One way in which children learn is looking at similar pictures and determining which one is not like the other. Alabama is going to see something quite a bit different when the Crimson Tide hosts Tennessee.

The Crimson Tide (12-9 overall and 4-4 in Southeastern Conference games) takes on the Volunteers (also 2-9 and 4-4) in Coleman Coliseum at 6 p.m. CST Tuesday. ESPNU will televise the game.

One way Bama and the Vols are alike in addition to records is that both are in need of victories. Alabama has lost two games in a row for the first time since dropping back-to-back games to then-No. 6 North Carolina and Iowa State in the Bahamas in late November. U-T is on a three-game losing streak.

Alabama Coach Nate Oats said, “Tennessee is almost opposite of what you have at Arkansas. It’s like two totally different games.”

Whereas Arkansas was almost a five-guard team, Oats said, “Tennessee last game (an 86-73 loss at Mississippi State) almost started three forward-centers. Tennessee has two guards, couple wings, and the rest are bigs.

“So rebounding is going to be huge. Can we rebound if we do play small?

“They don’t run much, but when they do they have some athletes who can finish on the breaks. We can’t give them anything in transition.

“We can’t let them punching the ball. They do a great job of punching the ball into the post.

“They give great screens.

“Two games ago (a 90-76 loss at LSU) we really got pounded on the glass. Now we’re going against a big team and we’re really going to have to really rebound the ball well if we’re going to win it.”

The Tide ranks fourth in the nation and first in the SEC in scoring at 82.2 points per game and is eighth in the nation in three-point field goals made per game at 10.2. Bama leads the conference in treys made (215) and in three-point shooting percentage, 34.7 percent.

Tennessee is 12th in the conference in scoring at 66.5 ppg, but first in the league in scoring defense, allowing 61.2 ppg. Alabama is last in the league in scoring defense, giving up 77.5 ppg. The Vols are tops in the SEC in assist-turnover ration, Bama 11th.

The teams are actually close in rebounding, but in different ways. The Tide is second in the league in rebounds, but is last in the conference in opponents’ rebounds — averaging 42 collected per game on each side. Tennessee gets 33.1 per game, opponents 37.1.

Beetle Bolden may be able to play Tuesday

With Herb Jones out indefinitely with a fractured wrist and Beetle Bolden out with illness recently, Alabama’s most recent starting lineup was 6-3 sophomore point guard Kira Lewis, Jr. (team-leading 16.4 points per game and team-leading 4.7 assists per game), 6-5 junior guard John Petty, Jr. (15.4 ppg, team-leading 7.2 rebounds per game), 6-3 freshman guard Jaden Shackelford (13.4 ppg), 6-9 junior forward Alex Reese (9.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg), and 6-9 post player Javian Davis (6.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg).

Bolden was able to practice this week and the 6-0 graduate transfer guard should be available for at least limited game time. He averages 8.4 ppg. The only others in the available rotation among scholarship players are 6-9 junior post player Galin Sith (2.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and 6-4 freshman guard Jaylen Forbes (2.6 ppg).

Tennessee’s usual starting lineup is 6-5 senior guard Jordan Bowden (leading scorer at 12.6 points per game), 6-2 fifth-year senior guard Lamonte Turner (12.3 ppg), 6-9 fourth-year junior forward John Fulkerson (11.6 ppg, team-leading 6.0 rebounds per game), 6-6 junior wing Yves Pons (11.1 ppg), and 6-6 freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James (7.8 ppg). Leading assist man is 6-3 freshman guard Santiago Vescovi at 3.6 per game.

(Among interesting countries of origin for the Vols are 6-8 forward Olivier Nkamhoua of Finland, Vescovi of Uraguay, 7-0, 240-pound forward Uros Plavsic of Serbia, and Pons of France.)

Alabama has an all-time record of 79-69 vs. Tennessee, including a 45-18 record in Tuscaloosa and 28-9 mark in Coleman Coliseum.

This is the only game between Bama and the Vols in regular season play this season.