Vols Aim for Season Sweep as No. 17 Alabama Heads to Knoxville

Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

By Aidan Sidoti

KNOXVILLE – Tennessee hoops returns to Thompson-Boling Arena at FCC on Saturday evening with a chance to extend its win-streak over Alabama. The Vols already took down the Crimson Tide 79-73 in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 24, and they haven’t lost to Alabama since Dec. of 2021. A win Saturday would secure the season sweep and mark Tennessee’s sixth straight victory in the series.

Alabama arrives in Knoxville playing some of its best basketball of the season. The Tide have won seven straight, including a 100-75 demolition of Mississippi State where they hung 63 points in the first half and buried 22 three-pointers.

Must be nice.

Forward Amari Allen was nearly unstoppable, scoring 23 points on 8‑for‑10 shooting and 6‑for‑7 from deep as Alabama’s offense looked as explosive as any in the country.

Tennessee, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back after a frustrating 73-69 road loss to Missouri, the Vols first defeat to a non-Kentucky opponent since Jan. 10. Shooting struggles told the story in Columbia, with Tennessee hitting just 43% from the field and 29% from three.

Freshman forward Nate Ament will try to reset after two bruising road games. The Manassas, Virginia native posted 13 points and 9 rebounds on 23% shooting at Vanderbilt, then followed with 17 points and 7 rebounds on 35% shooting at Missouri.

Even in the inefficiency, Ament continues to be one of Tennessee’s most reliable creators, and the Vols will be relying on him at home against an Alabama team that can score in bunches.

Tennessee opened as a 5.5‑point favorite with the over/under set at a massive 164.5.

Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.