- Matchup: Tennessee Volunteers vs Arkansas Razorbacks
- Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026
- Venue: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, AR
- Broadcast: ESPN2
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On Saturday, the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-3) will clash with the Tennessee Volunteers (10-3) at Bud Walton Arena.
In their previous game, the Tennessee Volunteers faced off against South Carolina State, achieving a commanding victory with a score of 105-54. Tennessee showcased an impressive field goal percentage of 60.9%, converting 39 of 64 attempts, and made 8 of 23 shots from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, the Volunteers hit 19 of their 33 attempts, resulting in a 57.6% success rate. The team grabbed a total of 50 rebounds, including 20 offensive boards. They also facilitated 30 assists, forced 9 turnovers, and recorded 6 steals. Defensively, Tennessee held their opponent to a shooting percentage of 34.5%, with South Carolina State connecting on 19 of 55 attempts. South Carolina State tallied 9 assists and committed 9 steals, while securing 16 rebounds (6 offensive, 10 defensive) without any blocks. The team finished shooting 50% from the charity stripe, converting 10 of 20 attempts, and made 30% of their three-point attempts (6 of 20). The foul count was 16 for the Volunteers compared to 23 for South Carolina State.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie played a pivotal role in the victory, scoring 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He contributed 3 rebounds in 28 minutes of play, finishing with a shooting percentage of 58.3% and also recording 8 assists.
The Volunteers come into this matchup with an overall record of 10-3. They average 12.5 turnovers per game and commit 16.9 fouls. Tennessee pulls down an average of 43.8 rebounds and has recorded 258 assists this season, ranking 20th nationally in assists. The Volunteers shoot 34.6% from three-point range (99 of 286) and have a free throw shooting percentage of 69.9%. On offense, they average 83.9 points per game, placing them 71st in the nation, while connecting on 49.1% of their field goal attempts.
Defensively, the Volunteers force an average of 12.5 turnovers each game while drawing 18.1 fouls. They limit opponents to 28.2% shooting from long range and sit 16th in the nation for points allowed per game (63.7). Opponents are shooting 37.8% against them (286 of 756), and Tennessee allows 28.8 rebounds per contest, ranking 17th in the nation for assists given up, with 130 on the season.
In their last matchup, the Arkansas Razorbacks attained a victory, defeating James Madison 103-74. Arkansas recorded 24 defensive rebounds and 12 offensive rebounds for a total of 36 in the game. They committed just 6 turnovers while registering 7 steals. James Madison committed 20 fouls, leading to 31 free throw attempts for the Razorbacks, who successfully made 20 of those for a 64.5% rate. Arkansas shot 15 of 28 from three-point range (53.6%) and 34 of 62 from the field, achieving a shooting percentage of 54.8%. Defensively, they allowed James Madison to shoot 24 of 58, or 41.4%. The Razorbacks also permitted James Madison to hit 12 of 32 shots from beyond the arc, while they succeeded on 14 of 19 attempts from the charity stripe (73.7%). In terms of rebounding, Arkansas allowed James Madison to grab a total of 29 rebounds (12 offensive).
Meleek Thomas was crucial for Arkansas in this contest, scoring 28 points in just 27 minutes of action, though he didn’t contribute any assists. He achieved a 50.0% shooting percentage, hitting 8 of 16, while also grabbing 2 rebounds.
Arkansas holds a record of 10-3 this season. Offensively, the Razorbacks are hitting 49.1% of their shots, ranking them 50th in Division I basketball. They have accumulated 1,177 points this season, averaging 90.5 points per game and collecting 38.0 rebounds per contest. They average 18.2 assists per game (35th in college basketball) and limit their turnovers to 9.5 per game. Additionally, Arkansas commits 16.1 fouls per game and shoots 74.4% from the free-throw line.
On the defensive end, the Razorbacks rank 221st in college basketball for points per game allowed, allowing 74.8 points. They force an average of 12.1 turnovers and let opponents shoot 41.9% from the field (104th in the nation). Arkansas permits 30.6% shooting from three-point range (113 of 369), while their opponents convert 67.9% from the free-throw line. They give up 14.5 assists and 35.0 rebounds per game, ranking 260th and 210th in those respective defensive categories.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA game against the spread?
Pick: Back Tennessee
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