Tennessee will be without senior center Felix Okpara for the second straight game as the Vols get set to host Ole Miss on Tuesday night. The SEC’s Availability Report confirmed Okpara is sidelined again with a left calf injury, one he initially suffered during Tennessee’s dramatic 86-85 win at Georgia last week.
Okpara, who had started all 58 games of his Tennessee career before the injury, managed to finish that Georgia game, but was ultimately ruled out ahead of Saturday’s 77-69 win over Auburn. He was considered a game-time decision, but never saw the floor.
During Monday’s media-open practice, Okpara wasn’t with the main group. Instead, he was seen riding a stationary bike off to the side before getting in some light individual shooting once practice wrapped. While it's encouraging that he's still staying active, it's clear the Vols are exercising caution with their veteran big man.
On the season, Okpara has been a steady presence in the paint, averaging 6.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in just under 27 minutes per game. His length and rim protection have been key components of Tennessee’s interior defense - and while the Vols have depth up front, none of their other bigs offer quite the same blend of size and shot-blocking instincts.
Still, Tennessee’s frontcourt stepped up in a big way against Auburn. The trio of JP Estrella, Jaylen Carey, and DeWayne Brown combined for 31 points and 17 rebounds, providing a physical, high-energy presence that helped the Vols control the paint. They'll look to carry that momentum into Tuesday night’s matchup against an Ole Miss team that’s struggled on the glass all season.
The Rebels rank 14th in the SEC in offensive rebounding and dead last - 15th - in defensive rebounding. That’s a problem when you’re going up against the best offensive rebounding team in the country. Tennessee has been relentless on the boards lately, dominating Georgia 52-27 and Texas A&M 60-35 in recent wins.
The Vols come into Tuesday riding a three-game win streak and sitting at 15-6 overall, 5-3 in SEC play. That surge has vaulted them back into the AP Top 25 and set them up nicely for a manageable stretch of games ahead.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, is trending in the opposite direction. The Rebels are 11-10 overall and 3-5 in the SEC, having dropped three straight heading into their trip to Knoxville.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday night, with ESPN2 carrying the broadcast.