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How to Watch, Listen: LSU @ Tennessee

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The No. 24 Tennessee BasketVols are set to host the No. 13 LSU Tigers on Saturday night in Thompson-Boling Arena for a Top-25 SEC showdown. The Tigers won the last meeting, handing the Vols a commanding 79-67 loss in Baton Rouge. 

Tennessee comes in off of a solid victory against Vanderbilt on the road, but the Vols are yet to put together a complete performance in conference play. 

For information on how to watch and listen to the Tigers and the Vols, along with additional information on how the two squads will look coming into the contest, see below. 

How to Watch

-ESPN and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analysis) will have the call.

How to Listen

-Local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp call the action. The broadcast is also available on channel 84 on Sirius, SiriusXM and the SiriusXM app.

UT-LSU Series

-Tennessee leads the all-time series with LSU, 65-50, dating to 1933.

-The Vols hold a 31-18 edge when the series is contested in Knoxville.

-Tennessee is a perfect 9-0 at home this season and is riding a 10-game win streak at Thompson-Boling Arena dating to last season.

-LSU and Tennessee boast the nation's No. 1- and No. 5-rated KenPom defensive efficiencies, respectively.

-In three career games vs. LSU, Santiago Vescovi is shooting .500 (12-for-24) from 3-point range and averaging 15.0 points.

-The Vols are forcing an average of 19.0 turnovers per game during SEC play. The next-closest SEC team (LSU) forces 16.8 per game.

LSU Information

-For the first time this season, LSU (15-3, 3-3 SEC) is coming off of two consecutive losses. The Tigers fell at home to Arkansas last Saturday before losing again at Alabama on Wednesday.

-Including Saturday's game in Knoxville, each of LSU's first seven games have come against teams ranked in the top seven of the SEC Preseason Media Poll.

-Saturday's game is a matchup of two of the nation's top five rated defenses in adjusted efficiency, according to KenPom. LSU's defense ranks No. 1, allowing just 81.3 points per 100 possessions, while Tennessee is No. 5 with a 88.5 mark.

-The Tigers' leading scorer is sophomore forward Tari Eason, a transfer from Cincinnati. Averaging 16.0 points per game, Eason currently ranks sixth in the SEC in scoring. Eason led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds during Tennessee and LSU's first meeting on Jan. 8 in Baton Rouge.

-LSU has played its last three games without starting point guard and third-leading scorer Xavier Pinson, who was injured in the first meeting between the Tigers and Vols. Before getting injured, Pinson started all 15 of LSU's games and was averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 assists in 27 minutes per game.

-LSU was also without senior forward Darius Days, a Preseason First Team All-SEC selection, for the majority of Wednesday's loss at Alabama. Days exited the game due to injury late in the first half and did not return. Days is the Tigers' second-leading scorer (13.5 ppg) and leading rebounder (7.3 rpg).

Last Time Out Against the Tigers

-The 18th-ranked Tennessee basketball team rallied in the second half, but eventually fell on the road to No. 21 LSU on Jan. 8, 2022, 79-67.

-Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler led Tennessee with 19 points. Junior guard Santiago Vescovi added 14, while junior forward Uros Plavsic had a season-high 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting along with seven rebounds off the bench.

-Chandler scored 14 of his points in the first half on 5-for-7 shooting.

-Sophomore Tari Eason led the way for LSU with 24 points. Second-chance points played a major role in the game, as LSU outscored Tennessee, 18-5.

-After holding a seven-point lead at halftime, LSU was hot out of the gates in the second half, exploding for a 20-7 run that extended its lead to 20 points at 62-42.

-Refusing to go away quietly, Tennessee responded by gradually chipping away at the Tigers' lead, cutting it down to as few as five points at 71-66 on a Vescovi 3-pointer with three minutes remaining.

-Following Vescovi's three, two straight fast-break layups from LSU guard Brandon Murray and Eason quickly pushed the Tigers' lead back to nine points, paving the way for LSU's 12-point win.

-After controlling the majority of the opening period, LSU took a 42-35 lead into the halftime break. The Tigers led for 11:20 of the first half, pulling in front by as many as 10. LSU's 42 first-half points were Tennessee's most given up to an opponent this season.

Stats and Information provided by Tennessee Athletics Communications

Photo Credit: Tennessee Athletics Communications 

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