A Top 10 showdown, Tennessee and Texas are set to face off Saturday afternoon in arguably the premier matchup of this year’s 2023 SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Volunteers and Longhorns faced off previously a year ago in the 2022 SEC/Big 12 Challenge in Austin, a game in which Texas won, 52-51.
Ranked as the No. 4 team in the country according to the latest AP Poll, Tennessee comes into this matchup with a 17-3 overall record, one that includes a 7-1 mark in SEC play. The Volunteers are also currently on a three-game winning streak that dates back to January 17, one that includes’ wins over Mississippi State, LSU, and Georgia.
One of the nation’s top defensive teams, Tennessee ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring defense at only 53.7 PPG allowed, while also averaging 74 PPG themselves, as well as ranking Top 10 in both assists and steals per game as a team. The Volunteers have four players averaging in double-figures in Santiago Vescovi, Zakai Zeigler, Olivier Nkamhoua, and Julian Phillips, with both Josiah-Jordan James and Tyreke Key not far behind either.
Texas comes to Knoxville ranked as the No. 10 team in the country according to the latest AP Poll, owning a 17-3 overall record also, as well as a 6-2 mark in Big 12 play. The Longhorns are currently on a two-game winning streak that includes victories over West Virginia and Oklahoma State, with their lone losses this season having come against Illinois, Kansas State, and Iowa State.
The Longhorns currently rank No. 25 nationally with an average of 80.5 PPG offensively, and are led in scoring by guard Marcus Carr at 17.6 PPG, with Timmy Allen, Tyrese Hunter, and Sir’Jabari Rice also averaging in double-figures. Texas is also allowing an average of 66.8 PPG defensively, with others also names to know such as Dylan Disu, Christian Bishop, Dillon Mitchell, Arterio Morris, and Brock Cunningham.
Tennessee vs Texas 2023 SEC/Big 12 Challenge Prediction
Similar to last year in Austin, the final score of this game will likely be close, as well as potentially a little more high-scoring between two of the top teams in the SEC and Big 12. As for who wins, I’ll say that Tennessee avenges their loss from a year ago, in part due to big games from the duo of Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zeigler. Prediction: Tennessee 71, Texas 67
What Channel is the Tennessee vs Texas Game On?
The 2023 SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup between No. 4 Tennessee and No. 10 Texas can be seen on ESPN, with tipoff set for 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, January 28. The game will be played from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN.
Tennessee vs Texas Live Stream
A live stream of the Top 10 showdown between Tennessee and Texas can be found here on fuboTV.