Tennessee’s regular season finale against South Carolina at Food City Center sets up to be an emotional one.

Perhaps an outside chance of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament remains, and some momentum going into the SEC Tournament in Nashville next week.

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The main story, at least in the lead up to tip-off and after will be Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack playing their final games in Knoxville.

The two standout guards won’t be the only seniors that the Vols will celebrate in a postgame ceremony. Jordan Gainey, Darlinstone Dubar, Chaz Lanier, Igor Milicic Jr. and Grant Hurst are also going to have one-last go around on their home floor.

But the impact Zeigler and Mashack have had during one of the most successful four year stretches in Tennessee program history can’t be understated or over appreciated.

Their contributions will be appreciated after the game. When the ball is tipped, the No. 4 Vols (24-6, 11-6 SEC) will be playing for conference tournament placement against a Gamecocks (12-18, 2-15) that has given even the best of the league fits this season.

Nothing short of a SEC Tournament title will get South Carolina into the dance. But Lamont Paris’ is capable of dealing Tennessee a senior day blow.

The Gamecocks have taken Auburn and Florida to the wire, and have had leads slip away in the final minute of several games this season.

The Vols will have the challenge of balancing the emotions that come with a home grand finale and trying to regroup from an upset road loss at Ole Miss that put a significant dent in their hopes of a No. 1 seed just three days ago in Oxford.

Here is what you need to know about the match up.

Who: South Carolina (12-18, 2-15 SEC) at No. 4 Tennessee (24-6, 11-6)

When: Saturday, March 8 | 2 p.m. ET

Where: Food City Center | Knoxville

TV: SEC Network (Dave Neal, play-by-play; John Sundvold, analyst)

Radio: Vol Network (Bob Kesling, play-by-play; Bert Bertelkamp, analyst)

Series: 83rd meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 53-29)

KenPom Projection: Tennessee 72, South Carolina 56

POINTS PER GAME:

Tennessee 74.5

South Carolina 70.0

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE:

Tennessee 45.1%

South Carolina 43.1%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE:

Tennessee 34.7%

South Carolina 32.0%

ASSISTS:

Tennessee 15.7

South Carolina 12.7

REBOUNDS:

Tennessee 37.4

South Carolina 34.4

BLOCKS:

Tennessee 5.1

South Carolina 3.0

— How good has the SEC been in 2025? Saturday will mark the first time in more than a year that Tennessee has played back-to-back unranked teams in league play. Ole Miss had spent much of the season in the AP Top 25 before falling out a few weeks before playing the Vols, while South Carolina sits at the bottom of the conference standings.

— A lot can happen in a year. Tennessee clinched its first SEC regular season title in 16 years with a win over South Carolina a year ago. The Gamecocks were an NCAA Tournament-bound team at the time. A league championship isn’t in play for the Vols this time around, but the outcome could determine their seeding in the SEC Tournament.

— Longtime Vol Network basketball broadcast tandem Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp will call their final games at Food City Center on Saturday. Kesling previously announced his upcoming retirement from calling football and men’s basketball games last November, while Bertelkamp made his announcement Friday. The two have called Vols basketball games since 1999-2000.

— Tennessee has won 11 of its last 13 games against South Carolina. The Vols won six of the last seven games in the series by an average of 25.7 point. The two teams split games last year. The Gamecocks are paced in scoring by forward Collin-Murray Boyles with 16.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

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