SEC Tournament: Tennessee Set to Play Texas

Tennessee and Texas will face off for the second time this season after the Longhorns beat Texas A&M.

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and Tennessee's Zakai Zeigler (5) during Senior Day presentations after a men’s college basketball game between Tennessee and South Carolina at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Saturday, March 8, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee and Texas will face off for the second time this season after the Longhorns beat Texas A&M.

Tennessee will face Texas in the SEC Tournament on Friday.

The Longhorns are coming off a grueling double-overtime victory over Texas A&M, a game packed with fouls and physical play that pushed Texas to the limit. Now, with little time to recover, they must turn around and take on a well-rested Tennessee squad eager to make a deep tournament run.

When these teams met in January, Tennessee pulled out a hard-fought 74-70 win on the road. This time, the Vols will look to take advantage of a Texas team that just endured a taxing 50-minute battle. The Longhorns relied on freshman Tre Johnson, who dropped 20 points and delivered a clutch deep three, to get past the Aggies. However, facing Tennessee on short rest is a different challenge.

The Vols, led by SEC Defensive Player of the Year Zakai Zeigler and sharpshooter Chaz Lanier, will aim to set the tone early with their aggressive defense and rebounding. They will have to try and contain a Texas team that is playing with a lot of momentum.

Tennessee knows its formula for success—play tough defense, control the glass, and limit turnovers. That approach could pay off against a Texas squad that may struggle to match their energy after such a demanding game.

The Vols will take the floor Friday afternoon, with tipoff scheduled roughly 25 minutes after the conclusion of Auburn-Ole Miss on ESPN.

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