Tennessee seeks to continue its mini-surge when it faces Ole Miss in an SEC regular-season matchup Tuesday at the Food City Center in Knoxville. The No. 25-ranked Volunteers (15-6, 5-3 SEC), who reentered the AP Top 25 after beating Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn, lock horns with the struggling Rebels (11-10, 3-5 SEC), who have lost their last three games.
Here’s our Ole Miss vs. Tennessee prediction, including projected starting lineups, a full score forecast, and analysis for the much-anticipated SEC clash.
Ole Miss vs. Tennessee Projected Lineups and Key Matchups
Ole Miss Rebels Starting Lineup
Malik Dia (13.8 PPG)
Ilias Kamardine (11.0 PPG)
Patton Pinkins (8.7 PPG)
Travis Perry (5.3 PPG)
James Scott (3.7 PPG)
Tennessee Volunteers Starting Lineup
Ja’Kobi Gillespie (18.6 PPG)
Nate Ament (16.6 PPG)
J.P. Estrella (9.0 PPG)
Bishop Boswell (6.6 PPG)
DeWayne Brown II (5.6 PPG)
Ole Miss vs Tennessee Prediction and Preview
The Rebels have lost their last three games, falling to No. 12in the SEC standings with a 3-5 record and an 11-10 mark overall. The losses were competitive, as Ole Miss remained within striking distance into the final minutes of each game. However, the Rebels lacked the finishing kick that other teams have shown in crucial moments.
In their most recent game against Vanderbilt, Ole Miss had a chance to complete a comeback, but Tyler Tanner had other ideas for the Commodores, spearheading a late surge to save the hosts from an upset. Tanner finished with 24 points on 10-for-20 shooting, extinguishing Chris Beard and Ole Miss’s hopes of snapping their losing skid.
In that contest, Beard deployed Dia off the bench to complement sixth man AJ Storr, giving the Rebels a scoring boost from their reserves. The move paid dividends, as the duo combined for 32 of Ole Miss’s 49 bench points in the loss. Pinkins added nine points off the bench, while starter Kamardine chipped in 14 to support Dia, Storr, and Pinkins.
As of Monday, Ole Miss ranks No. 79 in the NET rankings, trailing Stanford and Cincinnati. The Rebels are 7-3 at home but have struggled away from Oxford, going 2-4 on the road and 2-3 at neutral sites. They have also struggled against top-tier competition, posting a 1-7 record against Quadrant 1 opponents. Ole Miss is 2-2 against Quadrant 2 teams, 2-1 against Quad 3 programs, and 6-0 versus Quad 4 competition.
Meanwhile, the Volunteers reentered the AP Top 25 following wins over No. 17 Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn in Weeks 12 and 13. Freshman forward Nate Ament has flashed NBA potential, scoring 29 points in a 79-73 win over the Crimson Tide and 22 points in a 77-69 victory against the Tigers. He averaged 23.3 points per game over that stretch.
Senior guard and Tennessee’s leading scorer, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, took a step back offensively against Auburn, scoring 11 points while dealing with foul trouble. Before that, he paced the Volunteers with 24 points against Alabama and 21 against Georgia. Together, Gillespie and Ament form a potent 1-2 punch that has fueled Rick Barnes’ squad this season.
J.P. Estrella, Bishop Boswell, and Jaylen Carey have provided key support, combining for 28 points in Tennessee’s win over Auburn. Forward DeWayne Brown II also held his own at center in place of injured starter Felix Okpara, posting 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block against the Tigers.
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Barnes’ team sits 21st in the NET rankings, buoyed by an impressive 11-1 home record. That dominance at Food City Center has helped Tennessee avoid a further slide in the rankings, despite going 2-3 on the road and 2-2 at neutral sites. As of Monday, the Volunteers are 5-6 against Quadrant 1 opponents and a combined 10-0 against Quad 2, Quad 3, and Quad 4 teams.
Tennessee has dominated Ole Miss in recent history, winning nine of the last 11 meetings. That trend is expected to continue, as the Rebels lack the firepower to keep pace with the Volunteers’ offense.
Prediction: Ole Miss 67, Tennessee 82
How To Watch Ole Miss vs. Tennessee
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Arena: Food City Center
TV Channel: ESPN2
Live Stream: ESPN App
Announcers: Karl Ravech (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (color), Alyssa Lang (reporter)
Radio: Vol Network radio
Announcers: Mike Keith (play-by-play), John Wilkerson (analyst)
