Tennessee basketball is gearing up to play Mississippi State for the only time this season. The No. 7 Vols (16-2, 3-2 SEC) host the No. 14 Bulldogs (15-3, 3-2) on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) at Food City Center.

Mississippi State won a thriller against rival Ole Miss on Saturday, snapping the team’s two-game losing streak, but it won’t get any easier in the treacherous

Mississippi State Bulldogs (15-3, 3-2 SEC) at Tennessee Volunteers (16-2, 3-2 SEC) Knoxville, Tennessee; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: No. 15 Mississippi State takes on No. 6 Tennessee after Riley Kugel scored 21 points in Mississippi State's 84-81 overtime victory against the Ole Miss Rebels.

The lone meeting this season between No. 14 Mississippi State and No. 6 Tennessee will be of national significance Tuesday night in Knoxville, Tenn. Mississippi State (15-3, 3-2 SEC) met

The Bulldogs ... Tennessee a 43-34 halftime lead. Tennessee led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter and MSU could never get it below seven. Jerkaila Jordan led Mississippi State ...

Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee will be looking to regroup, especially defensively, from Saturday afternoon's 76-75 loss at Vanderbilt on Tuesday night when the No. 6 Volunteers host No. 14 Mississippi State. The Tennessee Volunteers lost their defensive mojo during Saturday afternoon's 76-75 loss at Vanderbilt.

There’s no such thing as a must-win game in mid-January of a Southeastern Conference basketball season that goes well into March. That doesn’t mean it can’t sometimes seem that way.

Tennessee defeats Mississippi State on Thursday. They will play again on Sunday where they will travel to Nashville, Tennessee to take on Vanderbilt.

Tennessee went 1-1 over the week. Along with the loss to the Commodores, the Lady Vols picked up a big win over Mississippi State, 86-73.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (15-3, 2-2 SEC) at Tennessee Volunteers (14-2, 2-2 SEC) Knoxville, Tennessee; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Mississippi State visits No. 15 Tennessee after Eniya ...