Previewing Texas A&M’s Matchup With Tennessee

The Aggies and Volunteers meet at Thompson-Boling Arena in possible preview of the SEC Tournament Championship Game.

Jan 10, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes talks with Tennessee Volunteers center Felix Okpara (34) against the Florida Gators during the second half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Another true road game for Texas A&M basketball falls Tuesday against Tennessee, where two programs are looking to stay at the front of the race in the SEC to earn a double bye in the conference tournament in March.

Right now, the Aggies (11-3, 3-0) and Volunteers (11-5, 1-2) are off to different starts than how both schools were projected to begin the season. Whichever team finds a way to get this win adds another monumental win to its resume and makes a bold statement going down the stretch.

Coming off a 6-game winning streak, A&M is riding into Rocky Top with a ton of confidence with an 83-76 win, while Tennessee isn’t after a 91-67 loss on the road to the defending champions, Florida.  According to ESPN Analytics, the Volunteers are given a 75.8 percent chance of beating the Aggies, so perhaps that motivates both teams to stay on the right track.

“They’re good,” coach Bucky McMillan said. “Real physical. They’re good at home. Really good defensive team.”

Aggies vs Volunteers Preview

Jan 10, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Pop Isaacs (2) drives between Oklahoma Sooners guard Jadon Jones (12) and forward Derrion Reid (35) during the first half at Reed Arena. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

In the all-time series, Tennessee leads 13-8, dating back to 1951. On the road, A&M has a 4-6 record against them with a 4-5 home record. In the last two contests, Tennessee won so A&M wants to change that. The average score when these two schools meet is 69.

The largest margin of victory was 83-66, and the smallest was 57-56 in the 2014 win. In 2021, these two programs met on a neutral court in Tampa, Florida, for the SEC Tournament, which was the championship game where the Aggies fell short, 65-50, in a game that could’ve punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament but instead cost them a bid.

This is a new year with an entirely different set of players hoping to make a deep run, which starts with shooting well from the field. As a group, Tennessee is shooting 49 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from behind the arc, and 68.6 percent from the free-throw line. As for A&M, they are shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from deep, and 74.5 percent from the charity stripe.

Notable stats for both schools include scoring offense, scoring defense, bench points, 3-pointers, rebounds and assists per game. A&M is ranked No. 5 in scoring defense as of Saturday, January 10. They are also No. No. 2 in assists, No. 3 in bench points, and No. 6 in 3-pointers per game.

Tennessee is just as good statistically, ranking No. 25 in scoring defense, No. 13 in assists and rebounds, and No. 37 in bench points.  

Players To Watch

Jan 6, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) moves the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

There are 10 guards on the Volunteers to go along with six forwards. The three most intriguing guards on the roster are Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Bishop Boswell, and Amaree Abram. For the forwards, there is an extremely dynamic group that is very active inside and can knock down shots from the outside, and some of the best include Nate Ament, J.P. Estrella, Jaylen Carey, and Felix Okpara.

For the Aggies, there wasn’t much of a roster when McMillan was hired but there is now and it is dangerous. He reconstructed the entire program in Year 1 to play to a fast-paced level that fits a “Bucky Ball” style.

The team lists nine guards and six forwards. The guards that have been getting the most time and could have a breakout night include Ruben Dominguez, Marcus Hill, Rylan Griffen, Pop Isaacs, and Rylan Griffen. Rashaun Agee is the main guy in the paint after the season-ending injury to Mackenzie Mgbako, but A&M has other forwards who have stepped up.

Action between A&M and Tennessee will start at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.