Steven Pearl and the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team will be hoping to continue their impressive streak of conference wins this Saturday against Pearl’s alma mater, the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Tigers have won four straight games in SEC play after dropping three of their first four matchups
Their most recent game, a home win over the Texas Longhorns, saw the Tigers come back from an eight-point halftime deficit to secure an 88–82 victory. Auburn’s hot streak has come at a great time, as three of its next four opponents currently rank in the national top-25.
After an up-and-down start to conference play, star forward Keyshawn Hall has put together back-to-back strong offensive performances, including a 31-point outburst last Wednesday against Texas.
Together, Hall and guard Kevin Overton scored 56 points against the Longhorns while shooting a combined 8-of-13 from three-point range. Hall’s combination of offensive versatility and size has played a major role in the Tigers’ offense continuing to thrive in the always-competitive SEC.
Hall currently ranks as the second-best scorer in the SEC (20.7 PPG) and the sixth-best rebounder (7.8 RPG), while shooting an efficient 48% from the floor on the season. Hall’s offense will need to be at its very best against a Volunteers team that has been a defensive powerhouse so far.
The Volunteers currently rank as the best defensive team in the SEC in both opponent points per game (69.8) and opponent shooting percentage (40%).
However, since conference play began, their defense has shown signs of decline, allowing opponents to score 80 or more points in five of their seven SEC games this season. Tennessee’s offense, on the other hand, has been surprisingly less effective. A majority of the Vols’ points have come from the paint this season.
Tennessee ranks second-worst in the SEC in both three-pointers made and attempted, but interestingly enough, when they do take threes, they have been effective, shooting around 35% from beyond the arc this season. Turnovers have been Tennessee’s biggest issue, as the Vols are averaging 13 per game, the worst mark in the SEC. With Auburn currently ranking fourth in the SEC in steals per game, turnover margin could be the key to the Tigers securing a road victory and their fifth straight win.
Auburn will have to be on the lookout for the Vols’ two major scoring threats this Saturday: guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie (18.9 PPG) and forward Nate Ament (16.3 PPG).
Not only has Gillespie been one of the more efficient scoring guards in the SEC this season, but his 5.5 assists per game also rank as the third-highest mark in the conference.
Ament has been inconsistent shooting this season but has started to take flight in recent weeks. The former top recruit currently ranks as the second-best scoring freshman in the SEC, trailing only Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr.
After this matchup, the Tigers will have a week of preparation before taking on rival No. 23 Alabama in Neville Arena next Saturday. Before they can look ahead, however, Auburn will need to defeat a Tennessee team that could be one of the Tigers’ toughest defensive matchups all year.
Make sure to catch your Tigers this Saturday as they take on the unranked Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville at 7:30 p.m. CST on ESPN.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
