HOOPS CENTRAL: #23/25 Tennessee vs. #24/22 Vanderbilt

Saturday, March 7

Knoxville, TN

2 PM ET

University of Tennessee

Vanderbilt

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March 06, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Watch Live (ESPN)Listen Live Live Stats Tennessee Notes Vanderbilt Notes Ultimate Assist Showdown Information

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 23/25 Tennessee men's basketball team (21-9, 11-6) is set to continue the 2025-26 slate Saturday, as it takes on the Vanderbilt Commodores (23-7, 10-7) at Food City Center. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. ET.

GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO

Opponent: Vanderbilt Commodores
Tipoff: Saturday, March 7 | 2:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Food City Center
Watch Online: ESPN
Online: Listen Live | Live Stats

TENNESSEE

Roster Schedule Game Notes

VANDERBILT

Roster Schedule Game Notes

THE LATEST FROM THE VOLS

Carey Tabbed to SEC Community Service Team #23/25 Vols Finish Road Slate with 78-59 Victory at South Carolina Vols Check in at #23/25 in Polls #22 Vols Drop 71-69 Result to #17/18 Alabama #22 Vols Fall, 73-69, at Missouri Ament Wins Sixth SEC Freshman of the Week Accolade

Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Matt Schumacker (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.

Tennessee will honor four senior players (Amaree Abram, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Grant Hurst and Felix Okpara) and three senior student managers (Leah Sanders, Bryce VanHuss and Dalton Waggoner) prior to Saturday's game. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 1:40 p.m.

In addition, Saturday is the Volunteers' annual "Donate Life Tennessee" game. It will feature the Ultimate Assist Showdown to raise awareness and register donors. Additional information can be found HERE.

THE MATCHUP
• UT's 133 wins over Vanderbilt are its most versus any team. Georgia (101) is the only other program it has defeated triple-digit times.
• The Volunteers are 15-2 in their last 17 games against Vanderbilt, since 1/9/18. Both defeats were by one one on the road (66-65 on 2/8/23 and 76-75 on 1/18/25). UT has swept six of the last eight seasons.
• This is the ninth AP top-25 clash in series history (first since 2/9/10).
• UT came back from a nine-point deficit to win, 69-65, in Nashville on 2/21/26 in the teams' first affair this year. The Vols held Vanderbilt without a made field goal for 9:13 of play, forcing 11 straight misses.
• The Vols rallied from a 16-point deficit, 42-26, for an 81-76 home win over Vanderbilt on 2/15/25 in last year's meeting in Knoxville. It was the fifth-largest comeback in the program's recorded history.
• Following a 20-13 (8-10) year that included an NCAA Tournament bid, Vanderbilt placed No. 11 in the SEC preseason poll.
• Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner leads the Commodores with 19.0 ppg, 5.3 apg and 2.5 spg.

NEWS & NOTES
• Playing for Vanderbilt last year, Jaylen Carey averaged 16.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 2.0 apg in 24.5 mpg versus UT. He shot 10-of-12 from the field and 11-of-15 at the line.
• Tennessee is 37-7 against fellow in-state foes under Rick Barnes, including 20-2 in its last 22 games.
• Rick Barnes' 857 wins co-lead all active DI coaches and rank co-ninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• The Vols have clinched a top-four SEC finish for the eighth time in the last nine years, including the fifth in a row. They will seal a double-bye in the SEC Tournament with a win over Vanderbilt.
• Tennessee has held each of its last 10 foes below 75 points, allowing just 67.0 ppg over that span.
• UT has played just three games (2-1) that did not include a lead of 10-plus either way. Only one (1-0) did not have a nine-point margin.
• Felix Okpara is averaging 13.8 ppg and 7.2 rpg on 73.8% shooting the last five outings. Three of the seven 15-point performances in his career are in that stretch.
• Eleven Vols have combined to tally nine starting lineups this year.
• UT had 15 dunks at South Carolina (3/3/26) and Ja'Kobi Gillespie set a career high with 12 assists.
• With a 45.4 offensive rebounding percentage UT is on pace to post, per KenPom, the second-best mark this century. It trails only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0).
• Tennessee is seeking 22-plus wins for the fifth straight year, which it has never done before.
• The Vols are looking to reach 12- plus SEC wins for the fifth season in a row. They have done that once previously, with a seven-year tally of 13-plus from 1970-71 to 1976-77.
• 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' 222 wins the last nine years (2017-26) place co-eighth in DI, alongside Arizona. Only Houston (268), Gonzaga (267), Duke (248), Kansas (233), Purdue (229), Saint Mary's (227) and Liberty (223) possess more.

WINNING WAYS
• Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee (222-83; .728) paces all SEC programs in total victories, overall winning percentage and postseason victories (23). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same period, the Volunteers are one of two SEC teams with even 210-plus wins and/or a winning percentage above .690, alongside Auburn (218-85; .719).
• Over SEC play across the same span, Tennessee (109-51; .681) is first in both league victories and league winning percentage. The only other schools at even 100-plus wins and/or a .620 clip are Kentucky (107-53; .669), Alabama (103-58; .640) and Auburn (103-58; .640).
• In just the last five seasons (2021-26), the Vols own a 130-45 (.743) overall record. That is good for the most total wins and the best winning percentage in the SEC, far ahead of Alabama (.718; 125-49) in the former and Auburn (.725; 124-47) in the latter.
• In that time, Tennessee (62-27; .697) is second in league victories and league winning percentage, behind only Alabama (63-26; .708).

OWNING THE OPENING TIP
• Tennessee won the jump-ball in 29 of 38 outings last year, with Felix Okpara taking all of them.
• After starting 12-9 in jump-balls, Okpara claimed 17 in a row to conclude the season. He then won five in a row to open 2025-26, giving him 22 straight wins.
• Okpara is 19-10 so far in 2025-26, including overtime, giving him a 48-19 (.712) overall mark as a Vol.
• Per KenPom, Okpara has the co-second-most jump-ball wins the last three years (2023-26) with 71.

BEASTS ON THE BOARDS
• Tennessee leads the nation, according to KenPom, with a 45.4 offensive rebounding percentage. That is 2.5 above second-ranked Florida (42.9) and 6.2 ahead of third-place Virginia (39.2).
• UT is on pace, per KenPom, to be the second-best offensive rebounding team this century. The Vols trail only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0), while placing just above 2000-01 Georgetown (45.3).
• The Vols have double-digit offensive rebounds in 29 of 30 games, with 13-plus in 24, 15-plus in 19, 20-plus in six and 23-plus in four. Their top tally is 26.
• UT is second in DI in rebounding margin (13.4), second in offensive rebounds per game (15.93) and fourth in total rebounds per game (42.67).
• The Vols have at least 35 total boards in 26 of 30 contests, with 40-plus in 18, 45-plus in 14 and 50- plus in six. Their highest mark is 60.
• Jaylen Carey (five times), J.P. Estrella (three), Felix Okpara (three), Bishop Boswell (two), DeWayne Brown II (two) and Nate Ament (one) have all amassed 10 total rebounds in a game this season.
• Per KenPom, Jaylen Carey is fifth in the country with his 18.2 offensive rebounding percentage. J.P. Estrella has a 17.3 mark, but does not qualify.
• In his second start, versus Gardner-Webb (12/21/25), DeWayne Brown II had 14 rebounds. He tied Grant Williams (3/1/17), Jarnell Stokes (3/3/12) and Brian Williams (12/15/07) for the most by a UT freshman in the last 20 seasons (2006-26). He also tied the fifth-highest total by any Vol in the Rick Barnes era.
• The Volunteers pulled down 60 rebounds in the double-overtime victory against Texas A&M (1/13/26) and conceded just 35 (plus-25). It marked their first time with 55-plus rebounds since grabbing 58 on 11/18/08 versus UT Martin. UT had 24 offensive boards and allowed only 10 (plus-14). Jaylen Carey (10p, 9r) was one rebound away from giving Tennessee three players with double-digit boards and double-doubles, as Bishop Boswell (13p, 11r) and Felix Okpara (10p, 12r) both hit that mark.
• In the overtime win at Georgia (1/28/26), Tennessee grabbed 52 rebounds and allowed only 27 (plus-25). It also pulled down an 26 offensive boards while giving up just seven (plus-19). Two Vols, J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara, had as many offensive boards individually as the Bulldogs did as a team. Bishop Boswell (13p, 10r) tallied a double-double, while Estrella (17p, 9r) and Okpara (6p, 11r) nearly did so.
• In the victory over Auburn (1/31/26), UT had four players—Nate Ament, Bishop Boswell, Jaylen Carey and Amari Evans—grab eight rebounds. It marked the second such instance for the Volunteers in the last 20 seasons (2006-26), alongside a 12/23/13 game versus Morehead State. DeWayne Brown II gave UT five players with seven-plus boards, its first such occurrence in the last two decades and just the fourth by any SEC team in league play.
• At Kentucky (2/7/26), DeWayne Brown II pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds. That tied for the third-most by a Tennessee freshman in an SEC game the last 20 seasons (2006-26). The only others to hit that mark are Grant Williams (14 on 3/1/17 at LSU), Jarnell Stokes (14 on 3/3/12 against Vanderbilt), Tobias Harris (12 on 1/29/11 at Ole Miss) and Wayne Chism (12 on 2/10/07 against Vanderbilt).
• The Volunteers hauled in 25 offensive rebounds versus #17/18 Alabama (2/28/26), a program best in an SEC regulation contest.

IN-STATE SUCCESS
• Tennessee is 37-7 (.841) against fellow Volunteer State foes in the Rick Barnes era, including 20-2 (.909) in its last 22 such games.
• The 37 wins are against Vanderbilt (17x), Tennessee Tech (6x), East Tenn. State (3x), Austin Peay (2x), Lipscomb (2x), UT Martin (2x), Tennessee State (2x), Chattanooga, Memphis and Middle Tenn. State.
• The Vols are 17-5 (.773) against Vanderbilt under Barnes, including 15-2 (.882) in the last 17 matchups.