Tennessee basketball vs. Ole Miss: Preview, live stream, and prediction
Tennessee basketball hosts Ole Miss Saturday before heading out on a two-game road trip. Here is the preview of the UT Volunteers and the Rebels.
Tennessee basketball (16-5, 6-3 SEC) will treat the Ole Miss Rebels (11-11, 4-5) on Saturday to the first game of the home and home series this season. This will be Tennessee’s only home game before visiting Rupp Arena to take on the Kentucky Wildcats.
Tennessee and Ole Miss met twice last season, and the Rebels secured the first matchup 80-69 despite big games from Robert Hubbs III and Jordan Bowden. The Vols were able to gain revenge later on in the season with a 75-66 win in Knoxville.
The win against LSU gives the Vols their second four-game winning streak of the season. Tennessee basketball has recorded a win the past seven of eight games. Since starting 0-2 in SEC play, the Vols are 6-1 in conference play and occupy second place in the SEC standings.
In the last game against LSU, the Vols dominated most of the entire game. They had another miserable stretch where they looked like they didn’t remember how to play basketball. It has been a reoccurring theme with this years team. Stellar defense in the first half replaced by stretches of lackluster effort in the second half. I suppose those lapses don’t matter because the Vols keep overcoming and winning ball games.
In the latest bracketology, from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Tennessee is a four seed in the South region playing East Tennessee State. In the CBS Sports projection from Jerry Palm, Tennessee is a three seed in the West region playing an always-scary Belmont team. It will be exciting to see if the Vols can continue their exceptional level of performance in the next six games.
As for Ole Miss, they are having an up and down kind of a season. They’ve defeated Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina but have losses to Illinois State and Middle Tennessee. They are 11-11 overall and 4-5 in the SEC.
The Vols have an opportunity to add another win to the winning streak before traveling to Kentucky. Before we preview both teams and give our prediction, here is the information you need for Saturday’s game.
Ole Miss Rebels at No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers
When: Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6:00 p.m. E.T.
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: SEC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Line: Tennessee -10
Over/Under: 145.5
TENNESSEE PREVIEW
The Vols are coming off two wins that they won by twenty points or more. Against LSU, the game was never in question. After a sparse run by the Tigers, Tennessee pulled away and didn’t look back with an 84-61 win.
James Daniel III has had himself two outstanding games in a row. Against Iowa State, Daniel III had 16 points and three assists. He followed that up with an even better game against LSU. Daniel III had five 3-point made shots and 17 points. It appears that Daniel III is finding his place in the new look rotation.
Lamonte Turner had a quiet night against the Tigers. He shot 1-6 from the 3-point line but still was able to score 12 points. It was refreshing to see Turner even scored in double digits on a bad shooting night.
It was also reassuring to see Jordan Bone have a big game after the recent drop in production. Tennessee fans about had the pleasure of seeing a double-double from the point guard. Bone had 12 points and led the team with eight assists, which ties a career high for the sophomore guard.
OLE MISS PREVIEW
Ole Miss has dropped two straight games and four of their last five. The Rebels are still attempting to find the right lineup. Ten different players have started for Ole Miss this season.
If anyone will figure it out, it is head coach Andy Kennedy. A hidden gem so to speak. Kennedy sits 18th on the SEC coaching wins and impressive to note he is only 20 games shy of coach John Calipari from Kentucky.
Deandre Burnett leads the Rebels with 15.2 points per game. Burnett performed in a valiant effort in a 79-70 loss to Auburn; he had 16 points, five assists, and four rebounds. There isn’t anything Burnett can’t do. Tennessee is playing sound defense as of late; this should be an intense matchup between the guards.
WATER-COOLER CHAT
Lamonte Turner has made his last 20 free throws. He hasn’t missed a free throw since the Kentucky game last month.
Turner has had 64 points in the past four games, which leads the team.
Grant Williams has scored 15 points or more in 11 games this season.
In the past five games, four different Vols (Bowden, Daniel, Turner, Williams) have led the team in scoring.
Tennessee basketball is 10-0 when Grant Williams has three or less personal fouls.
In the past three games, the Vols have held their opponents to 20% from the 3-point line.
PREDICTION
Could this be a trap game for the Vols with Kentucky on the horizon? It is setting up as one, as Ole Miss is a decent team that you cant mess around with. I think this game is close, but Tennessee is too deep and has better talent. 74-66 Vols!