Tennessee comes into tonight's matchup with one thing in mind: extend the win streak. The Vols have been heating up ever since their collapse against Kentucky a few weeks ago. At 7 p.m. ET in Knoxville at the Food City Center, Ole Miss comes to town after a close loss to Vanderbilt over the weekend.
It should be an exciting matchup, as Chris Beard is one of the most respected coaches in the NCAA. Tennessee lost a close one, 78-76, in their only meeting with the Rebels last season, so you know Rick Barnes will be looking for some payback tonight.
Let's fire off some bold takes.
1. Ja'Kobi Gillespie has 8 assists
Gillespie has been great, there's no doubt about it, but I think tonight he will try to be more point guard-like and facilitate for his teammates. Ole Miss loves to switch, so Gillespie will be feeding the paint with mismatches all night long.
Tonight sets up as a game where Gillespie’s impact comes more as a distributor than a scorer. He averages 5.4 a game this year, so eight would be a substantial increase, but it's entirely possible. Gillespie will still score his, but I see a few extra assists in his future.
2. A freshman will score at least 15 points
Excluding Nate Ament, this feels like a perfect sport for Dewayne Brown II, Troy Henderson, or Amari Evans to step up and have a big night. The Vols will still be a little short-handed with no Felix Okpara, so I wouldn't be surprised if we have a few stretches during tonight's contest where Barnes throws out a smaller lineup.
It's also been an emphasis to take the load off of Ament and Gillespie, so somebody has to rise to the occasion. My prediction is Brown, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of the freshmen step up, as each has shown flashes at different points this season.
3. Tennessee wins by double digits
This matchup features two teams trending in opposite directions. Tennessee has started to hit its stride and turn the corner, while Ole Miss has dropped three straight games. Asking the Rebels to play their third consecutive road game is hardly a recipe for success.
This game feels like a close grind through the first 30 minutes, with Ole Miss staying within striking distance thanks to AJ Storr and Malik Dia before the Vols' talent and physicality wear them down. Tennessee is deeper than Ole Miss, and that depth will be the biggest factor tonight.
Tennessee takes the win 72-60.