Tennessee Men's Basketball Knocks Off #19 Vanderbilt, 69-65, in Nashville

Volunteers rally from nine-point deficit to claim 15th win in last 17 meetings with in-state SEC rival

Feb. 21, 2026 at 11:51pm

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The Tennessee men's basketball team registered its second AP top-20 road triumph in as many opportunities this season with a 69-65 victory Saturday afternoon at No. 19/18 Vanderbilt. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced the victors with a game-high 17 points as the Volunteers rallied from a nine-point deficit to claim their 15th victory in the last 17 series meetings with their in-state conference foe.

Why it matters

This victory over a ranked Vanderbilt squad on the road marks another impressive win for the Tennessee basketball program, which has now clinched its school-record-tying fifth straight 20-win season. The Volunteers have proven they can win tough road games against top-20 opponents, boosting their NCAA Tournament resume.

The details

Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC) started strong, taking a 15-10 lead after 5:33 of action. But Vanderbilt (21-6, 8-6 SEC) responded with a 24-10 run to go up 34-25 with 4:33 left in the first half. The Volunteers rallied, holding Vanderbilt scoreless for the final 6:08 of the half to trail just 35-31 at the break. Tennessee took the lead early in the second half and the teams traded leads down the stretch, with the Volunteers making key plays in the final two minutes to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday afternoon, February 21, 2026.
  • Tennessee has now clinched its school-record-tying fifth straight 20-win season.

The players

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

A senior guard for Tennessee who scored a game-high 17 points in the victory.

Nate Ament

A freshman forward for Tennessee who tallied 13 points and a team-high 9 rebounds.

Tyler Tanner

A sophomore guard for Vanderbilt who led the Commodores with 16 points.

Jalen Washington

A senior center for Vanderbilt who had 8 points, a game-high 10 rebounds, and a game-high 6 blocks.

Chandler Bing

A freshman wing for Vanderbilt who hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 24-10 run for the Commodores in the first half.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The Tennessee Vols basketball team now visits Columbia, MO, where it plays Tuesday at 8:00pm CT (9:00pm ET) against Missouri, live on SEC Network from Mizzou Arena.

The takeaway

This victory over a ranked Vanderbilt squad on the road marks another impressive win for the Tennessee basketball program, which has now clinched its school-record-tying fifth straight 20-win season. The Volunteers have proven they can win tough road games against top-20 opponents, boosting their NCAA Tournament resume.