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Tennessee lists Igor Milicic Jr. on SEC Injury Report for Saturday game's vs. Vanderbilt

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•about 17 hours•

GrantRamey

Igor Milicic
USA TODAY IMAGES/Angela Alcantar

Tennessee senior forward Igor Milicic was listed as probable on Friday night’s SEC Injury Report ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game against Vanderbilt at Food City Center. Milicic has been dealing with a left calf issue in recent weeks. 

Vanderbilt listed guard Alex Hemenway as out.

Tennessee (20-5, 7-5 SEC) and Vanderbilt (17-7, 5-6) are scheduled for a 1 p.m. Eastern Time start Saturday on SEC Network.

Milicic has missed the 64-44 win over Florida two weeks ago due to an illness.

Igor Milcic Jr: 11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game

He has started all of Tennessee’s other 24 games this season, averaging 11.0 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game.

Milcic is Tennessee’s third-leading scorer and is fifth in minutes while shooting 49.2% from the field and 32.5% from the 3-point line.

Milicic has been consistently productive during SEC play. He has 45 points, 23 rebounds, nine assists and five blocks over the last three games, since missing the Florida game.  

He had 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the win over Missouri on February 5 and started SEC play with 13 points and 18 rebounds in a win over Arkansas on January 4.

Milicic scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half Tuesday night in Tennessee’s 75-64 loss to Kentucky at Rupp Arena. 

There’s still more Milcic can do for the Vols, according to head coach Rick Barnes. 

“He’s a guy that, when he’s playing the pace that we want him to, I mean, he’s a real playmaker,” Barnes said before practice on Friday afternoon. “He can do a lot of things, but again, he’s playing against a level of competition that he hasn’t played against consistently for the last two months, two and a half months. 

“I just think he’s got a chance to just really finish strong and get so much better these next couple weeks.”

Tennessee lost 76-75 at Vanderbilt on January 18

Tennessee was missing both Milicic and starting point guard Zakai Zeigler against Florida, with Zeigler out due to a right knee injury. Since his return against Missouri, Zeigler has 55 points, 23 assists and eight rebounds.

The Vols lost 76-75 at Vanderbilt on January 18 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, rallying from down 16 points in the second half to have a chance to tie it with 2.8 seconds left, but Chaz Lanier missed the second of two free throws with the game on the line.

Vanderbilt has lost four of six since then, including an 80-68 loss at home against No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday.

“I’m impressed with Mark (Byington) and what he’s done with his group,” Barnes said. “They’ve been right here all year with everyone and he’s done a great job.”

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