Tennessee basketball is donning a dark night.
The Vols host LSU on Valentine’s Day, taking a twist with “Dark Mode” uniforms while embracing an emo theme. It’s the second time Tennessee pulls out the black clothing, and the first at home, after a loss to Syracuse on the road in December.
LSU enters the game as losers in five of its last six games — including two in a row. The Tigers are in a desolate place, with news coming out Saturday morning that their leading scorer and assister, Dedan Thomas Jr., who hasn’t played since Jan. 28, would be undergoing season-ending surgery.
Tennessee comes in as winners in six of the last eight contests, which would be six teams not from Kentucky. Despite being on the correct side of the win column most night, the inability to play a full 40 minutes has haunted Tennessee. An 18-0 run by Mississippi State on Wednesday nearly shoved the Vols’ once-23-point lead down the drain — but Tennessee prevailed. It also has a 17-point and a 14-point blown-lead loss to Kentucky this season.
Starters
Tennessee
Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Guard Bishop Boswell
Forward Nate Ament
Forward J.P. Estrella
Center Felix Okpara
LSU
Guard Jalen Reece
Guard Rashad King
Forward Pablo Tamba
Forward Marquel Sutton
Center Michael Nwoko
SEC student-athlete availability report
Tennessee will be without junior forward Cade Phillips after he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery earlier in the season.
LSU’s list is a little longer, being without Max Mackinnon and Thomas, who are the Tigers’ two leading scorers this season. They’ll also be missing Jalen Reed and Ron Zipper.
How to watch Tennessee basketball
The Vols and Tigers will be featured on SEC Network for a 6 p.m. ET tip. Mike Morgan will handle play-by-play duties while Mark Wise handles the analyst role on the call.
Radio enjoyers can tune into their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Mike Keith describe the action from Food City Center.
