KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging Tennessee squad looks to continue its push atop the Southeastern Conference standings when it hosts an Oklahoma team seeking consistency on Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Volunteers (18-6), winners of six of their last seven, are firmly in the conference title chase. They are coming off a 73-63 defensive-minded victory over LSU on Saturday, powered by 22 points from Nate Ament and 16 from JP Estrella. Point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie has been the engine, averaging 17.4 points and 4.7 assists over his last seven games, including a 24-point performance in a key road win at Alabama. Oklahoma (13-11) arrives after a 94-78 home win over Georgia, which snapped a five-game losing streak. The Sooners’ recent struggles have been defined by narrow defeats, including three losses by four points or fewer during that skid. Guard Nijel Pack, who scored 18 points with six rebounds against Georgia, is Oklahoma’s primary offensive threat. He has averaged 20.1 points over his last seven outings, including three games of 22 points or more. The matchup pits Tennessee’s formidable defense, which has held opponents to an average of 66.3 points during its 6-1 run, against an Oklahoma offense that has shown explosiveness but inconsistency. The Sooners are 1-6 in true road games this season. Tennessee holds a decisive edge in the recent series, having won the last four meetings. The Vols won 82-75 in Norman last season. Following this contest, Tennessee hits the road to face Vanderbilt on Saturday. Oklahoma returns home to host Texas A&M the same day.