CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Standing at 9-0, the No. 1 Tennessee men’s basketball team heads to The Prairie State for a road battle at Illinois Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET.
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GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Illinois Fighting Illini
- Tipoff: Saturday, Dec. 14 | 5:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: State Farm Center
- Watch Online: Fox
- Online: Listen Live | Live Stats
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Fans can catch Saturday’s game between the Volunteers (9-0) and Fighting Illini (7-2) on Fox. Jeff Levering (play-by-play) and Robbie Hummel (analyst will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Steve Hamer describing the action.
In its most recent action Tuesday night, facing a non-conference opponent as the No. 1 men’s basketball team in the nation for the first time in program history, Tennessee defeated Miami, 75-62, at Madison Square Garden.
Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier scored a game-high 22 points for top-ranked Tennessee (9-0), which trailed for just 35 seconds, in the Jimmy V Classic.
THE MATCHUP
• Each of the four games in the all-time series, which returned last season after a 35-year hiatus, have been won by the home team. Tennessee claimed victories on 12/15/67 and 12/10/85, followed by an Illinois victory on 1/17/88 and a Tennessee win on 12/9/23.
• After a 29-9 (14-6) showing that included an Elite Eight trip, the Fighting Illini were picked fourth in the Big Ten preseason poll.
• Freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis paces Illinois with 15.4 ppg, 5.4 apg and 1.4 spg.
• Tennessee is 34-44 all-time versus the current Big Ten schools. Illinois (3-1), Rutgers (2-0) and Southern Cal (5-3) are the three such schools it is multiple games over .500 against.
• Rick Barnes owns an even 40- 40 record versus the current Big Ten membership. He is 7-8 in his Tennessee tenure, including 6-5 in the regular season, with the wins against seven different schools.
• The Vols are one of just 14 Power Five teams playing two true non- conference road games versus fellow Power Five programs.
NEWS & NOTES
• This is one of five non-conference matchups between 2024 Elite Eight teams, including one of two at a campus site. The others are Alabama/Illinois (N), Alabama at Purdue, Duke/Illinois (N) and NC State/Purdue (N).
• Tennessee is among just seven undefeated DI schools, joining Drake, Florida, Loyola Chicago, Oklahoma, UC Irvine and Utah State. Only UT is also unbeaten in women’s basketball.
• Tennessee is 9-2 all-time as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll. It is 8-1 under Rick Barnes (7-1 in 2018-19, 1-0 in 2023-24) and was 1-1 under Bruce Pearl (1-1 in 2007-08). This is the first time UT is playing a non-conference true road game as the nation’s top team.
• Furthermore, UT is 22-4 all-time as an AP top-three team, including 19-2 under Barnes. Its lone prior non-conference true road game while in the AP top three was a 66-62 win at No. 1 Memphis on 2/23/08, while ranked No. 2.
• In the last five games, Chaz Lanier is averaging 23.4 ppg, with 18-plus in each and 22-plus in four.
• In Tennessee’s first nine games, it led for 339:48 of a possible 360 minutes and trailed for only 6:38.
• Through nine outings, UT’s largest deficit is three points. Meanwhile, it has held a lead of at least 18 points in each game, including an edge of 26-plus in all but one, and won each by at least 13.
• The Vols are seeking their fifth 10-0 start and first in 25 years. The others were in 1999-2000 (11- 0), 1997-98 (10-0), 1922-23 (14-0) and 1915-16 (finished 12-0).
• UT is seeking its 12th double-digit winning streak, including its 10th in a single season. Its last such streak was 19 in a row in 2018-19.
• Tennessee’s 180 wins over the last eight years (2017-25) rank co-eighth nationally, alongside Liberty and Saint Mary’s. Only Gonzaga (220), Houston (214), Kansas (198), Duke (193), Purdue (190), San Diego State (184) and Virginia (181) possess more.
• At 815-415, Rick Barnes is 400 games over .500 in his career and one victory away from tying Rollie Massimino for No. 12 on the all-time DI wins list
WINNING WAYS
• Over the last eight seasons (2017-25), Tennessee paces all SEC programs in total wins (180) and overall winning percentage (.732), plus is tied for first in postseason victories (18). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same eight-year stretch, the Vols are one of only three SEC teams with an overall winning percentage above even .650, alongside Auburn (.730) and Kentucky (.705).
• In SEC play over the same eight-year period, Tennessee (86-39; .688) is second in the league, behind Kentucky (87-38; .696), in both victories and winning percentage. Only Auburn (81-45; .643) and Alabama (78-48; .619) have even 70-plus wins.
• Over just the last four seasons (2021-25), the Volunteers own an 88-28 (.759) overall record, that is good for the most victories and best winning percentage in the SEC over that span.
• In that same four-year span, Tennessee (39-15; .722) is tied with Kentucky for the best record in conference play among SEC teams.
RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES
• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee has and SEC-best 21 AP top-25 wins, good for co- fourth nationally, alongside Purdue. It is behind only Kansas (24), Connecticut (22) and Iowa State (22). Only Marquette (19) is even within two of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC school is three behind (Alabama with 18).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 19 AP top-20 wins over that span, the third-most of any DI school, trailing only Connecticut (21) and Kansas (21). The only other schools with even 17-plus are Purdue (18) and Iowa State (17). The closest SEC program is four shy (Alabama with 14).
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 16 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, trailing just Kansas (19). Only Iowa State (14) and Purdue (13) are even within three of UT, while the closest SEC team is four behind (Alabama with 12).
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, co-first in the SEC and co-fifth nationally, alongside Kentucky and North Carolina. Only Iowa State (11), Kansas (11), Connecticut (10) and Purdue (10) have more. The eight such wins in that time are #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the nation. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.
…AND DOING SO EFFICIENTLY
• Tennessee, at 21-14 (.600), has the best record versus AP top-25 opponents over the last four seasons (2021-25). Auburn (12-10 .545) ranks second, while no one else has a mark above .500.
• The Volunteers are 10 games over .500 (19-9; .679) against AP top-20 teams in that span, while just one other SEC team, Auburn (10-8; .556), is even at a .500 clip.
• UT is also 10 games over .500 (16-6; .727) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, while the next closest SEC team in winning percentage, Auburn (8-6; .571), has half as many wins with the same amount of losses.
• At 8-5 (.615), the Volunteers are the only team in the SEC with a winning record against AP top-10 foes over those four seasons. Kentucky (8-8; .500) places a distant second.
• Tennessee (5-4; .556) and Arkansas (3-2; .600) are the only SEC programs at .500 or better versus AP top-five teams in that four-year stretch.
• The Volunteers, despite their excellent winning percentage, have played the fourth-most games (35) against AP top-25 foes of any SEC team in the last four years (2021-25). They trail just Texas (42), Oklahoma (38) and Alabama (36) in such outings, while no other SEC school is above 30.
POLL PRESENCE
• Tennessee has played 212 games as a ranked team in the AP Poll in Rick Barnes‘ tenure, posting a 160-52 (.755) record. Over 67.0 percent of the Volunteers’ 312 games since Barnes arrived in 2015- 16 have come with the team ranked in the AP Poll, all since 2017-18 (212 of 246, 86.2 percent).
• UT is 139-47 (.747) while in the AP top 20 under Barnes, 108-34 (.761) while top-15, 82-25 (.766) while top-10, 38-12 (.760) while top-five, 19-2 (.905) while top-three and 8-1 (.889) while No. 1.
• The Vols are 29-22 (.569) in AP top-25 matchups under Barnes, including 23-15 (.605) with both teams in the top 20, 14-9 (.609) with both in the top 15 and 7-6 (.538) with both in the top 10.
DYNAMITE “D” A UT TRADEMARK
• Tennessee, through 12/11/24, ranks second nationally in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (88.8), behind only Duke (88.6).
• The Volunteers finished third in 2023-24 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2) and placed fifth in DI in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).
• In 2022-23, Tennessee led the nation in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.5), holding the top spot for 15 total weeks. The Vols also led all DI teams in 3-point defense (26.5) that year, as well as ranked third in both scoring defense (57.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.3).
• In five of the last seven seasons (2017-24), UT has finished top-10 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: third in 2023-24, first in 2022-23, third in 2021-22, fifth in 2020-21 and sixth in 2017-18.
• UT, through 12/12/24, has won 39 times in a row when holding its foe under 60 points, including posting a dazzling 22-0 mark in 2022-23.
• The Vols, through 12/12/24, have won 48 straight when allowing 50 points or fewer, since 12/29/12. That includes 12 such victories in 2022-23, matching Houston for the most of any team that season.
HIGH-CALIBER COMPANY
• Tennessee and Kansas are the only two schools to earn an AP top-five ranking in each of the last four seasons (2021-25). Only two others, Arizona and Purdue, entered 2024-25 with a three-year streak.
• The Volunteers are one of only four teams to reach the AP top six in each of the past five seasons, alongside Alabama, Houston and Kansas.
• UT is one of just five programs to reach the AP top six in at least six of the last seven seasons (2018- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky. Those are also the only five schools to enter the AP top five in at least five different years during that stretch.
• The Vols are among only seven teams to reach the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll in at least two of the last seven seasons (2018-25), joining Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas and Purdue.
• Over that same seven-year stretch (2018-25), UT is also one of seven teams to claim an AP top-two position in at least three seasons, alongside Baylor, Connecticut, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Purdue.
• Tennessee is one of just six schools to earn an AP top-20 ranking in each of the past eight years (2017- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. Just three others—Houston, Michigan State and Purdue—have even reached the AP top 25 in each of those seasons.
• Additionally, over the last three seasons (2022- 25), the Vols are one of just five teams to reach the AP top two in multiple seasons, joining Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas and Purdue.
POLL VOLS
• Tennessee has appeared in every AP Poll since the 2021-22 preseason rankings, a total of 65 releases in a row, vastly surpassing the prior program record of 37 from March 1999 to Feb. 2001. The Volunteers have been in the top 10 in 35 of those 64 releases, including the top five on 15 occasions.
• UT’s 65-week streak is the third-longest in the country, behind only Houston (91) and Kansas (70). No other team is at even 50-plus, while the closest in the SEC, Kentucky (27), is 38 weeks behind.
• Dating to the 2020-21 preseason poll, UT has made 79 of 82 releases (not the final three of 2020-21), with 41 top-10 spots and still 15 in the top five.
• UT reached No. 1 in the nation this season, peaked at fourth last year, ascended to second in 2022-23, ended 2021-22 at a season-best fifth and placed as high as sixth in 2020-21.
• The Vols, who reached No. 1 in 2018-19, have been in the AP top six in six of the past seven years (2018- 25). It hit that mark an equal six times in program history before Rick Barnes‘ tenure (2007-08, 2000- 01, 1999-2000, 1969-70, 1967-68 and 1958-59).
• UT has been in the AP top five in five of the last seven seasons (2018-25). It achieved that feat an equal five times before Barnes’ arrival (each of the above six seasons except for 1969-70).
• The 2024-25 campaign marks the eighth in a row Tennessee has earned a top-20 AP ranking. The prior such program record was seven straight seasons (1966-67 to 1972-73).
• UT’s 15-week AP top-10 streak (12/18/23 to 4/9/24) to close the 2023-24 campaign was the second- longest in program history. Three of the Vols’ five all-time double-digit streaks have come since 2018- 19 under Rick Barnes.
