Tennessee Vols vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball Preview 2026
Oh, lookee there, another Tennessee Saturday Night
#22 Volunteers vs. #17 Crimson Tide | Sat. February 28 | Knoxville, TN | 6:00 EST (ESPN)
Rick Barnes and the Vols welcome Alabama to Thompson-Boling Arena Saturday for a game that will be critical for postseason positioning. The Tide enters at 21-7 (11-4 SEC), currently holding a one-game lead over the Vols, who sit at 20-8 (10-5 SEC). A Tennessee victory would bolster the Vols’ chances of securing a double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
The rankings and rating between these teams couldn’t be closer. The Vols/Tide are respectively ranked #22/#17 by the AP, #20/#19 by Kenpom, and #20/#19 in the NET rankings. Tennessee is currently projected as No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while Alabama is tracking as a No. 4 seed.
Recently, Tennessee has owned the series, winning five straight games against Alabama. Under Rick Barnes, the Vols are 8-5 against the Tide, including a hard-fought rally down 10 leading to a 79-73 victory in Tuscaloosa back on January 24. Tennessee has a knack for slowing down Nate Oats’ high-powered offense: in nine meetings during the Oats era, the Vols have held Alabama to just 70.9 points per game, nearly 15 points below their non-UT average.
What to Watch For
Once Nate Ament turned the corner this season, he’s been playing at an elite level, averaging 21.6 PPG over his last 13 contests. The six-time SEC Freshman of the Week scorched the Tide for 29 points and seven rebounds in the first meeting this year.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie has been the most consistent offensive force for the Vols, scoring in double figures in 27 consecutive games. He leads UT in scoring (18.1 PPG) and assists (5.4 APG).
Tennessee leads the nation with a 45.0% offensive rebounding percentage. Felix Okpara and Jaylen Carey lead that charge, but it’s also been noted lately that Tennessee’s shooting at the rim, Carey especially, has been terrible (Carey is 79-147 on “close 2s” this season, just 54%. Okpara shoots 70% on those shots for comparison).
Alabama ranks 16th in the SEC in scoring defense.
Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr. is a lethal sophomore guard averaging 21.3 PPG, including a massive 35-point performance against Arkansas earlier this month.
Alabama leads the country in three-point attempts and makes per game. However, the Vols boast the top three-point defense in the SEC, holding opponents to just 30.2% from deep.
In the first meeting, Tennessee rallied from a 10-point deficit to win. With Alabama currently on a seven-game winning streak and scoring 100+ points in their last outing, the Vols cannot afford a slow start.
