It's only appropriate that Tennessee's first test in March is essentially a championship game.

The collusion course between the No. 4 Vols and No. 14 Alabama will come to a long-awaited head late Saturday night in Tuscaloosa as the two teams tied atop the SEC standings will face off in a game that will go a very long way in deciding the conference regular season title.

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Tennessee has looked seemingly unstoppable over the last two weeks, clicking at the right time behind superstar guard Dalton Knecht, who continues to make his case for every individual accolade there is in college basketball.

His latest performance is one reason the stakes are so high against the Crimson Tide. The Vols' championship hopes were slowly slipping away after Auburn took an eight-point lead near the midway point of the second half on Wednesday.

Knecht had one of his patented takeovers, scoring 25 of his 39 total points over the last 12 minutes to bring Tennessee back and keep the SEC crown within reach following a 92-84 win over the Tigers in Knoxville.

Knecht has been the missing link between Tennessee's typically elite Rick Barnes' defense and the offensive jolt needed when shots aren't falling on the other end. That marriage could get the Vols far in the NCAA Tournament, but their sights aren't set past Tuscaloosa.

The Vols beat Alabama by 20 in their previous meeting at Food City Center on Jan. 20, but the Crimson Tide, paced by leading scorer Mark Sears, have been dominant on their home floor, winning 12-straight.

Alabama's only blemish over the last five games was a 117-95 loss at Kentucky last Saturday, which allowed Tennessee draw even in the SEC race. It was also one of just two games that the Crimson Tide haven't scored 100-plus points in that span.

Here is a closer look at the match up.

Who: No. 4 Tennessee (22-6, 12-3 SEC) at No. 14 Alabama (20-8, 12-3)

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

Where: Coleman Coliseum | Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: ESPN (Dan Shulman, play-by-play; Jay Bilas, analyst; Jess Sims, reporter)

KenPom: Alabama 85, Tennessee 83

Series: Alabama leads, 82-72

POINTS PER GAME:

Alabama 91.5, Tennessee 80.7

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE:

Alabama 48.4%, Tennessee 45.8%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE:

Alabama 38.1%, Tennessee 34.9%

ASSISTS:

Tennessee 17.1, Alabama 16.4

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REBOUNDS:

Alabama 39.4, Tennessee 39.0

BLOCKS:

Tennessee 4.8, Alabama 4.2

STEALS:

Tennessee 8.0, Alabama 7.5

-- Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht is averaging 25.3 points per game in SEC play. He tied a career-high 39 points against Auburn earlier this week. He is just the ninth player in program history with six 30-point games and the fifth player with four 35-point performances.

-- Tennessee has continued its success on both ends of the floor. The Vols are ranked fourth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing just 91.6 points per opponents 100 possessions, according to KenPom. By the same metric, Tennessee is 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency, averaging 118.9 per 100 possessions.

-- Tennessee is 5-4 in its last nine match ups with Alabama. The Vols have turned the tide as of late, winning the last two games after dropping three in a row. Eight of the last 10 games in the series have had a single-digit scoring margin.

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-- Tennessee led for 39 minutes, 23 seconds and never trailed in its 91-71 win over Alabama in the last meeting between the two teams on Jan. 20 in Knoxville. It was the lowest point total that the Crimson Tide have been held to this season. Knecht and Jonas Aidoo led the Vols with 25 and 19 points, respectively.

-- Alabama boasts the most efficient offense in college basketball, per KenPom. The Crimson Tide average 128.0 points per 100 possessions and lead the league with 91.5 points per game. Defense has been a different story, though. Alabama gives up 102.5 points per opponents possessions, which ranked 101st nationally.

-- Alabama guard Mark Sears leads the team in scoring with 20.6 points per game and steals with 1.8. His scoring is good for second in the SEC behind Knecht. Sears has scored 21-plus points in 14 of his last 16 games.

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