KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 6/7 Tennessee men’s basketball team returns home to face No. 14 Mississippi State in its third consecutive home contest against a ranked SEC foe Tuesday night at Food City Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.
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GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Mississippi State
- Tipoff: Tuesday, Jan. 21 | 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Food City Center
- Watch Online: ESPN2
- Online: Listen Live | Live Stats
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TENNESSEE
MISSISSIPPI STATE
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Fans can catch Tuesday’s game between the Volunteers (16-2, 3-2 SEC) and Bulldogs (15-3, 3-2 SEC) on ESPN2. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
In Tennessee’s most recent outing, it dropped a 76-75 decision to Vanderbilt in front of a sold-out Memorial Gymnasium crowd Saturday evening.
Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier scored a team-high 17 points UT, which had multiple chances to tie the game in the closing seconds after trailing by 16 with under 11 minutes to go and by 10 with fewer than four minutes left. Three additional Vols scored 16 points in the setback.
THE MATCHUP
• Tennessee’s 90 victories over Mississippi State are its third- most versus any foe, trailing only Vanderbilt (131) and Georgia (100).
• This is the 137th meeting—22 were before the 1948-49 start of the AP Poll—and the first with both ranked. It is just the 12th time the Vols face a ranked Mississipi State team (4-7), while UT is ranked for the 12th time in the last 13 matchups (since 2/27/18).
• The Volunteers are 9-3 in their last 12 outings against Mississippi State, dating to 2/27/18.
• Mississippi State was the lone SEC team UT did not beat in 2023-24, as it went 0-2 (including the SEC Tournament) against the Bulldogs and 14-3 versus all others.
• Rick Barnes is 23-7 against the SEC’s two Mississippi schools as a head coach, including 20-7 with Tennessee (9-1 at home).
• Coming off a 21-14 (8-10) showing in 2023-24 that included an NCAA Tournament appearance, Mississippi State placed No. 10 in this year’s SEC preseason poll.
• Sophomore guard Josh Hubbard leads the Bulldogs with 16.6 ppg.
NEWS & NOTES
• Zakai Zeigler is averaging 17.2 ppg in his six appearances against Mississippi State, with a 23.3 ppg mark in the last three. Three of his seven collegiate 20-point outings are versus the Bulldogs, including two of his three with 24-plus.
• This is the second straight home game for Tennessee in which it is playing an AP top-25 matchup against a specific foe for the first time. It beat #23 Georgia, 74-56, on 1/15/25.
• UT is 31-23 (.574) in AP top-25 clashes under Rick Barnes. That includes a 3-1 mark in 2024-25 and a 23-16 (.590) ledger with both teams in the AP top 20.
• The Volunteers are 19-7 (.731) at home versus AP top-25 foes in the Barnes era, including 14-1 in their last 15 such games (since 1/30/21).
• Tennessee’s .795 (58-15) winning percentage on Tuesdays during Barnes’ tenure is its best of any day of the week.
• At 67-7 (.905), UT is one of just 10 DI teams with a .900-plus home winning percentage over the last five seasons (2020-25). It is one of five in a Power Five league.
• UT is seeking a 3-0 start in SEC home play for the fourth time in seven years, including the third in the last four and second in a row.
• Tennessee is averaging 5.2 dunks per game and giving up just 0.9 per contest. Felix Okpara (37) and Cade Phillips (26) have combined for nearly four times as many dunks (63) as the Volunteers have allowed in total (17).
• Tennessee’s DI-leading 25.5 3P% defense is 1.4 percent better than second-place. That is equal to the gap from No. 2 Cincinnati (26.9) to No. 13 Bradley (28.3).
• Over the last four games, Felix Okpara has 13 blocks (3.3 bpg), with three-plus in each. In the first 14 games of the season, he totaled 18 blocks (1.3 bpg), with three- plus just thrice.
• The Volunteers’ 187 victories over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank co-seventh nationally, tied with Auburn and Saint Mary’s. Only Gonzaga (227), Houston (222), Kansas (204), Duke (201), Purdue (197) and San Diego State (188) possess more. Liberty (186) rounds out the top 10.
HIGH-CALIBER COMPANY
• Tennessee and Kansas are the only two schools to earn an AP top-five ranking in each of the last four seasons (2021-25). Only two others, Arizona and Purdue, entered 2024-25 with a three-year streak.
• The Volunteers are one of only four teams to reach the AP top six in each of the past five seasons, alongside Alabama, Houston and Kansas.
• UT is one of just five programs to reach the AP top six in at least six of the last seven seasons (2018- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky. Those are also the only five schools to enter the AP top five in at least five different years in that stretch.
• The Vols are among only eight teams to reach the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll in at least two of the last seven seasons (2018-25), joining Auburn, Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas and Purdue.
• Over that same seven-year stretch (2018-25), UT is also one of seven teams to claim an AP top-two position in at least three seasons, alongside Baylor, Connecticut, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Purdue.
• Tennessee is one of just seven schools to earn an AP top-20 ranking in each of the past eight years (2017- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina. Just two others— Houston and Purdue—have even reached the AP top 25 in each of those seasons.
• Additionally, over the last three years (2022-25), the Vols are one of just six teams to reach the AP top two in multiple seasons, joining Alabama, Connecticut, Duke, Kansas and Purdue.
DYNAMITE “D” A UT TRADEMARK
• Tennessee, through 1/18/25, ranks third in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (89.7), just shy of Houston (87.9) and Duke (88.1).
• The Volunteers finished third in 2023-24 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2) and placed fifth in DI in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).
• In 2022-23, UT led the nation in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.5), taking the top spot for 15 weeks. The Vols led all DI teams in 3-point defense (26.5) that year, plus ranked third in scoring defense (57.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.3).
• In five of the last seven seasons (2017-24), UT has finished top-10 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: third in 2023-24, first in 2022-23, third in 2021-22, fifth in 2020-21 and sixth in 2017-18.
• UT, through 1/16/25, has won 43 times in a row when holding its foe under 60 points, dating to 3/11/22, including posting a dazzling 22-0 mark in 2022-23.
• The Vols, through 1/16/25, have won 49 straight when allowing 50 points or fewer, since 12/29/12. That includes 12 such victories in 2022-23, matching Houston for the most of any team that season.
RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES
• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee has an SEC-best 22 AP top-25 wins, tied with Connecticut for third nationally. It is behind just Kansas (24) and Iowa State (24). Only Purdue (22) is even within one of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC school is two behind (Alabama with 21).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 19 AP top-20 wins over that span, the co-third-most of any DI school, tied with Purdue, while trailing only Connecticut (22) and Kansas (21). Only Iowa State (18) is even one back of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC program is two shy (Alabama with 17).
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 16 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, trailing just Kansas (19). Only Iowa State (15) and the closest SEC team, Alabama (15) are even within one of Tennessee.
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, third in the SEC and, alongside North Carolina, co-sixth nationally. Only Iowa State (12), Connecticut (11), Kansas (11), Purdue (10), Alabama (nine) and Kentucky (nine) have more. The eight such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the country. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.
…AND DOING SO EFFICIENTLY
• Tennessee, at 23-15 (.605), has the SEC’s best record versus AP top-25 opponents over the last four seasons (2021-25). Auburn (15-10 .600) ranks second, while no one else has a mark above .530.
• The Vols are nine games over .500 (19-10; .655) against AP top-20 teams in that span. Auburn (12-8; .600) ranks second in the SEC, with no other teams above a .500 clip.
• UT is also nine games over .500 (16-7; .696) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, while the next closest SEC team in winning percentage is Auburn (9-6; .600) at a distant second.
• At 8-6 (.571), the Volunteers have the best record in the SEC against AP top-10 foes over those four seasons. Kentucky (9-9; .500) is the only other team at even a .500 mark.
• Tennessee (5-4; .556) is the only SEC team with a winning record versus AP top-five teams in that four-year stretch. Arkansas (3-3; .500) ranks second, while all others are under a .500 tally.
• The Volunteers, despite their excellent winning percentage, have played the fourth-most games (38) against AP top-25 foes of any SEC team in the last four years (2021-25). They trail just Texas (46), Oklahoma (41) and Alabama (40) in such outings, while no other SEC school is above 33.
WINNING WAYS
• Over the last eight seasons (2017-25), Tennessee co-leads all SEC programs in total wins (187) and postseason victories (18), as well as sits a close second in overall winning percentage (.733). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same eight-year stretch, the Vols are one of only three SEC teams with an overall winning percentage above even .660, alongside Auburn (.739) and Kentucky (.703).
• In SEC play over the same eight-year period, Tennessee (89-41; .685) is second in the league, behind Kentucky (90-40; .692), in both victories and winning percentage. Only Auburn (86-45; .656) and Alabama (82-49; .626) are at even 75-plus wins.
• Over just the last four seasons (2021-25), the Volunteers own a 95-30 (.760) overall record. That is good for the most victories and the second-best winning percentage in the SEC over that span. They trail only Auburn (93-28; .769) in the latter category.
• In that same four-year stretch, Tennessee (42-17; .712) is tied with both Alabama and Kentucky for the second-best record in conference play among SEC teams, trailing only Auburn (43-16; .729).
POLL PRESENCE
• Tennessee has played 221 games as a ranked team in the AP Poll in Rick Barnes‘ tenure, posting a 167-54 (.756) record. Over 68.0 percent of the Volunteers’ 321 games since Barnes arrived in 2015- 16 have come with the team ranked in the AP Poll, all since 2017-18 (221 of 255, 86.7 percent).
• UT is 146-49 (.749) while in the AP top 20 under Barnes, 115-36 (.762) while top-15, 89-27 (.767) while top-10, 44-13 (.772) while top-five, 25-3 (.893) while top-three and 14-2 (.875) while No. 1.
• The Vols are 31-23 (.574) in AP top-25 matchups under Barnes, including 23-16 (.590) with both teams in the top 20, 14-10 (.583) with both in the top 15 and 7-7 (.500) with both in the top 10.
HAPPY AT HOME
• Over the last five seasons (2020-25), the Volunteers’ .905 (67-7) home winning percentage ranks eighth in DI, including fourth among Power Five teams and first in the SEC.
• In total, UT is 132-24 (.846) at Food City Center in Rick Barnes‘ 10 years and has twice gone undefeated at home (18-0 in 2018-19 and 16-0 in 2021-22).
