The Official #6 Tennessee @ #1Auburn Game Thread, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#6 Tennessee Volunteers: 17-2 (4-2 SEC)

@

#1 Auburn Tigers: 17-1 (5-0 SEC)

GAME 20 | TENNESSEE at AUBURN - Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Auburn, Ala. | Neville Arena (9,121)


Line: UT +5.5
O/U: 140.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 106 & 190
Online: WatchESPN.com


Auburn Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE MATCHUP

• Tennessee is 3-1 in its last four contests versus Auburn after dropping six in a row before that.
• This is the fifth time in the last nine meetings both Tennessee and Auburn are ranked, with the Volunteers 3-1 in the prior three, including winning the past three. Before 3/17/19, both sides were ranked in just two of the first 85 clashes of the AP Poll era (since 1948-49), each claiming one.
• Additionally, this is the 11th straight series matchup with at least one team ranked. Before 1/2/18, only 27 of the first 83 AP Poll era contests featured a ranked team.
• Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl led UT for six seasons, 2005-11, going 145-61 with three Sweet 16s, including an Elite Eight, and one SEC regular season crown.
• After going 27-8 (13-5), winning the SEC Tournament and making a third straight NCAA Tournament trip, Auburn took second in this year's SEC preseason poll.
• Johni Broome, a senior forward/ center, paces the Tigers with 17.9 ppg, an SEC-best 10.7 rpg and and an SEC-high 2.7 bpg.

 

[YankeeVol]

NEWS & NOTES

• Auburn associate head coach Steven Pearl played for his father at UT from 2007-11, while assistant coach Ira Bowman competed for Rick Barnes at Providence for two seasons (1991-93).
• This will be UT's 16th game versus Bruce Pearl, tying him with Andy Kennedy for active coach whom the Vols have faced the most, behind John Calipari (39), Rick Pitino (22) and Frank Martin (18).
• UT is 6-15 all-time versus AP No. 1 teams. The six such wins are tied for the 14th-most of any school. UT is 6-6 in its last 12 such games (since 3/5/66), including 4-4 in its last eight (since 2/23/08). It is also 5-4 against all programs other than Kentucky.
• The Vols own two road wins over an AP No. 1 team. They beat South Carolina, 55-54, on 12/6/69 while unranked and defeated Memphis. 66-62, on 2/23/08 while ranked second. The latter victory was with Bruce Pearl at the helm.
• UT is 2-1 in Rick Barnes' tenure against AP No. 1 teams, including 1-1 away from home and 1-0 in SEC play. All three were top-10 clashes.
• This marks the fifth AP top-six showdown in UT history, including the fourth under Rick Barnes and second in SEC action. All five have come away from home.
• During its active 71-week streak in the AP Poll, dating to the 2021-22 preseason release, UT has played just 13 of 116 games as a lower- ranked team, going 8-5. That includes a 7-3 mark since 1/22/22, a 5-1 tally (with five straight wins) versus SEC foes and a 5-1 ledger at campus sites (with four straight wins). Its last such non-neutral game was a 68-59 home win over #1 Alabama on 2/15/23.
• UT's DI-leading 25.9 3P% defense is 1.3 percent better than second- place, larger than the gap from No. 2 Middle Tennessee State (27.2) to No. 13 Oklahoma (28.4).
• The Volunteers' 188 victories over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank co-sixth nationally, alongside San Diego State. Only Gonzaga (227), Houston (222), Kansas (204), Duke (201), and Purdue (197) possess more. Auburn (187), Saint Mary's (187) and Liberty (186) round out the top 10.

 

[YankeeVol]

RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES

• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee's 24 AP top-25 wins are tied, alongside Iowa State (24) and Kansas (24), for the most in the nation. Only Connecticut (23) and Purdue (22) are even within two, while the closest SEC school is three behind (Alabama with 21).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 20 AP top-20 wins over that span, the third-most of any DI school, while trailing only Connecticut (22) and Kansas (21). Just Purdue (19) and Iowa State (18) are even two back of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC program is three shy (Alabama with 17).
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 17 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, behind just Kansas (19). Only Alabama (15), the closest SEC team, and Iowa State (15) are even within two of Tennessee.
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, third in the SEC and, alongside North Carolina, co-seventh nationally. Only Iowa State (12), Connecticut (11), Kansas (11), Purdue (10), Alabama (nine) and Kentucky (nine) have more. The eight such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the country. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.

 

[ohhbother]

Go Vols!

 

[FlVols]

Go Vols. Whip Tigers a…!!!

 

[KTrain]

I hope Broome plays, rather beat them full strength, rather than hear. Well they won the game but AU key player was missing.

 

[Lankykong]

I hope Broome plays, rather beat them full strength, rather than hear. Well they won the game but AU key player was missing.

Seems like we may not have Gainey playing because he’s sick, which would be a big deal for us also

 

[Bigorangefan 98]

Seems like we may not have Gainey playing because he’s sick, which would be a big deal for us also

Gainey taking I vs he should hopefully be ok

 

[volz2wallz]

GBO!!

 

[Bigorangefan 98]

No. Doubt. Tough game on road …. Vols need play some lock down defense make auburn work for everything get their offense possessions late o. Shot clock . We don’t need to settle for jumpers either .

 

[JohnWardForever]

I'm gonna guess without looking at Yankee Vol's set up that Auburn is favored by 10-- (5.5 ! Whoa!) Pearl will focus on defending Chaz, so if someone else doesn't step up, it could get ugly.

 

[JohnWardForever]

I hope Broome plays, rather beat them full strength, rather than hear. Well they won the game but AU key player was missing.

Don't get too worked up. Auburn doesn't lose much, and never at home.

 

[TMvol10]

I hope Broome plays, rather beat them full strength, rather than hear. Well they won the game but AU key player was missing.

Typically I would agree but with how brutal the SEC is this year, I think you take wins whatever way you can get them. Plus they are plenty good enough to beat us without him. Especially at Auburn

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Guy in my pickleball group said yesterday he was going to the game with his friend that had 2 tickets, great seats, but he text him and said he sold the tickets because he was offered $600 for them. The place will be a sold out madhouse. Would be great to beat them there but I would not bet on it.

 

[CAVPUT]

I'm gonna guess without looking at Yankee Vol's set up that Auburn is favored by 10-- (5.5 ! Whoa!) Pearl will focus on defending Chaz, so if someone else doesn't step up, it could get ugly.

I think it will get ugly, but I'm hoping we can show some fight and keep it respectable. Said elsewhere that I'll be curious to see if any of our guys wilt under the pressure. If guys like Lanier and Igor show out, it bodes well for the rest of the season.

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

We haven’t played well on the road at all. This one scares me

 

[Chris4Vols22]

Hard to objectively pick the Vols to win today, but there's always a chance with our team and coach imo. I will be happy as long as we play to our potential and not play dumb.

My best friend is getting a surprise birthday party in the early evening tonight in Chattanooga, so I'm not planning on being able to watch the game live. Hopefully I can join a late celebration later!!

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

Can't go any worse than @Florida. Gainey being listed as questionable makes this one all the more difficult. Hit shots, don't foul three points shooters, and rebound your position. Already going to have to watch this one muted to avoid that god awful commentary crew and I'll just turn it off altogether if that POS Pat Adams is out there.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I wish I were optimistic but I think we lose pretty handily. I hope it doesn’t get Florida bad but it’s on the road and even when we beat Auburn it’s usually a tough win. I don’t think we’ve won at Auburn since Pearl has been there.

I’ll gladly be wrong; I’ll even consider a close loss almost a win.

 

[Special Ed]

I hope Phillips, Okpara and Dubar put their big boy pants on for this one.
Especially if Broome sweeps in.

 

[vol94]

I think it will get ugly, but I'm hoping we can show some fight and keep it respectable. Said elsewhere that I'll be curious to see if any of our guys wilt under the pressure. If guys like Lanier and Igor show out, it bodes well for the rest of the season.

Either way, this game should help prepare Chaz and Igor for future away games. Ines surprised Igor said the crowd & Vandy had an impact on their play. It was basically a neural site w/ half the arena dressed in orange.

 

[vol94]

Hard to objectively pick the Vols to win today, but there's always a chance with our team and coach imo. I will be happy as long as we play to our potential and not play dumb.

My best friend is getting a surprise birthday party in the early evening tonight in Chattanooga, so I'm not planning on being able to watch the game live. Hopefully I can join a late celebration later!!

Happy birthday to you friend - enjoy the party!

 

[SGMVols]

We haven’t played well on the road at all. This one scares me

There aren’t many teams in the country that have a collection of true road wins as good as Louisville, Illinois, and Texas

I don’t expect to win this one but to say this team can’t play on the road isn’t supported by results

 

[GBO18]

Defense always travels. Knock down some early 3s to gain confidence and just might steal this one on the road. Cannot get overwhelmed early. If we do then it might get ugly.