Tennessee starting power forward JP Estrella (left foot) is a game-time decision against Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon according to the SEC injury report. The Vols listed Estrella as questionable on the Friday night report and his status remains uncertain for the rivalry games.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel said on College Gameday that Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes told him that even if Estrella plays, it will likely be in a limited capacity.
*Estrella is not dressed out during pregame warmups and will miss his second straight game with the foot injury
Star Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles are both off the injury report and good to go after the Commodores listed both as probable on Friday night. Miles has missed the Commodores’ last six games with a knee injury.
The Oklahoma game was the first that Estrella missed with the foot injury this season. It was coming off a 16-point, nine-rebound performance from Estrella against LSU. The foot injury was particularly concerning because Estrella missed nearly the entire 2024-25 season after undergoing foot surgery. However, all x-rays have come back negative.
“Feet problems are hard to get right,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “But based on where the screw was placed and all that — and again I probably shouldn’t be talking about it because Chad knows it. But I don’t think that is a problem where the surgery itself (happened). It’s just some soreness set in and we just have to get it quieting down.”
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Estrella was a partial participant in Tennessee’s Friday practice open to the media. He received treatment early during practice but did some five-on-five work as practice progressed.
The 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. His role has seriously increased over the last month after Rick Barnes inserted him into the starting lineup against Alabama. Estrella has steadily improved with the bigger role and is averaging 11.7 points and seven rebounds in the seven games since moving into the starting lineup.
If Estrella is unable to go, both former Vanderbilt power forward Jaylen Carey and freshman power forward DeWayne Brown could play a significant role.
The rivalry matchup has serious SEC Tournament seeding ramifications. Tennessee enters the matchup 9-4 in SEC play while Vanderbilt is 8-5. Both teams are competing to finish in the top four of the SEC standings and to earn the double-bye that comes with it in the SEC Tournament.
Vanderbilt basketball is currently 2.5-point favorites over Tennessee according to the DKSportsbook. The over/under is set at 148.5. Tipoff from Memorial Gymnasium is at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon. Dave O’Brien, Cory Alexander and Dick Vitale are on the call for ESPN.
