University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, March 13
3:30 PM ET
University of Tennessee
22-11,11-7SEC
68
vs
75
Vanderbilt
25-7,11-7SEC
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Tennessee
31
37
68
Vanderbilt
31
44
75
#25/RV Vols Drop SEC Tournament Quarterfinal Matchup to #22 Vanderbilt, 75-68
March 13, 2026 | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The fifth-seeded University of Tennessee men's basketball team fell to fourth-seeded Vanderbilt, 75-68, Friday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.
Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced No. 25/RV Tennessee (22-11, 11-7 SEC) with 21 points, but it was not enough against No. 22 Vanderbilt (25-7, 11-7 SEC) in the teams' third matchup in 20 days.
The Volunteers scored six of the opening eight points, as they held Vanderbilt without a made field goal for a span of 5:37, including for 4:19 without a point. Overall, both teams started just 2-of-12 from the floor.
Tennessee went 12-of-26 the rest of the frame—that included a 7-of-12 close—while the Commodores posted a 9-of-15 mark from then on. The Volunteers, though, used a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass and a buzzer-beating layup by Gillespie to make it an even 31-31 at the break.
The first 20 minutes, of which Tennessee led for 12:47 and trailed for 6:08, featured 10 lead changes and five ties, with the latter mark accounting for only 65 seconds. The Volunteers' largest advantage was four, while the Commodores' top figure was just two.
Tennessee took the first three-possession lead of the afternoon, 45-38, with 14:51 remaining after Gillespie drilled back-to-back 3-pointers in the span of just 26 seconds. However, the Commodores responded with a 15-3 run to go in front by multiple possessions for the first time, 53-48, with 11:21 left.
Their first seven points of the surge came from graduate guard Duke Miles, who scored 25 in the opening 27 minutes, posting a 9-of-9 clip from the floor while the rest of his team then had 20 points on 6-of-25 shooting. He also capped the surge with a 3-pointer, giving him 28 on 10-of-11 shooting through 29 minutes.
After a Tennessee basket to get within three, Vanderbilt continued to extend its lead and went up by a game-best eight, 63-55, with 7:24 to play. The Volunteers answered with seven straight points in 1:55 to get the margin down to one with 5:05 on the timer, but the Commodores scored the next four from the line to go back up by five just 61 ticks later.
The teams continued to trade two-point possessions and Vanderbilt, on a basket by Miles, snapped a skid of 6:36 without a made field goal—it missed nine in a row—to go in front by, 71-66, with 1:51 left. Tennessee never got closer than three the rest of the way and the Commodores claimed the victory.
Gillespie shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-7 beyond the arc, in the setback. He also paced the team with four assists.
Freshman forward Nate Ament, who went 10-of-12 at the stripe, posted 12 points and a career-best 11 rebounds for his second collegiate double-double. Redshirt sophomore forward J.P. Estrella also scored 12 points, finishing 4-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line, plus grabbed six boards.
Junior forward Jayen Carey chipped in 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Tennessee, as well as pulled down five rebounds.
Miles finished with a season-best 30 points, two shy of his career high, and went 11-of-14 from the floor. He notched a 4-of-5 clip from beyond the arc and hit all four of his free throws, adding six rebounds, a game-leading five assists and a game-best three steals.
Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner logged 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. He shot 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Vanderbilt concluded the contest with a 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) at the line, while Tennessee had the same number of attempts at the other end, but tallied six fewer makes. The Volunteers had a 24-10 margin in second-chance points, but the Commodores had an 11-5 cushion in fast-break points.
Tennessee will now await its seeding and destination for the NCAA Tournament, with the program set to make its eighth consecutive appearance in the field.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• The Volunteers fell to 77-60 all-time in the SEC Tournament, including to 74-59 in regulation, 67-55 at neutral sites and 14-9 under head coach Rick Barnes.
• Additionally, Tennessee now sports a 27-21 record in SEC Tournament games in its home state, including an 18-15 mark in Nashville and a 14-13 ledger at Bridgestone Arena.
• In total, the Volunteers are 22-16 at Bridgestone Arena, with that record featuring an 8-4 tally outside of SEC Tournament action and a 1-2 figure in 2025-26.
• Tennessee is now 133-79 all-time against Vanderbilt, with the 133 wins still good for 32 more than they have against any other opponent.
• The Volunteers dropped to 15-4 over their last 19 meetings with Vanderbilt, with all four losses by single digits and three away from home.
• The last time Tennessee fell to Vanderbilt by greater than four points was on Feb. 22, 2017, when it dropped a 67-56 decision.
• Friday marked the 10th AP top-25 meeting between Tennessee and Vanderbilt, with the Volunteers now 2-8 in those contests, including 0-5 away from home.
• Prior to Friday, the Volunteers and Commodores had never faced off in SEC Tournament action with both ranked in the AP top 25.
• Tennessee dropped to 9-2 all-time against Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament contests, with its five-game winning streak coming to an end.
• In addition, the Volunteers are now 3-1 versus the Commodores in SEC Tournament games played in Tennessee, including 2-1 in Nashville.
• Tennessee fell to 37-9 (.804) against in-state opponents in the Barnes era, including to 20-4 (.833) in its last 24 such games.
• Tennessee is now 40-33 (.548) in AP top-25 clashes in the Barnes era, including 19-13 (.594) in its last 32 such games, since Dec. 9, 2023.
• The Volunteers fell to 48-48 (.500) versus AP top-25 teams with Barnes at the helm, including 32-21 (.604) in their past 53 such affairs, dating to Jan. 22, 2022.
• Across the last six years (2020-26), the Volunteers have played just 27 games as a lower-ranked team and now possess a 15-12 record, including a 9-7 mark versus fellow SEC foes.
• Tennessee has logged double-digit offensive rebounds in 32 of 33 games this year, with 15-plus in 21 outings, 17-plus 13 times and 20-plus on seven occasions, with a high of 26.
• The Volunteers have grabbed at least 35 total boards in 29 of 33 contests, with 40-plus in 20, 42-plus in 18, 45-plus in 15 and 50-plus in six, with a top tally of 60.
• Through 33 outings thus far, Tennessee has amassed 13-plus assists on 28 occasions, with 17-plus in 18 games, 20-plus in eight and 23-plus in four.
• Across its 33 games this season, Tennessee has played just four (2-2) that did not feature a double-digit lead for either side.
• Friday's affair was the first of the season for the Volunteers in which neither team led by greater than eight points.
• Friday's contest marked the first time Tennessee was tied at halftime since the 2024-25 regular season finale when it went into the intermission even at 31 against South Carolina, en route to a 75-65 home win on March 8, 2025.
• The Volunteers committed no turnovers in the first 13 minutes, just one in the first 19 minutes and only two in the first half as a whole.
• The steal for Gillespie upped his total this season to 68, breaking a four-way tie to take sole possession of fifth place on Tennessee's leaderboard.
• Gillespie amassed the 27th 20-point performance of his career, including his 13th this season as a Volunteer.
• Ament's 10 made free throws increased his tally this year to 183 and made him the fourth player in Tennessee history with 180-plus in a campaign, alongside Carl Widseth (222 in 1955-56), Grant Williams (213 in 2018-19) and Allan Houston (189 in 1991-92).
• The 12 free-throw attempts for Ament upped his number this season to 232, as he jumped from No. 10 all the way to fourth on the Volunteers' leaderboard.
• Ament is now one of five Tennessee players to attempt 230-plus free throws in a year, joining Carl Widseth (288 in 1955-56), Grant Williams (260 in 2018-19), Steve Hamer (252 in 1995-96) and—behind him on the list—Jarnell Stokes (230 in 2013-14).
• Ament connected on double-digit free throws for the third time this season, with his 10-of-12 showing joining a 12-of-15 tally Jan. 31 versus Auburn and a 10-of-11 ledger Feb. 14 against LSU.
• The 12 free-throw attempts for Ament marked his third-most of the year, trailing only his two totals against Auburn, 15 in the Jan. 31 matchup and 13 just one day ago in the SEC Tournament opener.
• Ament registered his second collegiate double-double, joining a 19-point, 10-rebound showing Nov. 17 versus Rice.
• The 11 total rebounds for Ament set a new career high, eclipsing the 10 he amassed in that contest against Rice.
• Ament's five offensive rebounds set a new career best, surpassing his four in a Nov. 12 matchup with North Florida.
• Sophomore guard Ethan Burg had three rebounds and three assists, both tying his second-highest total as a Volunteer and setting a new best versus an SEC foe.
Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced No. 25/RV Tennessee (22-11, 11-7 SEC) with 21 points, but it was not enough against No. 22 Vanderbilt (25-7, 11-7 SEC) in the teams' third matchup in 20 days.
The Volunteers scored six of the opening eight points, as they held Vanderbilt without a made field goal for a span of 5:37, including for 4:19 without a point. Overall, both teams started just 2-of-12 from the floor.
Tennessee went 12-of-26 the rest of the frame—that included a 7-of-12 close—while the Commodores posted a 9-of-15 mark from then on. The Volunteers, though, used a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass and a buzzer-beating layup by Gillespie to make it an even 31-31 at the break.
The first 20 minutes, of which Tennessee led for 12:47 and trailed for 6:08, featured 10 lead changes and five ties, with the latter mark accounting for only 65 seconds. The Volunteers' largest advantage was four, while the Commodores' top figure was just two.
Tennessee took the first three-possession lead of the afternoon, 45-38, with 14:51 remaining after Gillespie drilled back-to-back 3-pointers in the span of just 26 seconds. However, the Commodores responded with a 15-3 run to go in front by multiple possessions for the first time, 53-48, with 11:21 left.
Their first seven points of the surge came from graduate guard Duke Miles, who scored 25 in the opening 27 minutes, posting a 9-of-9 clip from the floor while the rest of his team then had 20 points on 6-of-25 shooting. He also capped the surge with a 3-pointer, giving him 28 on 10-of-11 shooting through 29 minutes.
After a Tennessee basket to get within three, Vanderbilt continued to extend its lead and went up by a game-best eight, 63-55, with 7:24 to play. The Volunteers answered with seven straight points in 1:55 to get the margin down to one with 5:05 on the timer, but the Commodores scored the next four from the line to go back up by five just 61 ticks later.
The teams continued to trade two-point possessions and Vanderbilt, on a basket by Miles, snapped a skid of 6:36 without a made field goal—it missed nine in a row—to go in front by, 71-66, with 1:51 left. Tennessee never got closer than three the rest of the way and the Commodores claimed the victory.
Gillespie shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-7 beyond the arc, in the setback. He also paced the team with four assists.
Freshman forward Nate Ament, who went 10-of-12 at the stripe, posted 12 points and a career-best 11 rebounds for his second collegiate double-double. Redshirt sophomore forward J.P. Estrella also scored 12 points, finishing 4-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line, plus grabbed six boards.
Junior forward Jayen Carey chipped in 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Tennessee, as well as pulled down five rebounds.
Miles finished with a season-best 30 points, two shy of his career high, and went 11-of-14 from the floor. He notched a 4-of-5 clip from beyond the arc and hit all four of his free throws, adding six rebounds, a game-leading five assists and a game-best three steals.
Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner logged 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. He shot 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Vanderbilt concluded the contest with a 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) at the line, while Tennessee had the same number of attempts at the other end, but tallied six fewer makes. The Volunteers had a 24-10 margin in second-chance points, but the Commodores had an 11-5 cushion in fast-break points.
Tennessee will now await its seeding and destination for the NCAA Tournament, with the program set to make its eighth consecutive appearance in the field.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• The Volunteers fell to 77-60 all-time in the SEC Tournament, including to 74-59 in regulation, 67-55 at neutral sites and 14-9 under head coach Rick Barnes.
• Additionally, Tennessee now sports a 27-21 record in SEC Tournament games in its home state, including an 18-15 mark in Nashville and a 14-13 ledger at Bridgestone Arena.
• In total, the Volunteers are 22-16 at Bridgestone Arena, with that record featuring an 8-4 tally outside of SEC Tournament action and a 1-2 figure in 2025-26.
• Tennessee is now 133-79 all-time against Vanderbilt, with the 133 wins still good for 32 more than they have against any other opponent.
• The Volunteers dropped to 15-4 over their last 19 meetings with Vanderbilt, with all four losses by single digits and three away from home.
• The last time Tennessee fell to Vanderbilt by greater than four points was on Feb. 22, 2017, when it dropped a 67-56 decision.
• Friday marked the 10th AP top-25 meeting between Tennessee and Vanderbilt, with the Volunteers now 2-8 in those contests, including 0-5 away from home.
• Prior to Friday, the Volunteers and Commodores had never faced off in SEC Tournament action with both ranked in the AP top 25.
• Tennessee dropped to 9-2 all-time against Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament contests, with its five-game winning streak coming to an end.
• In addition, the Volunteers are now 3-1 versus the Commodores in SEC Tournament games played in Tennessee, including 2-1 in Nashville.
• Tennessee fell to 37-9 (.804) against in-state opponents in the Barnes era, including to 20-4 (.833) in its last 24 such games.
• Tennessee is now 40-33 (.548) in AP top-25 clashes in the Barnes era, including 19-13 (.594) in its last 32 such games, since Dec. 9, 2023.
• The Volunteers fell to 48-48 (.500) versus AP top-25 teams with Barnes at the helm, including 32-21 (.604) in their past 53 such affairs, dating to Jan. 22, 2022.
• Across the last six years (2020-26), the Volunteers have played just 27 games as a lower-ranked team and now possess a 15-12 record, including a 9-7 mark versus fellow SEC foes.
• Tennessee has logged double-digit offensive rebounds in 32 of 33 games this year, with 15-plus in 21 outings, 17-plus 13 times and 20-plus on seven occasions, with a high of 26.
• The Volunteers have grabbed at least 35 total boards in 29 of 33 contests, with 40-plus in 20, 42-plus in 18, 45-plus in 15 and 50-plus in six, with a top tally of 60.
• Through 33 outings thus far, Tennessee has amassed 13-plus assists on 28 occasions, with 17-plus in 18 games, 20-plus in eight and 23-plus in four.
• Across its 33 games this season, Tennessee has played just four (2-2) that did not feature a double-digit lead for either side.
• Friday's affair was the first of the season for the Volunteers in which neither team led by greater than eight points.
• Friday's contest marked the first time Tennessee was tied at halftime since the 2024-25 regular season finale when it went into the intermission even at 31 against South Carolina, en route to a 75-65 home win on March 8, 2025.
• The Volunteers committed no turnovers in the first 13 minutes, just one in the first 19 minutes and only two in the first half as a whole.
• The steal for Gillespie upped his total this season to 68, breaking a four-way tie to take sole possession of fifth place on Tennessee's leaderboard.
• Gillespie amassed the 27th 20-point performance of his career, including his 13th this season as a Volunteer.
• Ament's 10 made free throws increased his tally this year to 183 and made him the fourth player in Tennessee history with 180-plus in a campaign, alongside Carl Widseth (222 in 1955-56), Grant Williams (213 in 2018-19) and Allan Houston (189 in 1991-92).
• The 12 free-throw attempts for Ament upped his number this season to 232, as he jumped from No. 10 all the way to fourth on the Volunteers' leaderboard.
• Ament is now one of five Tennessee players to attempt 230-plus free throws in a year, joining Carl Widseth (288 in 1955-56), Grant Williams (260 in 2018-19), Steve Hamer (252 in 1995-96) and—behind him on the list—Jarnell Stokes (230 in 2013-14).
• Ament connected on double-digit free throws for the third time this season, with his 10-of-12 showing joining a 12-of-15 tally Jan. 31 versus Auburn and a 10-of-11 ledger Feb. 14 against LSU.
• The 12 free-throw attempts for Ament marked his third-most of the year, trailing only his two totals against Auburn, 15 in the Jan. 31 matchup and 13 just one day ago in the SEC Tournament opener.
• Ament registered his second collegiate double-double, joining a 19-point, 10-rebound showing Nov. 17 versus Rice.
• The 11 total rebounds for Ament set a new career high, eclipsing the 10 he amassed in that contest against Rice.
• Ament's five offensive rebounds set a new career best, surpassing his four in a Nov. 12 matchup with North Florida.
• Sophomore guard Ethan Burg had three rebounds and three assists, both tying his second-highest total as a Volunteer and setting a new best versus an SEC foe.
Team Stats
UT
VU
FG%
.375
.404
3FG%
.235
.259
FT%
.615
.846
RB
46
34
TO
9
6
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
10
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballMBB | Highlights: Tennessee 68, Vanderbilt 75
Friday, March 13
MBB | Rick Barnes, J.P. Estrella & Ja'Kobi Gillespie Postgame vs. Vanderbilt (3.13.26)
Friday, March 13
MBB | Rick Barnes, Nate Ament & Felix Okpara Postgame vs. Auburn (3.12.26)
Thursday, March 12
MBB | Highlights: Tennessee 72, Auburn 62
Thursday, March 12
