After falling out of the AP Top 25 with the loss to Kentucky, Tennessee looks to rebound against Mississippi State on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs are just 11–12 this year, but the Vols can’t take anything for granted especillay on the road.
Let's hop into three bold predictions ahead of the contest on Wednesday night.
1. Tennessee dominates the glass
If there is one thing that's unanimously agreed upon, it's that Tennessee has been great at rebounding the basketball, so maybe this isn't super bold, but I think the Vols will clean the glass in dominant fashion once again.
Tennessee outrebounded Kentucky by 15, and the game before that, the Vols had 17 more rebounds than Ole Miss. Mississippi State is outside of the top 100 in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, but they still will crash the boards, so it won't be an easy task.
With Felix Okpara seemingly being healthier, it seems too likely that the Vols will dominate the glass once again.
2. Gillespie bounces back
Ja'Kobi Gillespie had a second half he would like to forget on Saturday night. He had just one lonely point and no assists. That is not like the normal performance we see from the veteran guard. I wouldn't be shocked if we see a 20-point performance with a half dozen assists or so.
Gillespie is just too good to have two bad games in a row. Against a down Mississippi State team, it's the perfect chance for him to bounce back. I'm buying low on Gillespie here.
3. The Vols wins by double digits
A road SEC game is never easy, but after last time the Vols lost to Kentucky, they went into Alabama and knocked off a great Crimson Tide team. Mississippi State isn't nearly as good as Alabama, and this team will be fired up to show the world that the Vols belong. Josh Hubbard is a star for the Bulldogs, and he will get his, but Tennessee's interior advantage is what really sticks out.
This game feels like a close one in the first half, but the Vols' physicality and rebounding dominance lift them to a win. I'm taking Tennessee to win 80-65.