The Tennessee basketball team is on a two-game winning streak, and the Vols look to continue the positive growth as we inch ever so close to March Madness. Tennessee has a big week ahead, as they host Oklahoma on Wednesday night at the Food City Center, and then they have a huge showdown against arch-rival Vanderbilt.
The Tennessee versus Vandy game should be one of the best rivalry games between the two schools in years. Both Teams are legit NCAA tournament teams who both have potential Final Four runs in them. The bad news for Tennessee is Saturdays matchup will be in Nashville, and Tennessee has had some struggles on the road this year. Ideally, Tennessee wins both games against Vandy, but winning the first one always feels better than having those few weeks to brag to Vandy fans.
The media and fans have also taken notice of how exciting this rivalry game is going to be on Saturday. Andy Katz, one of the most respected college basketball analysts, has the Tennessee game at Vernderbilt on Saturday ranked as a top-10 game this week, coming in at No. 7.
Must-see matchups all week 🍿@TheAndyKatz drops his top games of the week 📺 pic.twitter.com/FUmBqn47Jv
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 16, 2026
Breaking down the Tenenssee vs Vandy matchup
Vanderbilt is ranked No. 12 on KenPom, and the Vols are at No. 19. The Commodores have two signature wins, knocking down Alabama and Kentucky at home. Based on how the Commodores have played all year, they are a very up-and-down team; sometimes it looks like a top-5 team in the nation, and sometimes like a Division II school.
Vandy is one of the most efficient teams in the nation on offense, excelling at pounding the ball inside and finishing at the rim. Vandy shoots 68% from the field near the basket, making them one of the best teams in the nation down low. They are also 29th in the nation at converting on their offensive rebound opportunities. The X-factor here is the Vols' bigs, Felix Okpara, Jaylen Carey, JP Estrella, and DeWayne Brown II. They will need to come to play on Saturday.
The numbers tell us that Vanderbilt plays fast and will look to turn this game into a track meet. Mark Byington's team averages nearly 70 possessions per game and plays with extensive pace. Vandy gets back on defense, too, as they are third in the nation at preventing breakaway points.
What really swings the game is that Vandy can be vulnerable down low on defense, though they struggle against teams that do well inside. This is where the game will likely be won or lost for Tennessee. Rick Barnes will try to feed the ball in the low-post, and if they can convert down low and their post-ups and rebounds, the Voll will likely be successful. If not, Tennessee probably leaves Nashville with a loss.