Felix Okpara injury update: Report reveals Tennessee forward's status for Texas A&M game

Tennessee forward Felix Okpara is expected to be available today vs. Texas A&M, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The news broke early on Saturday morning.

“Tennessee forward Felix Okpara is expected to be available today at Texas A&M,” Thamel wrote on Twitter. “He’d been questionable with a lower body injury. He’s the Vols second-leading rebounder.”

This is a massive boost for Tennessee since Okpara is such a key player. With the Vols ranked No. 6 in the country, they’ll need all they can get against No. 7 Texas A&M on the road. Okpara’s rebounding will be key against the Aggies and it seems he is good to go.

Felix Okpara good to go, per report

Okpara is back for Tennessee, which is coming off a comeback win over SEC foe Vanderbilt. Perhaps a win like that spearheaded a great week for Rick Barnes and the Vols.

Tennessee outscored Vanderbilt 50-32 in the final 20 minutes to improve to 21-5 on the season. A huge game for Zeigler, but it was typical of the Volunteers’ star.

“I said, who’s getting respect right now? Who’s getting disrespected? I said, Come on, man, you can’t, the things he was allowing to happen out there that he wasn’t doing,” Barnes said of his halftime message to Zeigler. “And again, I have such a high standard for him, and he’s probably got an even higher one for himself. And I thought the minutes he sat there, I think he’s best when he plays angry and with a chip, that’s when he’s at his best, because he’s always been a fighter his whole life. 

“I’ve said it to you guys. Many times when guys get comfortable and thinking at every game is going to be the same, because it’s not. And I like it when he got that look on his face.”

Okpara, Zeigler and Barnes take on Texas A&M at 12:00 p.m. ET Saturday.