Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee basketball resumes play at the Players Era Festival on Tuesday night when they face off against Houston. It’s a rematch of last season’s South Regional Final when the Cougars ended Tennessee’s season. The Vols are looking for a small bit of revenge in Las Vegas.
Here’s everything to know about the matchup from the broadcast details to the betting odds and much more.
More From RTI: Tennessee Basketball’s Ja’Kobi Gillepie, Nate Ament Flash Star Power Against Rutgers
How to Watch — No. 16 Tennessee (6-0, 0-0 SEC) vs. No. 3 Houston (6-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Start Time: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Watch: TNT. PxP: Brandon Gaudin, CC: Robbie Hummell, Sideline: Nabil Karum
Online Streaming: Watch TNT Live
Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
Vol Network radio crew: PxP: John Wilkerson, CC: Steve Hamer
Betting Odds
Houston -3.5 Tennessee
Over/under 134.5
Houston -2 Tennessee
Over/under 136
Probable Starters
Tennessee (via UT Game Notes):
Houston (via last game):
Where They Land In Rankings
Tennessee:
AP Poll: No. 16
Coaches Poll: No. 16
KenPom: No. 12
Bart Torvik: No. 11
EvanMiya: No. 12
Houston:
AP Poll: No. 3
Coaches Poll: No. 2
KenPom: No. 4
Bart Torvik: No. 2
EvanMiya: No. 3
Team Stats (via KenPom)
Tennessee:
Houston:
Stat Leaders
Tennessee:
Points: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 19.2 PPG, 46.5 FG%, 40.8 3PT%
Rebounds: Nate Ament — 7.8 RPG
Assists: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 5.7 APG, 3.5 TOPG, 30 MPG
Houston:
Points: Emanuel Sharp — 17.7 PPG, 42.9 FG%, 36.4 3PT%
Rebounds: Chris Cenac — 8.2 RPG
Assists: Kingston Flemings — 5.3 APG, 2 TOPG, 31.5 MPG
Last Five Games
Tennessee:
85-60 win versus Rutgers (Las Vegas)
89-60 win versus Tennessee State
91-66 win versus Rice
99-66 win versus North Florida
95-56 win versus Northern Kentucky
Houston:
78-74 win versus Syracuse (Las Vegas) [Overtime]
91-45 win versus Rider
73-72 win versus Auburn (Birmingham)
78-45 win versus Oakland
65-48 win versus Towson
Prediction
Tennessee got a nice tuneup in its blowout win over Rutgers on Monday but the challenge significantly ramps up against Houston Tuesday night. The Vols learned the hard way last March what happens when you don’t come ready for a physical battle against Houston.
Rick Barnes built this roster to be better physically. They’re bigger inside and have been elite on the glass early this season— somewhere Houston gave them fits last season. The Cougars will fully put that to the test.
The number one stat I’ll be tracking is Tennessee’s turnover rate. Tennessee was a bit better taking care of the basketball against Rutgers but that remains a weakness for this team. Houston will exploit it if Tennessee is not crisp and strong with the ball.
I do worry about the turnovers but I think Tennessee is ready for the challenge. Houston often doesn’t hit the ground running early in the season and I think the Vols will be ready. Tennessee also got to rest many of its key players against Rutgers while Houston played a hotly contested overtime game later in the afternoon. Tennessee gets it done in Vegas.
Tennessee 71, Houston 68