LAS VEGAS – Tennessee’s identity showed up in full force Tuesday night, and the Vols believe that gritty performance will matter even more when they take the floor tonight against Kansas.
Coming off a revenge-driven 76–73 win over No. 3 Houston, a team that ended their NCAA Tournament run last spring, Tennessee leaned on toughness, defensive edge and a breakout effort from sophomore guard Bishop Boswell. The Vols expect to carry that same fight into their matchup with the Jayhawks.
Forward Jaylen Carey said the group takes pride in playing with an edge.
“We’re a hard-working group. We’re some, bunch of dogs. We’re going to go out there, fight, be pesky, shoutout to Bishop Boswell, he was a big dog, today, for sure!”
Houston’s physicality has long been a measuring stick for Tennessee. The team has rewatched the Elite Eight matchup numerous times throughout the 2025-26 season, and Carey said the Vols knew what to expect.
“We watch it all the time in film. Coach Barnes emphasizes that game a lot. We even watched it (Tuesday).”
Despite the Cougars’ reputation, Carey said Tennessee matched and exceeded their intensity.
“They were definitely physical, but we out toughed them tonight.”
For Tennessee’s frontcourt, the matchup was another chance to prove its national stature.
“We are the best front court in the country, I truly believe so,” Carey said. “We ain’t even get DeWayne Brown out there, yet. I truly believe we are the best front court in the country.”
Boswell’s effort, from disrupting screens to generating turnovers and bringing relentless energy, reminded Carey of another Tennessee defensive standout.
“He brings what Shack (Jahmai Mashack) was last year for that team. He definitely like Shack in my eyes. He’s our top dog for sure on defense.”
Center Felix Okpara, one of the returners who felt last season’s postseason loss, said the win carried extra meaning.
“It means a lot, especially to the guys who were here last year. We lost to them in the NCAA Tournament and we came out with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to get our revenge.”
Okpara said the difference Tuesday was how Tennessee responded when Houston tried to impose its will.
“We played more aggressive. We didn’t shy away from contact and we didn’t get scared when we got punched. You know, we just kept on playing.”
Turnovers, a recurring issue early in the season, improved in the win and will be key again tonight.
“It was very important. It was key. We definitely took care of the ball really good this game,” Okpara said. “We had a couple of sloppy turnovers, but we’re going to clean that up.”
The Vols entered the game averaging double-digit turnovers but committed just nine against Houston. That number is notable considering the Cougars were forcing nearly 14 turnovers a game heading into the meeting.
With Kansas next, another physical and disciplined opponent, Tennessee expects the Houston win to be more than a resume boost.
It is a blueprint.
The Vols proved they could win a grind-it-out, possession-by-possession battle.
The Volunteers (7-0) and Jayhawks (5-2) both won for a second consecutive day in the 18-team event Tuesday. However, they lost out on a point-differential tiebreaker, leaving Michigan and Gonzaga to claim spots in the Wednesday championship game.
Tennessee will now battle Kansas for a third-place finish.
