Texas A&M @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 2, 2019 ) Tennessee 93, Texas A&M 76

Tennessee is beginning to show some signs that it can be a factor in the SEC race and the Volunteers look to solidify their position in the top half of the standings when they host struggling Texas A&M on Tuesday night. Tennessee dropped four of five games, starting in mid-December, and lost a key performer for the season before winning four of six and giving third-ranked Kansas all it could handle in Saturday’s 74-68 loss on the road.

“We did a lot of good things,” Volunteers coach Rick Barnes told reporters after the setback. “I’ve told our guys we have a chance to be a good team. We’re not there yet. … We just feel like this group is headed in the right direction.” Tennessee, which lost senior guard Lamonte Turner (12.3 points) to a season-ending injury just before Christmas, has won three straight in the series against Texas A&M after a 93-76 triumph in College Station, Texas last February as Jordan Bowden joined five in double figures with 16 points. The Aggies had begun to make some strides with five wins in six games, including two of three to start the SEC season, but have dropped three of their last four after a 73-62 setback against Oklahoma State at home Saturday. “We have to address our issues and our execution level,” Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams told the Bryan-College Station Eagle after the loss. “Those things have to be better than good and close to great for us to have a chance, and we were not good in any category.”

TIME: 6:30 p.m. ET. TV: SEC Network

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (9-9, 3-3 SEC): Senior forward Josh Nebo has led the way for the Aggies all season, averaging team highs of 12.5 points (15.8 the past four games) on 71.8 percent shooting, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. Junior guard Savion Flagg tops the team in assists (2.5) and is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring (10.7), despite managing just two points against Oklahoma State. Freshman guard Andre Gordon is third on the team in scoring (8.1), but is just 7-for-25 from the field in the last three contests while junior guard Quenton Jackson is averaging 9.2 over the past five games.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (12-7, 4-2): Bowden leads a balanced offense (12.6 points) and the senior guard is averaging 15.8 over the past four contests after draining 3-of-5 from 3-point range and scoring 19 versus Kansas. Junior forward John Fulkerson (11.7 points, team-high 6.1 rebounds) boasts two straight double-doubles and three in his past five games while junior swingman Yves Pons (11.4 points) poured in a season-high 24 at Kansas and leads the SEC in blocks per game (2.7). Freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James averaged 10.7 points over a six-game period before being blanked Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Tennessee freshman G Santiago Vescovi (9.6 points) had no turnovers Saturday after averaging five over his first six games with the program.

2. Texas A&M freshman F Emmanuel Miller is averaging 10.7 points the last three games - more than double his season mark.

3. The Aggies are last in the SEC in scoring (61.1), field-goal percentage (40.1) and 3-point shooting (26.1).

PREDICTION: Tennessee 72, Texas A&M 60