kansas (28), Iowa State (27), Arizona (26) and Purdue (26) are even at 25-plus.
• TOP 20: Tennessee leads the nation with 28 AP top20 triumphs over that span. Only Connecticut (27), Alabama (25), Kansas (24), Arizona (21) and Purdue (21) are even at 21-plus.
• TOP 15: The Vols lead DI with 24 AP top-15 decisions over those five years. Kansas (21), Alabama (20) and Iowa State (17) are the only schools even at 17-plus.
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns 13 AP top10 wins, co-first nationally, alongside Connecticut (13), Iowa State (13) and Kansas (13). Alabama (12), Florida (12), Arizona (11), Kentucky (11) and Purdue (11) are the only programs even with nine-plus.
• TOP FIVE: In that same five-year period, the Volunteers have eight AP top-five victories, tied with Arizona for the most in DI. Alabama (seven), Florida (seven) and Iowa State (six) are the only others with even five-plus.
• TOP THREE: UT's five AP top-three wins in those five years tie Florida for second in DI, behind Arizona (six). The only others with even four are Alabama (four), Iowa State (four) and Wisconsin (four).

...AND DOING SO EFFICIENTLY
• Tennessee, at 32-22 (.593), has the SEC's best record versus AP top-25 foes over the last five seasons (2021-26). Auburn (23-20; .535) places second, while no one else has a mark over .515.
• The Volunteers are 28-17 (.622) against AP top-20 teams in that span, 11 games over the .500 mark. Auburn (19-16; .543) is a distant second among SEC schools, with no other one at even a .490 clip.
• UT is 24-13 (.649) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, 11 games above .500. Auburn (15-14; .517) is a far second in the SEC, as the only other above .490.
• At 13-9 (.591), the Vols have the best record in the SEC against AP top-10 foes over those five seasons. The only other SEC team above even a .460 clip is distant second-place Florida (12-12; .500).
• With an 8-7 (.533) figure, Tennessee has the second-best record in the SEC versus AP top-five teams in that stretch, barely trailing only Florida (7-6; .538). No other team owns a clip above even .400.
• The Volunteers, even with their excellent winning percentage, have played the co-third-most games (54) against AP top-25 foes of any DI team the last five years (2021-26), tying Oklahoma (54). UT trails just Texas (60) and Alabama (59) in such outings, while Kansas (51) is the only other above 50.