Tennessee basketball and Alabama will make their best case for an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed in college basketball’s most consequential game of the weekend.
No. 5 Tennessee (23-5, 10-5 SEC) plays the No. 6 Alabama (23-5, 12-3 SEC) on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Food City Center.
This is the Vols’ best opportunity to earn a No. 1 seed, aside from perhaps a deep run in the SEC Tournament. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi ranks Alabama and Houston as the bottom two No. 1 seeds and Tennessee as the top No. 2 seed. This game could shake up those projections.
Time is running out for significant movement. UT finishes the regular season next week at Ole Miss and against South Carolina.
Here is what to know about the matchup:
Tennessee has been winning despite slow starts. But don’t count on Alabama giving the Vols a grace period.
UT has trailed at the half in two of its last four games. It was down 44-31 to Vanderbilt and 32-26 to Kentucky.
The Vols led Texas A&M at the half, but they had to rally from a 14-5 deficit. And they struggled offensively to manage a 26-23 halftime lead over LSU.
Couple that with Alabama’s explosive scoring, and there’s an obvious contrast. The Crimson Tide led Mississippi State 53-27 at halftime.
UT point guard Zakai Zeigler said the Vols must play loose and not let the game plan monopolize their mindset. Otherwise, Alabama will seize control.
“Listening to the game plan is important, but we’ve looked too deep into the scouting report instead of going all out,” Zeigler said. “We’ve definitely got to come out with more of an underdog mindset.”
This is a clash of styles.
In conference games, Alabama leads the SEC in scoring (92.9 ppg), field-goal percentage (49.7) and 3-pointers made (162). Playmaking guard Mark Sears leads the Tide, averaging 19 points per game, second most in the SEC, along with five assists.
Meanwhile, Tennessee touts the SEC’s best defense. In conference games, it leads the the league in fewest points allowed (64.7 ppg) and lowest field-goal percentage allowed (39.5).
“They are trying to do what they’re doing, and we’re trying to do what we’re doing,” UT coach Rick Barnes said. “But they still sometimes get the look (at open shots) that they want to get.
“Both teams have competed at such a high level. But I think they’re a better defensive team this year.”
Tennessee is in position for a double bye in the SEC Tournament with three games remaining in the regular season. But it can’t afford a letdown in a tight race.
UT and Missouri stand at 10-5 in SEC play, and Texas A&M trails at 9-6. But the Vols hold the tiebreaker against both teams, and they will not face either again.
Auburn is in first place with a 14-1 mark. Alabama is 12-3, and Florida is 11-4. Ole Miss is two games behind UT at 8-7, and they face off on Wednesday.
UT forward J.P. Estrella is out for the season after having foot surgery in late November.
Alabama freshman forward Derrion Reid was out against Mississippi State. Guards Houston Mallette (knees) and Latrell Wrightsell (Achilles tendon) have been sidelined for most of the season.
Tennessee vs. Alabama airs on ESPN at 4 p.m. ET Saturday. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Tennessee 81, Alabama 78: Tennessee has found a way to beat Alabama, winning three straight in the series. Granted, this Tide team could bend UT’s defense to its breaking point. But with a potential No. 1 seed on the line and a home crowd behind the Vols, they’ll outlast Alabama’s early barrage and rally for a tight win.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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