The Official #22 Tennessee @ Missouri Game Thread, 9:00 PM ET, SEC Network

[YankeeVol]

#22 Tennessee Volunteers: 20-7 (10-4 SEC)

@

Missouri Tigers: 18-9 (8-6 SEC)

GAME 28 | TENNESSEE at MISSOURI - Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 | 9 p.m. ET | Columbia, Mo. | Mizzou Arena (15,061)

Line: UT -4.5
O/U: 144.5

TV: SEC Network / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 380 / Internet: SXM App
Online: WatchESPN.com

Missouri Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE MATCHUP
• Since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012-13, UT is 11-6 in the series, owning a 11-5 tally in league play.
• Tennessee is 12-6 in its last 18 games against Missouri, including 7-3 in the past 10 meetings.
• The Volunteers shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from 3-point range against Missouri in last year's 85-81 home win on 2/5/25. That tied the best clip (min. 12 3PA) in program history. Zakai Zeigler went 4-of-4 from deep.
• UT has won five consecutive road games at Missouri, dating from 1/8/19 to 2/20/24.
• The past four series matchups were decided by 18 total points. Three had margins within five.
• This is the 11th time Tennessee is ranked in its last 12 matchups with Missouri (since 1/17/18) after it was not ranked in any of the first 12. It is 6-4 in the prior 10, including 4-2 with the Tigers unranked.
• After going 22-12 (10-8) in 2024- 25, Missouri placed seventh in this year's SEC preseason poll.
• Mark Mitchell, a senior guard/forward, leads the Tigers with 17.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.8 apg.

 

[YankeeVol]

NEWS & NOTES
• Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinsky is St. Louis native, while forwards Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips both graduated from Link Academy in Branson, Mo.
• Rick Barnes' 856 wins lead all active DI coaches and rank ninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• Barnes is one SEC victory from passing Rick Stansbury (122) for sole possession of No. 17 on the league's all-time leaderboard.
• Tennessee has 20 wins for the 32nd time in program history, the seventh in the last nine years and the fifth in a row. The five straight 20-win seasons ties a UT record, set twice previously.
• The Volunteers have double-digit SEC victories for the sixth straight season, good for the secondlongest mark in school history.
• Over the past four outings, Nate Ament is 30-of-31 (96.8%) on free throws. He has made his last 18.
• UT is seeking its fifth five-game single-season winning streak in league play under Rick Barnes. It won five straight in 2017-18, 11 in 2018-19, five in 2021-22 and seven in 2023-24.
• Tennessee is looking to reach 11- plus SEC wins for the fifth season in a row. It has done that just once before, with a seven-year tally from 1970-71 to 1976-77.
• The Vols are also seeking 21-plus wins for the fifth straight year, which they have also done once before, from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
• UT's 45.0 offensive rebounding percentage is on pace to be, per KenPom, the third-best mark this century. It trails only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0) and 2000- 01 Georgetown (45.3).
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights.
• UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Volunteers' 221 wins the last nine years (2017-26) rank eighth in DI. Only Houston (266), Gonzaga (266), Duke (245), Kansas (232), Purdue (228), Saint Mary's (225) and Liberty (222) possess more. Arizona (219) and Auburn (217) round out the top 10.

 

[YankeeVol]

WINNING WAYS
• Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee (221- 81; .732) paces all SEC programs in total victories, overall winning percentage and postseason victories (23). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same period, the Volunteers are one of two SEC teams with even 205-plus wins and/or a winning percentage above .690, alongside Auburn (217-83; .723).
• Over SEC play across the same span, Tennessee (108-49; .688) is first in both league victories and league winning percentage. The only other schools at even 100-plus wins and/or a .610 clip are Kentucky (105-52; .669), Auburn (102-56; .646) and Alabama (101-57; .639).
• In just the last five seasons (2021-26), the Vols own a 129-43 (.750) overall record. That is good for the most total wins and the best winning percentage in the SEC, far ahead of Auburn (.732; 123-45).
• In that time, Tennessee (61-25; .709) ties Alabama (61-25; .709) for first in league victories and league winning percentage.

SERIOUS STREAKS
• The Volunteers possess 20 victories for the fifth year in a row. That ties the longest streak in program history, previously recorded both from 1980-81 to 194-85 and 2005-06 to 2009-10.
• Tennessee has double-figure SEC victories for the sixth consecutive season. This is the second-longest such streak in program history. The Volunteers accumulated 10-plus SEC wins 13 years in a row from 1964-65 to 1976-77.

 

[YankeeVol]

RARELY DOWN, NEVER OUT
• Over the last six seasons (2020-26), Tennessee has played just 11 games while unranked and is 9-2. That includes a perfect 8-0 mark in the regular season.
• In that same span, the Volunteers have played only 25 games as a lower-ranked team. They are 15-10 in those contests, including 2-1 when unranked. That tally features a 9-5 mark versus SEC teams, with a 7-3 ledger in SEC play.

 

[sami]

Wonderful, another midweek late game.

 

[7thgroupvolfan]

Get this dub and make it six in a row at Missouri.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Thanks @YankeeVol

 

[VolonTyne]

Got to get a win. Doubt it will come easy.