No. 4 Tennessee Faces Ole Miss After Buzzer-Beater Victory

OXFORD, Miss. — No. 4 Tennessee is set to take on Ole Miss Wednesday night at 9 p.m. Eastern Time at The Pavilion at Ole Miss, following a thrilling buzzer-beater victory against Alabama that has boosted their momentum as they near the end of the regular season.

Despite a lingering illness affecting the team, which has seen senior forward Igor Milicic Jr. miss practice on Tuesday, head coach Rick Barnes remains optimistic about his squad’s chances against Ole Miss. Milicic was listed as probable on the injury report and is expected to suit up tonight for the matchup.

Tennessee (24-5, 11-5 SEC) recently clinched a dramatic 79-76 win over Alabama, thanks to a long-range shot from Jahmai Mashack in the closing seconds. The Vols are aiming for their third consecutive victory on the road, having previously beaten Texas A&M and LSU.

“We just found a way to win, whether it was a great performance at Texas A&M or bulldogging it out at LSU,” Barnes said. “That factor gives us confidence as we approach these critical games.”

In their most recent outing, the Rebels (20-9, 9-7 SEC) snapped a three-game losing streak with an 87-84 victory against Oklahoma, aided by a late three-pointer that secured the win.

The series between Tennessee and Ole Miss dates back to 1924, with Tennessee winning four straight and nine of their last 10 encounters. Last season, the Vols easily defeated the Rebels, 90-64, in Knoxville, and they won 70-55 during the SEC Tournament in March 2023.

Tennessee’s current positioning in the NCAA Tournament has them projected as a No. 1 seed, enhanced by their string of strong performances lately. However, the illness in the locker room has raised concerns. Alongside Milicic, senior guard Jahmai Mashack played a limited role in the game against LSU last week due to flu-like symptoms.

“We’ve had some players under the weather,” Barnes noted. “Jahmai needs to be more aggressive, we need him to be a key player, and we’ll see how tonight goes.”

For now, all eyes will be on The Pavilion tonight as Tennessee battles Ole Miss. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2, with radio coverage available on WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville and streaming options on the ESPN App.