It’s game day for Tennessee basketball and it’s a big one. The Vols are on the road Saturday afternoon, facing Vanderbilt in a 2 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.

Tennessee (19-7, 9-4 SEC) has won seven of its eight games after the 89-66 win over Oklahoma Wednesday night at Food City Center.

Vanderbilt (21-5, 8-5) is 5-5 over its last 10 games after its starting the season with 16 straight wins.

How To Watch: Tennessee at No. 19 Vanderbilt

When: Saturday, 2 p.m. Eastern Time
Where: Memorial Gymnasium 
TV: ESPN
Streaming: WatchESPN.com, ESPN App
Radio: The Vol Network
Radio Stream: SiriusXM, SXM App
KenPom.com Prediction: Vanderbilt 77, Tennessee 73

Tennessee listed J.P. Estrella as questionable on the initial SEC Availability Report Friday night. Head coach Rick Barnes said before practice Friday morning at Pratt Pavilion that the redshirt sophomore power forward is day to day as he continues to deal with soreness in his left foot.

Estrella, who was a partial participant in Friday’s practice, is averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 17.3 minutes per game this season, making seven starts in his 23 appearances. He had 16 points and had nine rebounds in 28 minutes during Tennessee’s 73-63 win over LSU Saturday, including 18 minutes in the second half.

Barnes said after Estrella missed the 89-66 win over Oklahoma on Wednesday that the decisions moving forward would “be based on what (Estrella) feels” after dealing with a foot injury in the past. 

“I don’t think there’s any question it is a concern for him,” Barnes said. “Feet problems are hard to get right. … It’s just some soreness set in and we just have to get it quieting down.”

The Series History

Tennessee is 132-77 all time against Vanderbilt, in a series that dates back to February 1922. The Vols have a 45-55 away record against the Commodores and are 79-21 at home.

Last season Tennessee lost 76-75 at Vanderbilt and won 81-76 in Knoxville. The Vols host Vandy on March 7 this year in the regular-season finale at Food City Center.

Rick Barnes is 17-5 in his career against Vanderbilt, with a 16-5 record against the Commodores as Tennessee’s head coach. The Vols have won 14 of the last 16 in the series, including 11 straight between January 2018 and January 2023.

A closer look at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt started the season a perfect 16-0, including a 3-0 start in SEC play after a win over LSU on January 10, then lost three straight to Texas, Florida and Arkansas. 

The Commodores bounced back with five wins over their next six games, with the loss coming at home against Oklahoma, 92-91 on February 7. Vandy lost 81-80 at Missouri on Wednesday.

Vandy is No. 12 overall in the KenPom ratings, ranked No. 14 in adjusted offensive efficiency (125.3) and No. 19 in adjusted defensive efficiency (97.5). 

Tyler Tanner leads Vanderbilt in points (18.6), assists (5.3) and steals (2.5) while Devin McGlockton (6.9) leads the team in rebounding. 

J.P. Estrella on Friday was listed as questionable on the initial SEC Availability Report for Tennessee basketball’s game at Vanderbilt on Saturday. The availability report will be updated around Noon Eastern Time on Saturday.

Estrella is dealing with soreness in his left foot, which left him limited in practice Friday morning at Pratt Pavilion. He did not play in the 89-66 win over Oklahoma on Wednesday, after being listed as doubtful on the initial availability report on Tuesday.

The Vols on Friday also listed Clarence Massamba as out for the second time in three games as the freshman guard deals with a right hip issue.

Tennessee (19-7, 9-4 SEC) goes to Vanderbilt (21-5, 8-5) on Saturday for a 2 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.

‘I don’t think there’s any question it is a concern for him’

Rick Barnes said before practice Friday morning that Estrella is still considered day to day.

“They were doing some stuff with him yesterday on the treadmill,” Barnes said. “And I believe it will be a day-to-day thing from here on out, I would just guess.”

Barnes added the decisions moving forward would “be based on what he feels” after dealing with a foot injury in the past. 

“I don’t think there’s any question it is a concern for him,” Barnes said. “Feet problems are hard to get right. … It’s just some soreness set in and we just have to get it quieting down.”

In November 2024 Estrella had surgery to address a stress fracture in his left foot, ending his sophomore season after just three games.

Estrella is averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 61.6% from the field in 17.3 minutes per game this season, making seven starts in his 23 appearances. He had 16 points and had nine rebounds in 28 minutes during Tennessee’s 73-63 win over LSU Saturday, including 18 minutes in the second half.

J.P. Estrella this season: 9.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 61.6% FG

He had played 17 or more minutes in seven straight games, including a career-high 35 against Ole Miss on February 3 and 31 at Georgia on January 28.

Estrella has missed two games due to injury this season: November 20 vs. Tennessee State and December 2 at Syracuse. He suffered a bone bruise in a win over Rice on November 17 and a week later turned his ankle in a loss against Kansas in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.

In his last two appearances Estrella is 10-for-14 from the field, scoring 28 points to go with 16 rebounds. He had 11 points and eight rebounds in the loss at Kentucky. 

Barnes noted Wednesday that the current soreness is in a different area of Estrella’s left foot and that Estrella played through some soreness before alerting Tennessee’s staff.

“I think it had been sore and he didn’t tell anybody because I think he wants to play so badly,” Barnes said. “… I think it was sore before he let us know it because he wants to really help this team and his teammates.

“But he can’t do that. He has had that problem with that foot. That is something that you can’t mess around with.”

Beloved sports reporter Wes Rucker, a longtime Tennessee Athletics beat writer, has died. He was 43.

Rucker died in a car crash on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

He was covering the University of Tennessee for WBIR Channel 10 in Knoxville at the time of his death.

“Absolutely devastated to hear the news of the passing of my friend Wes Rucker in a car wreck in Knoxville,“ Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio posted on X. ”Wes was the heart of Tennessee sports coverage in my mind and a wonderful man. He loved his family, friends and the Vols. What an awful tragedy. God Bless his family.”

Alyssa Lang of the SEC Network also posted about Rucker’s death.

“Heartbroken to hear the news about Wes Rucker. Praying so hard for his wife, children, and loved ones tonight,” she said.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Rucker had covered Tennessee Athletics since 2000 for various outlets.

He announced in December that he and his wife were expecting their second child in May.

“Please keep Wes Rucker’s family in your prayers,” Chris Low of On3 and formerly ESPN said on X. “Wes never backed down from a debate or passionately opining on just about anything, which is what made him a fixture on this app.

“What I loved most about him was his love for his little boy Hank and his wife Lauren. Hug those you love a little longer and a little tighter tonight.”

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Rucker died in a crash on I-40 West Thursday afternoon.

The Knoxville Police Department released details about the wreck, including that there was one fatality. However, the department did not release the name of the deceased.

“At around 4:50 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a five-vehicle crash on I-40 West near Cedar Bluff Road,” the police department said in a statement. “The driver of a vehicle involved in the crash was pronounced dead at scene.

“The investigation has revealed that a vehicle was stopped for traffic when it was rear-ended by another vehicle, resulting in minor damage. Another vehicle then struck the second vehicle, setting off a chain reaction. Seconds later, a large pickup truck ran into and on top of an involved vehicle, fatally injuring the adult male driver of the vehicle it collided with.”