Tennessee coach Rick Barnes walks off the court after losing a NCAA basketball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Feb. 28, 2026. Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn vs Tennessee Prediction - SEC Men's Basketball Tournament

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Jonathan Williams | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 5:10 PM ET

A look at the predictions for the second round matchup between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Auburn Tigers.

The stage is set for Tennessee's second round matchup against the Auburn Tigers for the SEC tournament. The Volunteers received a first round bye and were set to play either Mississippi State or Auburn, ultimately the Tigers came out victorious on Wednesday.

Tennessee played Auburn earlier in the regular season and beat the Tigers by a final score of 77-69 in Knoxville. The Volunteers are set to make the NCAA Tournament again this season while the Tigers are fighting for their spot in the bracket.

So with that said, here are what the predictions look like for Thursday's matchup between these two SEC teams.

Tennessee vs Auburn Predictions - SEC Tournament

Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

According to ESPN analytics, Tennessee has a 66.9 percent chance of winning, which leaves Auburn at a 33.1 percent chance. DraftKings has the Volunteers listed as a 5.5-point favorite over the Tigers as well.

Perhaps the best news for Tennessee ahead of Thursday's game is that freshman Nate Ament is expected to play for the Vols. Ament has been dealing with a lower body injury, but was listed as questionable on Wednesday's availability report. Ament also returned to practice earlier in the week, so all signs point to him playing against Auburn.

Ament has been nothing short of electric for the Volunteers throughout the 2025-2026 season. The freshman is currently averaging more than 17 points, while completing over 40% of his field goals. He has also been a tremendous asset on the glass, accounting for just under 6.5 rebounds a game.

The freshman's contributions have not only been impactful, but have been somewhat a necessity to the team's success, as he currently leads the team in rebounds and is second in scoring behind Ja'Kobi Gillespie.

If Tennessee beats Auburn on Thursday, then they will move on to the quarterfinal round to play Vanderbilt. The Volunteers played Vanderbilt twice in the regular season and they split the series. Tennessee took the first game on the road by a final score of 69-65 and then the Commodores took the win in Knoxville by a final score of 86-82.

According to bracketology, Tennessee is currently projected as a five seed for the NCAA tournament. Their current projected opponent is Northern Iowa. If the Volunteers can make a run in the SEC tournament, they could work their way into a four seed.