How to watch: No. 1 Alabama basketball at No. 10 Tennessee

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama is the top team in college basketball for the second time in program history. The Crimson Tide (22-3, 12-0 in the SEC) took the top spot in both the Associated Press top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll released Monday.

Alabama’s first test on the top of the mountain will be a big one as it travels to No. 10 Tennessee (19-6, 8-4) on Wednesday. The two programs are currently heading in different directions as the Crimson Tide has won 13 of its last 14 games while the Volunteers have lost 3 of 4.

Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday’s matchup.

Who: No. 1 Alabama (22-3, 12-0) at No. 10 Tennessee (19-6, 8-4)

When: 6 p.m. CT, Wednesday, Feb. 15

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn.

Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Jay Bilas; sideline: Alyssa Lang)

Listen: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; engineer Tom Stipe)

Jaden Bradley: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, freshman

Stats: 7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 43.8% FG, 31.6% 3-pt

Mark Sears: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, junior

Stats: 14.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 43.5% FG, 39.3% 3-pt

Brandon Miller: 6-foot-9, 200 pounds, freshman

Stats: 18.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 45.5% FG, 42.7% 3-pt

Noah Clowney: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds, freshman

Stats: 9.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 0.8 apg, 49.1% FG, 26.9% 3-pt

Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 5.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.6 apg, 60.4% FG

Zakai Zeigler: 5-foot-9, 171 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 10.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.4 apg, 37.2% FG, 31.3% 3-pt

Santiago Vescovi: 6-foot-3, 192 pounds, senior

Stats: 12.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 38.8% FG, 35.2% 3-pt

Julian Phillips: 6-foot-8, 198 pounds, freshman

Stats: 9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 41.7% FG, 27.0% 3-pt

Olivier Nkamhoua: 6-foot-9, 236 pounds, senior

Stats: 10.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 54.2% FG, 39.3% 3-pt

Jonas Aidoo: 6-foot-11, 241 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 4.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.29apg, 46.9% FG, 29.4 3-pt

Locked in a close game on the road against Auburn last week, Alabama turned to its “microwave” man for instant production off the bench.

Over the course of less than a minute, the freshman guard put together the most important sequence of the game, helping the Crimson Tide pull away for good. It started with 5:59 remaining when he hit a pair of free throws to put the Crimson Tide up 63-62. Griffen then blocked a 3-point attempt from Wendell Green Jr on Auburn's ensuing possession before connecting on a 3 on the other end to extend Alabama's lead to 66-62 with 5:19 left in the game.

Griffen finished the game with a team-high 16 points, including 11 after the break. He shot 5 of 7 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. After taking a while to break in at the college level, Griffen has developed into a deadly option off the bench. The sharp-shooting guard has now scored in double figures in four of his last five games, going a combined 13 of 24 from deep over that span.

“Everybody knew Rylan was a microwave the minute he got here this summer,” Alabama forward Noah Gurley said Tuesday. “Everyone knew he could shoot it. Early in the year, it wasn’t falling. But he was playing extra hard, so Coach just told him to stay confident, keep shooting. Everybody know’s Rylan’s a sniper. It’s not a surprise what he did.”

Alabama could be down a starter against Tennessee as head coach Nate Oats announced center Charles Bediako is day-to-day after suffering a minor knee injury during Saturday’s game against Auburn. Oats said the 7-foot sophomore has shown improvement from the injury every day and will be a game-time decision against the Volunteers.

According to a report from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein on Thursday, Alabama is "leaning towards a go" when it comes to Bediako's availability against the Volunteers.

Bediako played 28 minutes against Auburn, recording 6 points and five rebounds to go with two blocks. He has started all 25 of Alabama’s games this season and is averaging 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 60.4% from the floor. He’s also one of the Tide’s best defensive players, averaging 1.6 blocks per game.

If Bediako is unable to go against Tennessee, Noah Gurley figures to be the leading candidate to take his place in the starting lineup. After starting 14 games last season, the graduate transfer has served in a reserve role this year, averaging 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 44.9% from the floor and 27.1% from beyond the arc over 15.9 minutes per game off the bench.

While Gurley’s role could increase dramatically in Bediako’s absence, the former Furman transfer has seen limited action lately. Over the past three games against LSU, Florida and Auburn, he’s combined for just nine minutes on the court, failing to score over that span.

“It’s not like we don’t trust him,” Oats said Tuesday. “Sometimes the matchups haven’t been right, like the Florida game, and we’ve got some young guys playing really well, too. I mean, Brandon Miller’s arguably the best player in college basketball as far as wings, forwards go. Brandon can kind of bump down and play the four some, so Brandon’s gonna play a lot of minutes.

“Depending on who we play and matchups and stuff, it’s just hard to get him minutes with some of the matchups that we’re playing.”

The lack of action hasn’t affected Gurley, who has put his ego aside to support his teammates during his final season of college basketball.

“I’m not complacent, but I realize I’m blessed,” Gurley said. “I’ve had a great hoop career so far. I don’t have any selfish bones in me. I get joy out of watching my teammates hoop, especially the younger ones. Like going in there and seeing Rylan hoop at Auburn like that. That felt better than if I would have did it. I love to see my brothers out there hooping, so it’s not a problem at all.”

— Alabama has posted five wins over top-25 opponents in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history, going 10-5 over the span.

— The Crimson tide is 14-12 against AP Top 25 teams during Nate Oats’ tenure.

— Alabama is looking to improve to 23-3, which would be the program’s best-ever record through 26 games, surpassing the 1975-76 season (22-4).

— Alabama is one of two teams in the last 25 seasons to start SEC play 12-0, joining the 2011-12 Kentucky team that went on to play in the national championship game.

— Tennessee sits at No. 3 in the NCAA’s NET ratings after holding steady at No. 2 from Jan. 3 through Feb. 8.

— During SEC play, the Volunteers lead the league in scoring defense (58.6 ppg) and assists per game (16.1).

— Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler averages a league-best 7.0 assists during SEC play while ranking among the league leaders in both assist/turnover ratio (2.31, fourth) and steals (2.04, third).