Alabama Basketball Opponent Preview: Tennessee Volunteers

Alabama basketball is currently undefeated in the SEC and the top-ranked team in the nation. It could have its biggest challenge yet in the conference schedule when it travels to Knoxville on Wednesday night to do battle with no. 10 Tennessee.

The Volunteers have been one of college basketball’s better teams all year, notching impressive non-conference wins over Kansas and Texas and getting out to a 7-1 start in SEC play. Recently, however, Tennessee has begun to slip up. The Vols have lost three out of their last four games to fall to 18-6 overall, and now sit in third place with an 8-4 record in the league.

Most of Tennessee’s SEC losses have been low-scoring, grueling battles. Back in January, it lost at home to Kentucky by a score of 63-56. It opened February with a 67-54 loss at Florida. The Volunteers then narrowly escaped Auburn at home, winning an ugly game by a final score of 46-43.

The game ended on a controversial no-call when Auburn guard Wendell Green launched a three-pointer at the buzzer and collided with a contesting Vol defender in mid-air. According to Auburn fans, UT is just a blown call away from potentially being winless in the month of February.

As it stands, Tennessee is just 1-3 this calendar month. After surviving that scare from Auburn, luck quickly deserted Rick Barnes’ team. Tennessee was first shocked on the road when Vanderbilt hit a dagger at the buzzer to pull a massive upset.

Just three days later, the typically defensive-minded Vols gave up 86 points to Missouri, and once again were stunned at the horn. Missouri’s game-winner came in Thompson-Boling Arena on an off-balance, desperation heave from beyond NBA range.

After back-to-back heartbreaking losses, the Vols should come out with their hair on fire when top-ranked Alabama basketball comes to town.

Alabama Basketball vs Tennessee Personnel

Tennessee is led by a pair of really good guards in Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zeigler. Both are equally proficient as scorers and facilitators, and are pests on the defensive end of the floor. Vescovi, a senior, is averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Zeigler, a sophomore, averages 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game

Fifth-year senior and Indiana State transfer Tyreke Key has given the Vols a boost offensively. His 8.8 points per game does not jump off the page, but Key is a career 37 percent three-point shooter with the ability to erupt. He is coming off two straight good games, including a season-high 23 points and five triples against Missouri. Vescovi, Zeigler, and Key make up one of the best backcourts in the SEC.

On the wing, freshman Julian Phillips and senior Josiah-Jordan James are an athletic two-way tandem that both average just short of double figures. Phillips and James are both dealing with lower body injuries and will be game-time decisions. If these two are unable to play or perform at 100 percent, it will make it even more difficult for Barnes to find a suitable matchup for Brandon Miller.

In the frontcourt, senior Olivier Nkamhoua is one of the better combo forwards in the SEC. Nkamhoua averages 10. 7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting over 39 percent from three, albeit on low volume. A lot of burden will fall on Nkamhoua on both ends of the floor if Phillips and James are out.

Senior Uros Plavsic and sophomore Jonas Aidoo give Tennessee size, length, and rebounding on the back line of its defense. Neither has particularly impressive numbers, but they split time at the center position and combine to average 10.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Aidoo is a shot-blocker for Tennessee while Plavsic is the more efficient offensive player.

The status of Charles Bediako, who has an injury of his own, will go a long way towards determining how well the Crimson Tide match up down low.

This will be a heavyweight bout between two top-10 teams, and two legitimate SEC contenders. Tennessee will have the homecourt advantage, and should have a chip on its shoulder after its recent string of losses.

However, Alabama basketball is the best road team in college hoops. If anyone is built to brave the raucous environment they will face in Knoxville, it is Nate Oats’ squad.