Texas Longhorns vs. Tennessee Volunteers SEC Tournament: Betting Odds, How to Watch

The Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers will meet for the fifth time in four seasons Friday, this time in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.

Jan 11, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler (5) drives to the basket against Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

For the fifth time in four seasons and the third in less than a year, the Tennessee Volunteers and head coach Rick Barnes will face off against his former team in the Texas Longhorns once again, this time at the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville on Friday.

Texas is coming off a massive 94-89 double-overtime win over the Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday. The Longhorns needed a win to have any shot of keeping their NCAA Tournament hopes alive and could now move even closer toward locking in an at-large bid with a win over the Vols.

Jan 11, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) drives to the basket while defended by Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler (5) and forward Felix Okpara (34) during the first half and at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Longhorns, who were bounced out of the NCAA Tournament by Tennessee in Charlotte last year, are 1-3 against the Vols since their meeting in the 2021-22 season. This includes a 74-70 loss Texas took to then-No. 1 Tennessee earlier this season on Jan. 11.

When Texas and Tennessee tipoff from Bridgestone Arena on Friday, it will mark the fifth different court the two teams have played on in their past five meetings (Frank Erwin Center, Food City Center, Spectrum Center, Moody Center).

Texas head coach Rodney Terry had some major praise fir Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler after the win over Texas A&M.

"Anytime you go against Zeigler -- we went against Ziegler last year -- gone against Zeigler every year that he's been in college," Terry said. "We're happy to see him graduate. He's tough. I mean, he's defensive player a year two times in a row. He's First Team all-league player our game, back in our place. He really just kind of set the table full of his teammates."