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Tennessee basketball’s Jordan Gainey and Igor Milicic Jr are both available and are going to give it a go as the Vols prepare to face top-ranked Auburn on Saturday night.
Both players were listed on Tennessee’s Friday night availability report but both are off the game day report and will play in the primetime matchup.
Milicic was listed as probable with a lower body injury but went through portions of Tennessee’s Friday afternoon practice with the Vols expecting him to play. Gainey’s status was a little more uncertain. Tennessee listed the senior shooting guard as questionable after he missed the entirety of Friday’s practice due to flu like symptoms.
According to a UT spokesperson, Gainey participated in the Vols’ game day shoot around at Neville Arena and continues to feel better.
Milicic has started at the four-spot every game this season while Gainey is Tennessee’s sixth man. Both play over 25 minutes per game and either not being able to go would have a significant impact on the Vols’ eight-man rotation.
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Milicic is averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game after transferring in from Charlotte this offseason. The 6-foot-10 power forward has broken out of his shooting slump that plagued him during December and is shooting 35% from three-point range in SEC play.
Gainey is averaging 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game so far this season and is shooting 34% from three-point range. The second year USC Upstate transfer has taken a serious step forward this season and has been key for Tennessee in a handful of wins.
The 6-foot-3 shooting guard is giving it a go but the illness could limit his minutes. That would lead to more playing time for a number of Tennessee guards, most notably freshman Bishop Boswell.
Sixth-ranked Tennessee is at No. 1 Auburn on Saturday night for the game of the day in college basketball. The Tigers enter the matchup 17-1 (5-0 SEC) while Tennessee is 17-2 (4-2 SEC). Tennessee has won three of the last four meetings in the series but has lost four straight games at Auburn’s Neville Arena.
Tipoff between Tennessee and Auburn is at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday night. Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Jess Sims are on thee call for ESPN.