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When Tennessee basketball travels to Nashville to play Vanderbilt in a highly-anticipated version of the in-state rivalry, an iconic voice will be heard on the call. Dick ‘Dickie V’ Vitale announced on his X account that his bloodwork came back, and the lab said the results were ‘terrific’.
Now, he’s good to ‘relax’ and travel to see the Vanderbilt-Tennessee showdown. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. The Commodores’ home arena, Memorial Gymnasium, will be sold out, as well. The gym holds a capacity of 14,316.
Joining Vitale on the call will be Dave O’Brien doing play-by-play and Cory Alexander in an analyst role.
Just learned from Dr Brown that the bloodwork I did has come back & report was that the lab said they were terrific .Now I can relax & head to @VandyMBB vs @Vol_Hoops game Sat on @espn 2PM EST -Will be intense @SEC battle! Join Dave O’Brien – Corey Alexander & me !
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) February 20, 2026
Tennessee enters the game unranked in the AP Poll, but would likely jump back into the top-25 with a win. The Vols sit at 19-7 (9-4 SEC) on the year, with wins in seven of their last nine games.
Conversely, Vanderbilt is slotted at No. 19 in the AP Poll and is 21-5 (8-5 SEC) on the season. The Commodores have lost two of their last four, dropping games at Missouri and at home against Oklahoma, and beating Auburn on the road and Texas A&M at home.
“Mark (Byington) has done a great job ever since he’s been at Vandy,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said before the game. “I’ve watched him put together his first team, then his second team. He knows what he’s looking for. He’s got a system and he believes in it. I think one of the big things with this year’s team, I love the improvement of the players that return. His returning players have certainly gotten better. And he’s had to deal with injuries like most of us do at some point in time. And he’s done just a terrific job. He really has.
“Got off to a great start, obviously, winning a preseason tournament and he carried it over into a league where his teams, like everybody, we go through the ups and downs. And I thought when they hit a little skid there, I thought it was the travel. It was a really wicked part of the schedule there. But he’s done a great job. He really has done a great job.”
The game will also mark the return of Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey. He joined the Vols this offseason after spending one year under Mark Byington with the Commodores.
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