Volunteers  76    Rebels  65

(15) Tennessee (24-7) vs. Ole Miss (21-9)

Sports Network | March 12, 2010

GAME NOTES: The quarterfinal round of the 2010 SEC Tournament pits the Ole Miss Rebels against the Tennessee Volunteers, the nation's 15th-ranked team.

The winner of this game will take on either Kentucky or Alabama in Saturday's semifinal round.

Tennessee is the SEC East Division's third seed and is coming off a 59-49 victory over a weak LSU squad in yesterday's first round. The Vols have won the SEC Tournament four times, but it has been 31 years since their last title. Last season, Tennessee reached the championship game, only to fall to Mississippi State in a 64-61 final. The 2009-10 Vols are 24-7 overall, and they closed the regular season with three consecutive wins.

Ole Miss, the West Division's second seed, won its only SEC championship in 1981, and the team's 23-46 conference tournament record is far from impressive. The Rebels are 21-9 overall this season, including 9-7 versus league foes, and because the West Division is considerably weaker than the East, they were able to earn a first-round bye in this tournament. Give the team credit, however, as it did win its final four regular-season contests.

Tennessee edged Ole Miss by a 71-69 final in overtime back in January, and the Vols own a 66-38 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams.

Tennessee struggled at the offensive end in yesterday's win over LSU, as the team shot just 37.7 percent from the floor, including a woeful 4-of-23 effort from three-point range. The Vols also committed 17 turnovers in the affair. Fortunately, they did earn a 17-6 edge in points from the foul line and a 41-34 rebounding advantage. Wayne Chism scored 17 points and ripped down 11 rebounds to lead the way for Tennessee. J.P. Prince added 11 points, and Brian Williams secured 14 boards. The Vols owned the second-best scoring margin in the SEC (+9.8 ppg) heading into this tournament, surprising considering the fact that it doesn't possess a single player ranked in the top 20 in the league in scoring. Scotty Hopson paces the team 12.7 ppg, and Chism checks in with 12.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg.

Rebels' standout guard Chris Warren ranked third in the SEC in scoring with 17.2 ppg and ninth in assists (3.4 apg) at the close of the regular season. Ole Miss is second in the league in scoring with 78.4 ppg, and the team shoots the ball efficiently from three-point range. The Rebels are second best in assist/turnover ratio and have the talent in place to make a run in this event. In addition to Warren, the club relies on Terrico White, who is generating 14.4 ppg. Also, Murphy Holloway brings an even 10.0 ppg and 7.6 rpg to the mix. Eniel Polynice (9.8 ppg) is known more for his passing ability than scoring prowess, as he has 119 assists to his credit. Defensively, the Rebels are limiting foes to 69.9 ppg on 41 percent shooting from the floor.

Just like the regular-season meeting between these two teams, today's affair will be decided in the final minute and may require an extra session. Give a narrow edge to the rested Rebels.

GAME NOTES: The quarterfinal round of the 2010 SEC Tournament pits the Ole Miss Rebels against the Tennessee Volunteers, the nation's 15th-ranked team.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Bridgestone Arena (19,395) -- Nashville, Tennessee. Television: SEC Network. Home Record: Tennessee 15-1, Ole Miss 12-4. Away Record: Tennessee 5-5, Ole Miss 6-4. Neutral Record: Tennessee 4-1, Ole Miss 3-1. Conference Record: Tennessee 11-5, Ole Miss 9-7. Series Record: Tennessee leads, 66-38.

Friday, March 12th, 3:15 p.m. (et)

Ole Miss 71, Tennessee 68