The Official #4 Tennessee vs. #15 Missouri Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, SEC Network

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YankeeVol

YankeeVol

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#4 Tennessee Volunteers: 18-4 (5-4 SEC)
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vs.

#15 Missouri Tigers: 17-4 (6-2 SEC)
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GAME 23 | TENNESSEE vs. MISSOURI - Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 | 7 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tenn. | Food City Center (21,678)


Line: UT -9.5
O/U: 135.5

TV: SEC Network / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 84
Online: WatchESPN.com


Mizzou Game Notes

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#2
#2
THE MATCHUP

• Since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012-13, the Volunteers are 10-6 in the series, including 10-5 in league competition.
• Tennessee is 11-6 in its last 17 games against the Tigers, including 6-3 in the past nine affairs.
• This is the 10th time Tennessee is ranked in its last 11 matchups with Missouri (since 1/17/18) after it was not ranked in any of the first 12.
• The two sides are meeting as AP top-25 foes for the fourth time, with Missouri owning a 2-1 mark in the prior three contests. This is the third AP top-20 clash, with the schools splitting the previous two games, both in 2020-21.
• The Vols have won five straight road games versus the Tigers, but dropped their last two home contests (2/11/23 and 1/23/21).
• The last three games in the series were decided by 14 total points.
• Coming off an 8-24 (0-18) year in 2023-24, Missouri was voted No. 13 in the SEC preseason poll.
Senior guard Tamar Bates, who ranks third in DI with a 94.8 free- throw percentage, paces the Tigers with 13.5 ppg.
 
#3
#3
NEWS & NOTES

• Fifth-year guards Chaz Lanier (Tennessee) and Jacob Crews (Missouri) were in the same 2020 recruiting class at North Florida and spent two years as teammates.
• Tennessee assistants Rod Clark (Kansas City) and Gregg Polinsky (St. Louis) are both Missouri natives, as is freshman guard Ben Linnemeyer (Columbia).
• Linnemeyer, junior forward Felix Okpara and sophomore forward Cade Phillips all graduated from Link Academy in Branson, Mo.
• Missouri is the sixth consecutive ranked team visiting Food City Center, dating to 1/4/25.
• Tennessee is in the midst of its first-ever stretch of five straight games versus AP top-15 foes. It has never previously even played five consecutive AP top-25 teams.
• On the last two Saturdays, Tennessee held two of KenPom's top six offenses to a combined 7-of-47 (14.9 percent) 3-point clip, as Auburn went 3-of-20 and Florida was 4-of-27.
• On the defensive end, the Vols leads the nation in eFG% (42.1), FG% (36.1) and 3P% (26.0).
• Missouri is the eighth AP top- 25 team Tennessee is playing in its first 10 SEC games. Its final four league outings in 2023-24 were also against ranked teams, meaning 12 of its last 14 such contests are versus top-25 foes. UT is 7-4 in the first 11 of that span.
• With their 64-44 win over #5 Florida, the Volunteers became the first team in SEC history, per ESPN, to win five straight home games over AP top-five foes. All are under Rick Barnes, who is 6-0 in such games on Rocky Top.
• Zakai Zeigler (628) is just five assists shy of Mississippi State's Dee Bost (633 from 2008-12) for a top-10 spot in SEC history. The five assists would also put him top-10 on UT's single-season chart and give him three of the program's top 12 marks.
• UT's 189 wins over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank ninth in DI. Only Gonzaga (229), Houston (225), Kansas (206), Duke (204), Purdue (199), San Diego State (192), Saint Mary's (191) and Auburn (190) own more. Liberty (188) rounds out the top 10.
 
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#4
#4
RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES

• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee's 25 AP top-25 wins lead the nation. Only Connecticut (24), Iowa State (24), Kansas (24) and Purdue (23) are even within two, while the closest SEC school is three behind (Alabama with 22).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 21 AP top-20 wins over that span, the co-second-most of any DI school, tied with Kansas (21) and trailing only Connecticut (23). Just Purdue (19), Alabama (closest SEC team with 18) and Iowa State (18) are even within three of the Volunteers.
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 18 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, behind just Kansas (18). Only Alabama (16), the closest SEC team, and Iowa State (15) are even within three of Tennessee.
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns nine AP top- 10 triumphs, co-second in the SEC and, alongside Alabama, co-sixth nationally. Only Connecticut (12), Iowa State (12), Kansas (11), Kentucky (10) and Purdue (10) have more. The nine 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), at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24) and #5 Florida (2/1/25).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has six AP top-five victories, tied with Arizona for the most in the country. Only four other schools have even four: Alabama (five), Iowa State (five), Gonzaga (four) and Purdue (four).
 
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#5
#5
1.3K CLUB

• Tennessee, Alabama (five) and Ole Miss—all are in the SEC—are the only schools with at least four 1,300-point scorers. Just 11 others programs have even three.
• In total, only 25 teams—10 are in the SEC—have four- plus players with even 1,000 collegiate points.
• Darlinstone Dubar has 1,426 points in 133 outings, good for 10.7 ppg across five seasons.
• Jordan Gainey possesses 1,418 points in 122 contests, an average of 11.6 ppg over four years.
• Chaz Lanier, the only member of the quartet who entered the season below 1K, now has 1,332 points in 126 outings, a 10.6 ppg ledger across five campaigns.
• Zakai Zeigler owns 1,310 points in 122 appearances, giving him a 10.7 ppg average in four seasons.
 
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#6
#6
Missouri is very dangerous and has been getting better as the season progresses, so this is far from a gimme win. The -9.5 line seems like a lot, but just getting a W would be fine with me. The key will be chasing them off the 3-point line and forcing them into taking tough 2's.

Hope to see ZZ back at full strength, and I'm not sure I would extend his minutes until he is. It's far more important for him to be 100% ready a month from now., and we've proven that we can survive in the short term with Jordan at the point.
 
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#9
#9
We were a 10 pt favorite before Florida, but the line dropped to 2.5 by game day. I bet the line drops before the game tips off tonight
 
#10
#10
sami said:
Missouri is very dangerous and has been getting better as the season progresses, so this is far from a gimme win. The -9.5 line seems like a lot, but just getting a W would be fine with me. The key will be chasing them off the 3-point line and forcing them into taking tough 2's.

Hope to see ZZ back at full strength, and I'm not sure I would extend his minutes until he is. It's far more important for him to be 100% ready a month from now., and we've proven that we can survive in the short term with Jordan at the point.
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The difference in this years Mizzou team is last year all they wanted to do was shoot 3’s and had zero inside presence. This years team is an inside out team who attacks the rim first which sets up the outside game that’s working well. They are fine this year with your forcing them inside to take tough 2’s as that’s where they want to go. Inside first and attack the rim.
 
#11
#11
Does anyone else think that playing the theme from "The Magnificent 7" over the house sound system would be an appropriate tip of the hat to this team for their accomplishment on Saturday?
 
#12
#12
Mizzou is 2nd in SEC in offensive rating behind only Bama, but they play pretty good defense and are 9th just behind Texas.

Will be an interesting game, they're actually getting 3rd in fewest FGAs per game and we're 6th. So neither offense is very high paced like Florida, Bama or Kentucky. BUT part of the low FGAs for the Tigers is how often they're shooting FTAs. Leading the SEC in that category.

We just have to match the defensive intensity we brought against Florida.

Auburn held them to 68, Texas held them to 53. Play sound defense and limit turnovers so they can't get out and run for easy buckets.

Grill is an absolute menace shooting it from deep hopefully we can keep him in check a bit and contest without fouling.

Bates prefers to drive so have to keep him from getting into the paint easily.

Mitchell & Robinson both live at the FT line hopefully Igor & Dubar are up for the task of guarding him.

Feel like this game will be about our defensive execution more than anything else. Should be able to score points on them. The guards are all 6'5" or shooter outside Crews who is listed at 6'7" (he's only getting about 12 mpg).

Our bigs have to contribute and rebound, put pressure on Mitchell & Pierce to defend.
 
#15
#15
Stickseller said:
The difference in this years Mizzou team is last year all they wanted to do was shoot 3’s and had zero inside presence. This years team is an inside out team who attacks the rim first which sets up the outside game that’s working well. They are fine this year with your forcing them inside to take tough 2’s as that’s where they want to go. Inside first and attack the rim.
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Only way mizzou gets out with a win at tba …. They shoot the 3 ball above average tonight , because they are not going get into the paint against our defense
 
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