Tennessee basketball starting forward JP Estrella is “questionable” for the Vols’ matchup against Vanderbilt according to the SEC injury report. Estrella is dealing with left foot soreness and missed Tennessee’s matchup against Oklahoma earlier this week due to the injury.
Reserve wing Clarence Massamba is also out for the Vols with a right hip injury.
The Oklahoma game was the first that the redshirt sophomore forward missed with the foot injury this season. It was coming off a 16-point, nine-rebound performance 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.”
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.
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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.
While Tennessee could be without a key piece, Vanderbilt is getting star shooting guard Duke Miles back in the fold against the Vols.
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.
