The good vibes the Ole Miss men’s basketball team built up with its three-game win streak has evaporated into thin air.
After wins against Missouri, Georgia, and Mississippi State, the Rebels have lost three-straight games to Auburn, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. As an added dose of misery, all three of those losses saw Ole Miss within one or two possessions of the opponent in the final minutes.
Those results have dropped the Rebels to No. 79 in NET rankings and No. 64 in KenPom rankings. Now, Ole Miss faces a Tennessee team that’s reentered the top 25 rankings after three consecutive wins.
The Opponent: No. 25 Tennessee
Tennessee enters the matchup sitting sixth in the SEC standings at 15-6 overall and 5-3 in league play, a résumé buoyed by a strong non-conference slate that included wins over Rutgers, No. 2 Houston, and No. 11 Louisville.
The Vols are riding a three-game winning streak, with road victories at No. 17 Alabama and Georgia before handling Auburn at home. They check in at No. 21 in the NET and No. 18 in KenPom, underscoring their balance and efficiency on both ends.
Offensively, the Volunteers lean heavily on the duo of Ja’kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament, one of the SEC’s most productive inside-out pairings. Gillespie leads the team at 18.6 points per game, while Ament adds 16.6 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds. Ament’s versatility and length make him a matchup problem, and he’s been one of the most impactful first-year players in the country.
Where Tennessee truly separates itself, though, is on the glass and on the defensive end. Few teams nationally rebound with the same relentlessness. The Vols rank:
- 2nd in offensive rebounds per game (15.7)
- 4th in total rebounds per game (43.1)
- 4th in rebound margin (+12.8)
- 36th in defensive rebounds per game (27.4)
That physicality fuels everything they do. Combine that with a defense holding opponents to 29.4% from three (19th nationally) and 39.9% shooting overall (25th), and Tennessee forces teams into long, grinding possessions.
The Vols also share the ball well (17.5 assists per game, 26th) and get to the line frequently (24.9 attempts per game, 36th), two traits that help stabilize them in tight games.
In short, Tennessee brings size, toughness, and elite rebounding into every matchup and with two high-level scorers leading the way, the Vols have the personnel to dictate tempo and turn games into physical battles.
Ole Miss will need to match that intensity on the boards to keep Tennessee from controlling the night.
How to Watch: Ole Miss at No. 25 Tennessee
- Who: Ole Miss Rebels (11-10, 3-5 SEC) at No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers (15-6, 5-3 SEC)
- When: 6 p.m., Tuesday
- Where: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Knoxville, Ten..
- TV: ESPN2
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Tennessee leads the all-time series 78-76
- Last Meeting: Ole Miss 78, Tennessee 76 (March 5, 2025)
- Last time out, Rebels: lost to No. 15 Vanderbilt, 71-68
- Last time out, Volunteers: def. Auburn, 77-69
Ole Miss Top Performers
- Points: AJ Storr, 14.0 ppg
- Rebounds: Malik Dia, 6.6 rpg
- Assists: Ilias Kamardine, 83 (4.0 avg.)
- Steals: Ilias Kamardine, 25 (1.2 avg.)
- Blocks: James Scott, 25 (1.2 avg.)
Tennessee Top Performers
- Points: Ja’kobi Gillespie, 18.6 ppg
- Rebounds: Nate Ament, 6.4 rpg
- Assists: Ja’kobi Gillespie, 116 (5.5 avg.)
- Steals: Ja’kobi Gillespie, 34 (1.6 avg.)
- Blocks: Felix Okpara, 31 (1.55 avg.)
Student-Athlete Availability Report
Ole Miss
- All available.
Tennessee
Out
- #12 Cade Phillips
- #34 Felix Okpara
Odds, Spread, Totals
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- Ole Miss: +11.5 (-105)
- Tennessee: -11.5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Ole Miss: +590
- Tennessee: -900
Total
- Over: 139.5 (-115)
- Under: 139.5 (-105)
