Tennessee vs Arkansas Picks and Predictions for Saturday, January 3, 2026

By: Cameron Ross Published 01/03/2026, 11:27 AM ET

Tennessee vs Arkansas Information

The Tennessee Volunteers will be on the road Saturday with a game inside Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, AR, at 3:00 PM against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tennessee is ranked 19th in the nation with 10 wins and three losses on the year, coming into Saturday having won 3 in a row following a 51 victory in their last outing. The Arkansas Razorbacks are the 18th-ranked team in the nation, with 10 wins and 3 losses overall, having won the last five games, following a 29-point home victory against James Madison in their final game of 2025. Stay in the action with our College Basketball Picks.

Tennessee Preview

The Tennessee offense has carried the team this season, averaging 83.9 points on 49% shooting from the floor, and the Volunteers poured in 105 points in their last outing. Defensively, Tennessee has been top-tier as well, holding opponents to 63.7 points per game this season, and has given up an average of just 56 points per game over its current three-game win streak. Ja’Kobi Gillespie leads the Tennessee offense this season, averaging 17.8 points and 5.8 assists per game. Freshman sensation Nate Ament is second on the roster, averaging 15.4 points, and JP Estrella is third on the team, averaging 10.5 points per game. Jaylen Carey averages 9.3 points and leads the team, pulling in 6.9 rebounds per game.

Arkansas Preview

Arkansas is one of the best scoring teams in the country, averaging 90.5 points on 49% shooting from the floor, and the Razorbacks have averaged 105.5 points per game over the last two outings. Defensively, Arkansas held its own this season, allowing 74.8 points per game through 13 games played. Darius Acuff Jr. leads the Arkansas offense this season, averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 assists per game. Meleek Thomas is 2nd on the roster, averaging 15.2 points in just over 26 minutes per game. Trevon Brazile averages 13 points and 7 points to go along with the team’s leading seven rebounds per game.

Tennessee vs Arkansas Prediction

This is a matchup between two top 20 teams, and it will live up to the billing on Saturday. Look for Tennessee to play well for 40 minutes, but Arkansas will do the job on their home floor. Arkansas will thrive in front of its home fans, pulling away late to secure the victory. Both teams have potent offenses that will score a ton of points in this matchup. Take Arkansas to get the win and cover at home in SEC play to pick up their first conference victory of the season Saturday against a top-tier Tennessee team. Final Score Prediction, Arkansas Razorbacks win and cover 87-82.

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