The tipoff time is set for Tennessee basketball’s matchup against Alabama on Saturday, March 1 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The rivalry matchup will tipoff at 4 p.m. ET and ESPN is broadcasting the game. ESPN originally put the SEC showdown in a flex spot with a number of different tipoff times and television networks optional. Other top games in the SEC that Saturday include Auburn at Kentucky and Texas A&M at Florida.
At the time of publication, Alabama is the No. 4 team in the country and Tennessee ranks No. 6 with both teams competing for a top four seed in the SEC Tournament and a No. 1 seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee has won the last three meetings against Alabama, defeating then-No. 1 Alabama in Knoxville in February 2023 before sweeping the Crimson Tide last season. The Vols’ 81-74 win in Tuscaloosa last March proved to be the difference in Tennessee winning the SEC over the Crimson Tide.
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Rick Barnes is 6-5 against Alabama in his nine-plus seasons as Tennessee’s head coach and 4-3 against the Crimson Tide since Nate Oats took over as head coach.
Oats has built Alabama into one of the nation’s top programs in recent years. Since 2020-21, the Crimson Tide have twice won the SEC Regular-Season Championship and the SEC Tournament. Despite the losses to Tennessee last season, the Crimson Tide went on a run to the program’s first ever Final Four appearance last season.
Entering Alabama’s top 15 matchup at Missouri on Wednesday night, the Crimson Tide is 10-2 in conference play while Tennessee is 8-5.
The Vols have a midweek open date this week before facing No. 7 Texas A&M in College Station on Saturday afternoon. Tennessee then faces LSU in Baton Rouge before hosting Alabama for a marquee matchup.
