The biggest game of the college basketball regular season tips off Saturday night in Memphis, Tennessee when the No. 1 Memphis Tigers plays host to the No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers. The biggest game in state history has tickets going for as much as $10,000 on StubHub.com.

 The game has been much anticipated since last season when UT absolutely tamed the Tigers 76-58, with a career-high 34 points from Chris Lofton. This year however, Memphis is undefeated and will likely do their best to avenge last year's embarrassing road loss.

Bragging rights are on the line for both fan bases. Each team is representing the Volunteer State on the national stage incredibly well. The Vols are 24-2, which is the best 26-game start in school history, and their ranking in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Poll is their highest ever. The Tigers 26-0 start is their best ever as they try to become the first team since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to win a national championship without losing a single game.

Memphis is a talented team, and they deserve to be undefeated. Every time a team steps onto the hardwood, there is a possibility they could lose. That much was clear last Saturday night when the Tigers almost dropped a game to Alabama-Birmingham. UAB was the last team to beat the Tigers in conference play, almost two years ago.  

One thing the so-called “experts” fail to point out about Memphis is that they have not gone on the road and beaten anyone of significance during their non-conference schedule. All of their tough games were at home. Some may argue that beating Oklahoma and Connecticut in the 2K College Hoops Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York was a road game, but they deserve only partial credit for that neutral court win. However, at home Memphis took care of then AP No. 5 Georgetown 85-71 on Dec. 22 and also then AP No. 17 Arizona 76-63 one week later.

It's tough to complain about UT’s road schedule this year. They won at Cincinnati and beat No. 16 Xavier 82-75. The Vols also went to Spokane and defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs on a neutral court 82-72 one week later. Gonzaga lost to Memphis 81-73 in Memphis. That game wasn't quite as close as the final tally inidicates.

The Tigers and the Vols press on defense and run the fast break like no other.

 After Gonzaga lost to Memphis many of their players picked Memphis to beat UT. I don’t give their predictions much credit since they played both teams about a month apart. Memphis had more chemistry at that point in the season than the Vols had in December. The Bulldogs also froze in FedEx Forum, something I don’t expect the Vols to do.

This is the fifth match up involving teams ranked 1-2 from the same state. North Carolina-Duke and Cincinnati-Ohio St. have played each other twice with the No. 2 team being the winner every time. UT is playing the top team in the AP Poll for the third time in 13 months and the 13th time in school history. The Vols are 2-10 so far with their last win over a top-ranked opponent coming Dec. 2, 1969 against South Carolina.

 Both teams play a similar style of play. In its most basic form, they attack, attack, attack on both offense and defense. The Tigers and the Vols press on defense and run the fast break like no other. The Vols like to shoot the 3-point shot while Memphis uses dribble penetration to set up open shots.

 The position battles really interest me in this game. Both teams are deep and talent will be in abundance.

FRONTCOURT

Many observers love Joey Dorsey of Memphis. He can block shots and grab rebounds, but that still does not impress me. As good as Memphis is, he is a weak link simply because he is the only one on the floor who can’t create his own shot. This was obvious when he only scored one point against UAB. His footwork is terrible. If you don’t believe me, explain to me why he has fouled out in four games. He averages three fouls per game so it should be easy for the Vols big men to sit him on the bench. He is the only player I know who gets more fouls than points. Robert Dozier does a good job at the power forward position and his battle with Tyler Smith should be one for the ages. If Tennessee goes into a zone, expect the Tigers to get the ball into Dozier’s hands at the high post. This is one of the ways Memphis beat Georgetown. The high post forces a zone defense to either collapse on the man with the ball leaving other players open, or if an opposing team doesn’t react, the high post man can shoot a high percentage shot from the free throw line.

 UT’s big men are not slouches. Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith have really meshed in their first season together. Chism has his moments of greatness but needs to be more consistent when he is banging down low. He has a tendency to miss close shots. You can’t give Memphis any easy opportunities with the way they crash the boards and get out on the break. Chism can take Dorsey away from the basket with his shooting, if he finds his range. Smith is Mr. Do-It-All for UT. Many outside the program wondered how he would fit in after transferring from Iowa. All he has done is lead the team in rebounds, assists and rank second on the team in steals. Don't forget, he's also third in scoring.

Advantage: Tennessee

BACKCOURT

Both squads use a three-guard lineup to start the game. Memphis’ use of Antonio Anderson, Derrick Rose and the impressive Chris-Douglas Roberts will definitely test the pressure that the Vols defense generates. UT forces 20 turnovers a game and scores 23 points off other teams' mistakes. CDR, as fans have dubbed him, really scares me. He can heat up in a hurry. His game is so versatile. He can use his quickness to get to the rim or shoot with his improved range. Rose is one of the fastest players in college basketball, and he uses it well to get to the basket. Antonio Anderson is more known for his defense yet his offense can give the Tigers a spark if needed.

 Tennessee’s trio of Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Ramar Smith push the ball like nothing Memphis has seen this year. JaJuan turns the jets on sometimes and just amazes with his end-to-end speed with the ball in his hand. Lofton has the prettiest shot in the nation and his reputation of a three-point shooter opens the floor for his teammates. Ramar Smith is probably the fastest Vol and he can get to the rim in a hurry. The key for Memphis is to close out on UT’s shooters. If the Vols hit early and often it will be a long day for the home team.

Advantage: Tennessee

BENCH

 The Tigers are deep as well. Andre Allen, Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack and Shawn Taggart can and will not hesitate to shoot the three. The thing that separates Taggart from the other three is he stands at 6-10 and will present problems for any Tennessee big man guarding him.

With the return of forward Duke Crews, the Vols have out rebounded their last eight opponents by a +5 margin. Senior guard Jordan Howell is a calming force who is used to slow the game down just a little bit when the Big Orange get out of hand. Brian Williams is another big body who plays good defense from time to time. He needs to show more consistency and confidence on the offensive end. Josh Tabb is seeing more minutes lately and he should get plenty Saturday. He is more of a defensive player and with UT’s starting guards standing at 6-2, expect Tabb to be assigned to Douglas-Roberts. I can’t forget about J.P. Prince. This is essentially a home game for him. I expect him to show out in his first game back to Memphis since his high school days. If UT needs a momentum changer, he can definitely provide it with one of his highlight reel dunks.

Advantage: Tennessee

COACHING

I think I want to see the chess match between the coaches more than the actual players. This is another opportunity for Bruce Pearl to prove what an outstanding coach he is. John Calipari is a great recruiter. I am just not convinced on his coaching abilities. I’m not saying he is a terrible coach, he just gets more credit than he deserves. Rarely have I seen Calipari make any adjustments or get on his players for making bad decisions. Pearl however, will not hesitate to speak with a player about something done wrong. He has transformed a program that was left for dead into a title contender in a three year span. Calipari has done well in his own right. Still, I give Pearl the advantage here despite Calipari's impressive record.

Advantage: Tennessee

PREDICTION

I believe the Vols will upset the Tigers. Memphis is second to last in the nation with free throw shooting. The Tigers have not faced very many challenges in league play. That lack of competition might leave them soft, unlike the Vols whose schedule has provided quite a few tests. Coach Pearl's influence can't be underestimated and neither can his game plan. Expect Pearl to have his team loose, focused, and prepared to execute.