COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Volunteers, looking to rebound from a tough home loss, visit the struggling South Carolina Gamecocks in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball matchup Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena. Tennessee (20-8) enters the contest having dropped two of its last three, including a narrow 71-69 defeat to Alabama on Saturday. The Volunteers are led by standout guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who scored 26 points and dished seven assists in the loss. Over his last eight games, Gillespie has averaged 19.1 points and 5.5 assists, establishing himself as the team’s primary offensive catalyst. South Carolina (12-17) has lost five of its last six games, most recently an 87-68 road loss to Georgia. The Gamecocks will rely on the scoring of guard Meechie Johnson, who poured in 20 points against the Bulldogs and has averaged 22.0 points over his last seven contests. His season high of 35 points came in a close loss at Texas on Feb. 3. The Volunteers have dominated the recent series, winning the last five meetings. In their Jan. 24 matchup in Knoxville, Tennessee secured a 79-73 victory. For Tennessee, this game represents a critical opportunity to stabilize its postseason seeding before hosting Vanderbilt on March 7. The Volunteers’ resume is bolstered by key wins over Oklahoma, LSU, and Alabama earlier in conference play. South Carolina, mired near the bottom of the SEC standings, will aim to play spoiler on its home floor. The Gamecocks have shown offensive flashes, notably in a 97-89 win over Mississippi State on Feb. 21, where Johnson had 21 points and nine assists, but have struggled with consistency. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern. Following this game, South Carolina travels to face Mississippi on Saturday, March 7.