Jerry Stackhouse: Tennessee is "Best Team in SEC"

Vanderbilt Jerry Stackhouse had some lofty praise for Tennessee after the Volunteers won on Tuesday evening.

Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse has seen a lot of good basketball. He played eighteen seasons in the NBA, making two All-Star teams with the Detroit Pistons.

Furthermore, he has spent four seasons with the Commodores and improved their winning percentage each season. Even Stackhouse was at a loss for words on Tuesday when Tennessee pulled out a win over his squad.

The Commodores largely outplayed Tennessee for most of the game. Tennessee didn't play poorly, but it wasn't up to the standard they had set for much of this season.

It didn't matter. Heading into halftime, they trailed by two and immediately went on a 14-2 run to start the second half. It silenced any and all Vanderbilt momentum, and the Volunteers coasted the rest of the way.

During postgame, Stackhouse ventured that the Volunteers are the best team in the SEC. He isn't the only one that shares that sentiment; currently, there are only five ranked teams in the conference.

Tennessee slots in at No. 5, and the only in-conference team ahead of them is Alabama at No. 4. The two squads face off on February 15 in Knoxville, a game that's sure to garner much hype.

The respect between Tennessee and Vanderbilt is mutual. Head coach Rick Barnes noted that Vandy gave them as tough a time as any program they have faced thus far, tipping his hat to the in-state rival.

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