Tennessee basketball is back in action on Wednesday night for its third game in as many days as they face off with Kansas in the third-place game at the Players Era Festival. The Vols are looking to stay unbeaten on the season and earn a third straight win in Las Vegas.
Here’s everything to know about the matchup from the broadcast details to the betting odds and much more.
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How to Watch — No. 16 Tennessee (7-0, 0-0 SEC) vs. Kansas (5-2, 0-0 Big 12)
- Start Time: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
- Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Watch: TNT. PxP: Brian Anderson, CC: Grant Hill, Sideline: Lauren Jbara
- Online Streaming: Watch TNT Live
- Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
- Vol Network radio crew: PxP: John Wilkerson, CC: Steve Hamer
Betting Odds
- Tennessee -5.5 Kansas
- Over/under 138.5
- Tennessee -4 Kansas
- Over/under 144
Probable Starters
Tennessee (via UT Game Notes):
Kansas (via last game):
Where They Land In Rankings
Tennessee:
- AP Poll: No. 16
- Coaches Poll: No. 16
- KenPom: No. 10
- Bart Torvik: No. 11
- EvanMiya: No. 10
Houston:
- AP Poll: NR
- Coaches Poll: NR
- KenPom: No. 19
- Bart Torvik: No. 17
- EvanMiya: No. 21
Team Stats (via KenPom)
Tennessee:
Kansas:
Stat Leaders
Tennessee:
Points: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 19.6 PPG, 46.5 FG%, 39.7 3PT%
Rebounds: Nate Ament — 7.4 RPG
Assists: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 5.4 APG, 3 TOPG, 31.1 MPG
Kansas:
Points: Flory Bidunga — 16.1 PPG, 69 FG%, 0 3PT%
Rebounds: Flory Bidunga — 8.6 RPG
Assists: Melvin Council Jr — 5.4 APG, 1.4 TOPG, 31.8 MPG
Last Five Games
Tennessee:
- 76-73 win versus Houston (Las Vegas)
- 85-60 win versus Rutgers (Las Vegas)
- 89-60 win versus Tennessee State
- 91-66 win versus Rice
- 99-66 win versus North Florida
Kansas:
- 71-60 win versus Syracuse (Las Vegas)
- 71-61 win versus Notre Dame (Las Vegas)
- 78-66 loss versus Duke (New York City)
- 76-57 win versus Princeton
- 77-46 win versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Prediction
Tennessee aced its first true test of the season against Houston on Tuesday. Now the question is about how the Vols respond and play 24 hours later against a strong Kansas team.
The Jayhawks are without star point guard Darryn Peterson. The projected lottery pick will miss his sixth straight game due to injury and will make life much easier on Tennessee’s defense. But Kansas has found some answers without him and has leaned on a stout defense to make it to the third place game.
The Jayhawks defense has been good all around but particularly elite at guarding the perimeter. Their one weakness is forcing turnovers, so Tennessee should be able to build on a strong performance taking care of the ball against Houston. Kansas has been elite at limiting second chance points but Tennessee should fully test that.
Tennessee caps off a great week in Las Vegas with a hard earned victory.
Tennessee 73, Kansas 65
