Jan 11, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler (5) drives to the basket through the second half in opposition to the Texas Longhorns at Moody Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Scott Wachter-Imagn Pictures No. 6 Tennessee hits the street to face Vanderbilt on Saturday and doesn’t have to return far into its historical past to understand the hazards of a visit to Nashville.
It will be the largest house sport of the 12 months for the Commodores (14-3, 2-2 SEC), who’ve misplaced the final two within the sequence in opposition to the Volunteers (16-1, 3-1). However 2023 just isn’t all that way back that Vanderbilt cannot bear in mind the enjoyment of a victory within the in-state sequence.
Vanderbilt delivered a 66-65 victory over Tennessee at house in February of 2023 to spark a 10-1 run that spanned into the SEC match.
The Commodores bought a three-point play from Devin McGlockton with 0.6 seconds remaining in Wednesday’s 66-63 house win over South Carolina. AJ Hoggard added staff highs in factors (14) and assists (4).
Inside minutes of that victory, consideration had already turned to the Vols, with McGlockton and Hoggard — each of their first years at Vanderbilt after transferring from Boston School and Michigan State, respectively — requested about their ideas on the rivalry.
“Me, I am simply treating it how I normally deal with Michigan State vs. Michigan — we do not like them they usually do not like us,” Hoggard stated.
Stated McGlockton: “I do know it is going to be severe. I went to the (Tennessee-Vanderbilt) soccer sport and it was fairly intense.”
The Vols blew open an in depth sport early within the second half with Georgia on Tuesday, getting 19 factors from Jordan Gainey in a 74-56 house win.
Tennessee has been on the street to restoration following a disastrous 73-43 loss at Florida on Jan. 7. The Vols additionally received their solely street sport since, incomes a 74-70 victory at Texas 4 days later.
There stay lingering considerations over a capturing droop for Chaz Lanier, a Nashville native who’s Tennessee’s main scorer at 18.2 factors per sport. Lanier was 2 of 16 from the ground in opposition to Georgia, 3 of 11 in opposition to Texas and three of 16 in opposition to Florida, leaving him with 18.6-percent capturing over the three video games. He’s additionally 3 of 34 from 3-point vary within the stretch.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes stated he expects the downturn to cross.
“One of the best of the most effective, I’ve seen them undergo some interval the place they battle to shoot,” Barnes stated after the Georgia sport. “It isn’t the simplest factor on this planet.”
Each groups have depth and expertise within the backcourt.
Tennessee level guard Zakai Zeigler (12.1 factors, 7.5 assists) led a second-half offensive surge in opposition to Georgia to complete with 16 factors, seven assists and simply two turnovers. Zeigler additionally picked up a career-best six steals to ascertain a program document of 215 in his profession.
Gainey (11.6 factors), who has come off the bench in each sport, has taken cost on offense when wanted. The Georgia contest marked his tenth double-figure scoring sport.
A key to the end result would be the matchup of the 6-foot-7 McGlockton (10.9 factors, 8.2 rebounds) for Vanderbilt in opposition to Tennessee’s larger frontcourt led by 6-10 Igor Milicic Jr. (10.4 factors, 8.6 rebounds) and 6-11 Felix Okpara (6.9 factors, 6.2 rebounds).
–Area Stage Media
