Reed Arena has been a house of horrors for Tennessee as of late. The Vols will look to change that trend Saturday.

Sixth-ranked Tennessee (21-5, 8-5 SEC), which has lost in its last two trips to Texas A&M, play the No. 7 Aggies (20-6, 9-4) as they try and boost their NCAA Tournament resume for a 1 seed in a critical final stretch.

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The Vols looked on firm footing for one of the four top seeds earlier this month when it rattled off three-straight wins, including triumphs of top 15 Florida and Missouri teams, but a loss at Kentucky two weeks ago knocked them down a peg in most projections as February nears its end.

Tennessee responded with an epic come-from-behind win over Vanderbilt at home, headlined by a masterful second half performance from veteran guard Zakai Zeigler, but the Vols will need to take advantage of three more Quad 1 opportunities over the next few weeks, starting with Texas A&M.

The Aggies won five-straight through the end of January and into February, but that run came to a screeching halt after losing by double-digits at Mississippi State last week.

Though offense has been hard to come by at times, both Tennessee and Texas A&M boast two of the best defenses in the SEC, ranking first and fifth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, respectively.

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

What: No. 6 Tennessee (21-5, 8-5 SEC) at No. 7 Texas A&M (20-6, 9-4)

When: Saturday, Feb. 22 | Noon ET

Where: Reed Arena | College Station, Texas

TV: ESPN (Dave Pasch, play-by-play; Fran Fraschilla, analyst)

Radio: Bob Kesling, play-by-play; Steve Hamer, analyst)

Series: 21st meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 12-8)

Line: Tennessee, -1.5

KenPom Projection: Tennessee 64, Texas A&M 63

POINTS PER GAME

Tennessee 74.6

Texas A&M 73.7

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 45.5%

Texas A&M 42.3%

THREE POINT PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 34.1%

Texas A&M 31.3%

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Three thoughts on Tennessee basketball ahead of trip to Texas A&M

ASSISTS

Tennessee 15.8

Texas A&M 12.1

REBOUNDS

Texas A&M 40.9

Tennessee 37.9

BLOCKS

Tennessee 5.3

Texas A&M 4.2

-- The status of one Tennessee starter is uncertain. Center Felix Okpara was listed as questionable on the initial game availability report late Friday. The 6-foot-11 Okpara averages 7.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Texas A&M had no players listed on the report.

-- Tennessee and Texas A&M enter Saturday as two of the best defensive teams in the SEC, ranking first and fifth in adjusted defensive efficiency, respectively. The Vols are holding opponents to just 60.5 points per game (No. 4 nationally), while the Aggies allow 65.5 points (32nd nationally)

-- Tennessee has lost each of its last two games at Texas A&M, falling 68-63 in 2023 and 85-69 last season. The Vols returned the favor two weeks later with a 86-51 dismantling of the Aggies in Knoxville--the largest margin of victory for either team in series history.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Felix Okpara 'questionable' ahead of Tennessee's top 10 tilt at Texas A&M

-- Texas A&M will be the fourth team ranked inside the top 10 of the Associated Press poll on Tennessee's conference schedule. The Vols are 1-2 in the previous three games, losing to No. 8 Florida and No. 1 Auburn on the road and beating the then-No. 5 Gators by 20 earlier this month.

-- Tennessee has three Quad 1 games remaining on its schedule as March looms in Texas A&M, Alabama and Ole Miss. The Vols are currently on the outside looking in the latest Division 1 Men's Basketball Top 16 as the No. 5 overall team behind Auburn, Alabama, Duke and Florida, though that order could change after a number of shakeups this week.

-- Zakai Zeigler could move further up the SEC record books on Saturday. The Tennessee guard ranks fifth in all-time assists with 659 and is five away from tying former Alabama guard Terry Coner (1983-87). Zeigler averages 7.5 assists per game.

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