Tuesday night’s game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Commodores’ program, the SEC announced Tuesday morning.
“The Tennessee at Vanderbilt men’s basketball games of January 12 has been postponed due to a combination of positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the Vanderbilt basketball program, consistent with Southeastern Conference COVID-19 management requirements,” the SEC said in a press release.
As of now, the game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt that is scheduled to be played in Knoxville on Saturday has not been postponed. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Tennessee responded well to its first loss of the season just over a week ago. Following the loss to Alabama at home, the Vols defeated Arkansas inside of Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday night before traveling to Texas A&M on Saturday and defeating the Aggies.
The Vols (9-1, 3-1 SEC) were led by 16 points from John Fulkerson in the win over the Razorbacks. He scored 12 of his points in the second half to help his team overcome a seven-point deficit and defeated the Hogs 79-74. As a team, Tennessee blocked nine shots. Reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Yves Pons accounted for four of the blocks.
Sophomore guard Santiago Vescovi led Tennessee in its 68-54 win over Texas A&M. Vescovi scored a career-high 23 points in College Station on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 from the three-point line. He also had five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Here’s a look at where Tennessee basketball is ranked amongst college basketball polls and media members across the country:
AP Poll: No. 10 (-1)
Coaches Poll: No. 8 (-2)
NET Rankings: No. 3 (-)
KenPom: No. 9 (-)
CBS’ Jon Rothstein’s 45: No. 8
Rothstein’s “skinny” on UT: “Victor Bailey has quietly been one of the top transfers in the country.”
Gary Parrish’s Top 25 and one: No. 9 (+1)
Parrish on the Vols: “Tennessee’s resume features four wins over teams ranked in the top 80 of the NET. The Vols will take a two-game winning streak into Tuesday’s game at South Carolina.”
The Athletic’s Seth Davis: No. 9 (-)
Stadium’s Jeff Goodman: No. 8 (-)
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello’s Power Rankings: No. 7 (-)
Borzello on the Vols: “After Tennessee’s first loss of the season against Alabama last weekend, Rick Barnes tweaked his starting lineup. The four returning starters from last season — Santiago Vescovi, Josiah-Jordan James, Yves Pons and John Fulkerson — remained the same for both games this past week, but Victor Bailey moved to the bench. In his place moved freshman Keon Johnson, who went for 14 points in the win over Arkansas on Wednesday. And then on Saturday, it was freshman Jaden Springer who earned the fifth starting spot — and he had 10 points and six assists. Bailey didn’t really miss a beat either, scoring 17 points off the bench against the Razorbacks. Barnes looks like he’s tightening his rotation to seven main pieces, but the Volunteers still have as much versatility as anyone in the SEC.”
