While just a couple weeks remain in the regular season, there’s still plenty of exciting matchups to come from the SEC. Saturday gives us the first of two late-season matchups between in-state rivals Tennessee and Vanderbilt in a contest both teams desperately seek to stay near the top of the league standings.
There have been shortcomings, but Tennessee (19-7) is in relatively great shape here nearing the end of February. The Volunteers have won seven of their last eight games, with Kentucky the only team to trip them up in the last six weeks. An impressive resume includes wins over Houston, Louisville, and at Alabama, while their recent streak has propelled them to 9-4 in the SEC standings.
After their brilliant start to the season, Vanderbilt (21-5) has been a bit inconsistent during SEC play. Impressive during a 16-game win streak to open the season, the Commodores dropped three straight and have been shaky at times in the league, including recent close losses against Missouri and Oklahoma. Still, the Commodores have picked up some really nice wins in the conference, beating Kentucky, Auburn, and Texas A&M in recent weeks.
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: When and Where
Date:Â Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:00 pm ET
Location:Â Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch:Â ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Betting Odds
Spread: Vanderbilt -3.5, Tennessee +3.5
Moneyline:Â Vanderbilt -165, Tennesse+14
Total:Â 148.5
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Series History
All-time series:Â Tennessee leads 132-77
Last meeting:Â Tennessee 81, Vanderbilt 76 (February 15, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Tennessee Volunteers
Nate Ament (18.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
Ja’Kobi Gillespie (18.1 ppg, 5.5 apg)
Jaylen Carey (7.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
Felix Okpara (6.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
Bishop Boswell (6.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Vanderbilt Commodores
Tyler Tanner (18.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.3 apg)
Tyler Nickel (14.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Devin McGlockton (10.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg)
AK Okereke (9.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Jalen Washington (8.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
These two rivals are doing what they can to stay afloat in a very competitive SEC and you can guarantee that this matchup will be important to the final standings. Tennessee has been riding the success of Ament and Gillespie, as those two newcomers have really carried the load for a Volunteers team that’s found their footing. However, they’ll be back on the road and you know that the Commodores will be motivated. Tanner has been one of the SEC’s best players for much of the season, but the defense will need to play much better if they want to avoid another loss after disappointment against Missouri earlier this week.
Could we see Tennessee score another impressive road win and secure their chance for an SEC regular season crown? Can Vanderbilt get themselves back on track with strong defense and nab another notable win for their postseason resume?