According to a report from On3, Tennessee basketball is one of the top-10 most-watched teams in the country this season. Using statistics from Nielsen through Jan. 18, 2026, the Vols come in at No. 9 on the list. That is the third-highest mark of any SEC team, trailing only Arkansas and Kentucky.
Topping the chart was Michigan State, followed by Duke, Arkansas, North Carolina and Kentucky to round out the top five. Then, it’s Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, Tennessee and Wisconsin to complete the top-10.
Along with the massive UT fan base, the Vols’ marquee matchups to this point also certainly help in national viewership. The data considered games against Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Louisville, Arkansas, Texas, Florida and more. Games against Kentucky and Alabama were not considered, as well, which likely had strong viewership.
More From RTI: Lady Vols Basketball Guard Talaysia Cooper Named to Coveted National Watch List
Next, Tennessee will head to Athens to play Georgia on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will air on SEC Network. Then, the Vols return home to host former UT player and current Auburn head coach Steven Pearl. That game against the Tigers will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET and air on ESPN.
Tennessee has recently benefited from the emergence of five-star freshman Nate Ament. In the win over Alabama this past Saturday, he scored a career-high 29 points on 50% shooting from the field and 2-of-3 makes from distance.
On the year, Ament is averaging 16.2 points per game on 42% shooting from the field and 29.3% on threes. He also contributes 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per match. He is considered a projected top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
He is not the team’s leading scorer, though. Instead, point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is averaging 18.8 points on 42.5% shooting from the field and 35.1% on threes. He’s also posting 5.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per outing.
