Jahmai Mashack hit one of the biggest shots of the season for Tennessee basketball on Saturday, draining a walk-off, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Tennessee a 79-76 win over rival Alabama.
The No. 5 Vols (24-5, 11-5) scored a major victory over the No. 6 Alabama (23-6, 12-4) in a matchup that could potentially decide a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The leadup to the play is nearly as interesting as the score itself.
Mashack only got the opportunity for the game-winning shot after Alabama failed to inbounds the ball on the opposite end of the court. Nate Oats did not use either of his two remaining timeouts, with freshman Labaron Philon committing a five-second violation with 3.8 seconds left in the game.
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Mashack also hit the free throws which tied that game at 76-76 with 30 seconds remaining after he earned a foul attempting to get an offensive rebound.
That followed a closely contested, back-and-forth game that saw the Vols come back from down four in the game’s final minute. Here are the highlights, scores and updates from the Vols’ 79-76 win vs. Alabama:
Watch Tennessee basketball vs. Alabama live with Fubo (free trial)
Tennessee vs Alabama basketball score updates
TEAMS1H2HFAlabama423476Tennessee384179
Tennessee vs Alabama updates
Final: Tennessee 79, Alabama 76
Jahmai Mashack hits game-winning 3-pointer for Tennessee
Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack hits a deep 3-pointer with the clock expiring to give Tennessee a 79-76 win over Alabama. The Vols got a chance for the game-winning shot after the Crimson Tide failed to inbounds the ball and got called for a five-second violation.
Alabama-Tennessee tied late in second half
Nate Oats calls a timeout for Alabama after they regain control following a loose ball. With 3.8 seconds left, Alabama will have a chance to win the game.
Jahmai Mashack made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 76-76 with 30 seconds remaining. Mashack forced Alabama to foul him on an offensive rebound attempt.
Alabama holds 3-point lead late in second half vs Tennessee
Mark Sears hit a 3-pointer to give Alabama a 73-70 lead with under two minutes left. Following a Labaron Philon layup after a Tennessee turnover, Rick Barnes and Tennessee call a timeout with Alabama leading 75-72 at the 1:05 mark.
Tennessee recaptures the lead since first half
Jordan Gainey hits a pair of free throws to give the Vols their first lead since there was 4:34 left in the first half. Tennessee leads 70-68 with just under four minutes remaining. A timeout was taken as Alabama’s Grant Nelson was injured on a loose ball foul call against Tennessee.
Tennessee-Alabama tied at under-four-timeout
With the score leveled at 68-68 and 4:15 left in the game, Rick Barnes calls a timeout, bringing up the under-four-media timeout. Tennessee has not scored in the last 2:03, while Alabama’s scoring drought last 2:19.
The Crimson Tide has hit just one of its last eight field goals during the drought.
Tennessee has possession of the ball coming out of the media timeout.
Tennessee ties game on Zakai Zeigler 3-pointer
Down by as many as nine points in the second half, Tennessee is on a 13-4 run to tie the game on a 3-pointer by Zakai Zeigler 3-pointer with 6:31 remaining. Mark Sears will have a chance to put Alabama back ahead after the under-eight-minute media timeout with free throws.
This is the sixth tie of the game, but the first since the first half.
Alabama leads by 6 at under-12 timeout
Alabama continues to lead throughout the second half, holding a 59-53 lead with 10:47 left in the game. Mark Sears has led Alabama with his 15 points and the team is shooting 7 of 16 from 3-point range.
Tennessee has turned the ball over ten times, but continues to stay within reach, stopping any Alabama run with one of its own. The Crimson Tide’s largest lead has been eight.
Tennessee-Alabama locked in tight battle to open second half
Just as it seemed like Alabama was gaining momentum, Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler scores through contact and cuts the Alabama lead to 50-45 with 15:48 left in the game. The Crimson Tide had claimed its biggest lead at 42-35.
Zeigler will shoot a free throw to try and complete an and-1 after the under 16-media timeout.
End of first half: Alabama 42, Tennessee 38
Mark Sears leads Alabama to first half lead over Tennessee
Jordan Gainey scores on an and-1 coast-to-coast buzzer-beating layup to cut the Alabama lead to 42-38 at halftime. The Vols trail by four despite making just one of nine field goals near the end of the half. Mark Sears leads Alabama with 12 points, while Chaz Lanier leads the Vols with 12.
Alabama shoots 54% in the first half, while Tennessee shoots 38%. The Vols had eight turnovers, with the Crimson Tide scoring 12 off them. Alabama missed seven free throws.
The first half featured seven lead changes and five ties.
Alabama takes lead with 10-0 run
A Mark Sears 3-pointer caps a 10-0 run for the Crimson Tide to take a 39-33 lead with 1:48 left in the first half. Tennessee calls a timeout to quell the run, which has been helped by Alabama’s ability to win on the offensive boards.
Sears leads all Alabama scorers with 10 points.
Tennessee leads Alabama before halftime
Neither team is gaining much separation with 3:58 left in the first handle, and Tennessee is leading 33-32 ahead in the first half. The Vols’ largest lead of the first half was five points, while Alabama’s lead was as many as three. The Crimson Tide shoots 52% from the field, while Tennessee shoots 48%.
Chaz Lanier leads all scorers with his 12 points for Tennessee.
Tennessee leads Alabama midway through first half
Tennessee leads 27-26 with 7:20 left in the first half as we arrive at the under-8 media timeout. It’s already been a back-and-forth game with five ties and six lead changes. The Vols have led for over seven minutes of this game.
Cliff Omoruyi and Jarin Stevenson each have two fouls for Alabama. Zakai Zeigler and Darlinstone Dubar have two fouls apiece.
Tennessee holds narrow lead at under-12 timeout
At the under-12 timeout, Tennessee holds a slim 18-16 lead over Alabama. The Crimson Tide is shooting 50% from the field but has missed four of seven free throw attempts. The Vols already have seven turnovers, with Alabama scoring eight off their turnovers.
Chaz Lanier leads all scorers with nine points for Tennessee. Labaron Philon leads Alabama with six points.
Tennessee turnovers lead to Alabama 7-0 run
Chaz Lanier got the Vols off to a quick 7-2 lead with two jumpers and a 3-pointer. However, Tennessee already has three turnovers, which have led to five points off turnovers for Alabama. The Crimson Tide is on a 7-0 run at the under-16 media timeout.
Zakai Zeigler already has two quick fouls and is off to the bench early.
Pregame
Tennessee-Alabama to tip off at 4:05 p.m. on ESPN app
With the Texas Tech-Kansas game running along, tip off for Tennessee-Alabama will be at 4:05 p.m. ET on the ESPN app. The game will be shown on ESPN at the conclusion of the Red Raiders-Jayhawks game
SEC basketball standings
Tennessee enters Saturday’s game sitting fourth in the SEC standings, tied with Missouri. Alabama is second, trailing Auburn by two games and ahead of Florida by one game. The top four teams earn a double bye in the tournament.
Here’s a look at the ACC standings entering Saturday:
Games back in parentheses
- 1. Auburn (—)
- 2. Alabama (2 GB)
- 3. Florida (3 GB)
- T-4. Tennessee (4 GB)
- T-4. Missouri (4 GB)
- 6. Texas A&M (5 GB)
- T-7. Kentucky (6 GB)
- T-7. Ole Miss (6 GB)
- T9. Mississippi State (7 GB)
- T-9. Vanderbilt (7 GB)
- 11. Arkansas (8 GB)
- T-12. Georgia (9 GB)
- T-12. Texas (9 GB)
- 14. Oklahoma (10 GB)
- 15. LSU (11 GB)
- 16. South Carolina (13 GB)
Tennessee-Alabama starters
Here are the starters for both the Vols and the Crimson Tide:
Tennessee:
- G Chaz Lanier
- G Zakai Zeigler
- G Jahmai Mashack
- F Igor Milicic Jr.
- F Felix Okpara
Alabama:
- G Labaron Philon
- G Mark Sears
- G Chris Youngblood
- F Nelson Grant
- C Clifford Omoruyi
‘GameDay’ unanimously picks Vols over Crimson Tide
All the analysts from ESPN’s “College GameDay” picked Tennessee to earn the victory over Alabama in today’s SEC matchup. The Crimson Tide will look to prove Andraya Carter, Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg wrong.
What channel is Tennessee vs Alabama basketball on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
ESPN will televise Saturday’s SEC basketball matchup between Tennessee and Alabama in Knoxville, Tennessee. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login), ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming platform, Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Tennessee vs Alabama basketball time today
- Date: Saturday, March 1
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Thompson–Boling Arena (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Tennessee and Alabama will play on Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m. ET at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tennessee basketball vs Alabama history
- Series record: Alabama leads 81-73
- Tennessee’s last win: 2024 (81-74)
- Alabama’s last win: 2022 (73-68)
According to Alabama’s record book, the Crimson Tide leads the all-time series against the Vols 81-73. Tennessee has won the last three matchups, including an 81-74 victory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, last year.
Tennessee vs Alabama state predictions, picks
Tennessee 81, Alabama 78: Tennessee has found a way to beat Alabama, winning three straight in the series. Granted, this Tide team could bend UT’s defense to its breaking point. But with a potential No. 1 seed on the line and a home crowd behind the Vols, they’ll outlast Alabama’s early barrage and rally for a tight win.
Emilee Smarr, Tuscaloosa News:
Alabama 81, Tennessee 75: Oats thought the Crimson Tide left more to be desired in the second-half against Mississippi State, but the Alabama (23-5, 12-3 SEC) team that showed up in the first 20 minutes can take down any team, including Tennessee (23-5, 10-5 SEC).
Tennessee vs Alabama betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, March 1.
- Moneyline: Tennessee (-185) | Alabama (+150)
- Spread: Tennessee (-4.5)
- Over/under: 158.5
Alabama basketball schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Alabama’s last five results. To view the Crimson Tide’s full 2024-25 schedule, click here.
- Tuesday, Feb. 11: No. 1 Alabama 103, Texas 80
- Saturday, Feb. 15: No. 2 Auburn 94, No. 1 Alabama 85
- Wednesday, Feb. 19: No. 16 Missouri 110, No. 4 Alabama 98
- Saturday, Feb. 22: No. 4 Alabama 96, No. 21 Kentucky 83
- Tuesday, Feb. 25: No. 4 Alabama 111, Mississippi State 73
Tennessee basketball schedule 2024-25
Here’s a look at Tennessee’s last five results. To view the Vols’ last full 2024-25 schedule, click here.
- Saturday, Feb. 8: No. 4 Tennessee 70, Oklahoma 52
- Tuesday, Feb. 11: No. 18 Kentucky 75, No. 4 Tennessee 64
- Saturday, Feb. 15: No. 4 Tennessee 81, Vanderbilt 76
- Saturday, Feb. 22: No. 6 Tennessee 77, No. 7 Texas A&M 69
- Tuesday, Feb. 25: No. 5 Tennessee 65, LSU 59
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