Tennessee basketball is back in action on Tuesday night as they face South Carolina State after a one week break. The matchup is the Vols’ final in their non conference slate before they open up SEC play at Arkansas later this week.
Here’s everything to know about the matchup from the broadcast details to the betting odds and much more.
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How to Watch — No. 20 Tennessee (9-3, 0-0 SEC) vs. South Carolina State (1-13, 0-0 MEAC)
- Start Time: 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT
- Location: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
- Watch: SEC Network. PxP: Kevin Fitzgerald, CC: Pat Bradley
- Online Streaming: WatchESPN
- Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
- Vol Network radio crew: PxP: John Wilkerson, CC: Chris Lofton
Betting Odds
- Tennessee -46.5 South Carolina State
- Over/under 147.5
- Tennessee -38 South Carolina State
- Over/under 148
Probable Starters
Tennessee (via UT Game Notes):
South Carolina State (via last game):
Where They Land In Rankings
Tennessee:
- AP Poll: No. 19
- Coaches Poll: No. 20
- KenPom: No. 15
- Bart Torvik: No. 15
- EvanMiya: No. 14
Gardner-Webb
- AP Poll: NR
- Coaches Poll: NR
- KenPom: No. 361
- Bart Torvik: No. 361
- EvanMiya: No. 359
Team Stats (via KenPom)
Tennessee:
South Carolina State:
Stat Leaders
Tennessee:
Points: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 17.6 PPG, 42 FG%, 34.7 3PT%
Rebounds: Nate Ament — 6.9 RPG, 5.2 DRPG, 1.7 ORPG
Assists: Ja’Kobi Gillespie — 5.7 APG, 2.8 TOPG, 31.5 MPG
South Carolina State:
Points: Owen Bronston Jr. — 11.7 PPG, 39.6 FG%, 37.9 3PT%
Rebounds: Cameron Clark — 5.4 RPG, 2.5 DRPG, 2.9 ORPG
Assists: Jayden Johnson — 3.7 APG, 2.7 TOPG, 23.7 MPG
Last Five Games
Tennessee:
- 94-52 win versus Gardner-Webb
- 83-62 win versus Louisville
- 75-62 loss versus Illinois (Nashville)
- 62-60 loss at Syracuse
- 81-76 loss versus Kansas (Las Vegas)
South Carolina State:
- 95-70 loss at South Carolina
- 68-54 win versus Brewton-Parker
- 78-72 loss versus USC Upstate
- 102-78 loss at Queens
- 84-44 loss at Charleston Southern
Prediction:
Tennessee comes back from Christmas break to face not only the worst opponent on its schedule but one of the worst opponents that it’s played during the Rick Barnes tenure. The Vols should be well rested and focused coming into this game as they look to enter SEC play on a good note.
South Carolina State is very bad at defending the rim and very bad at scoring at the rim. They’re a legit good offensive rebounding team so Tennessee needs to be locked in there, but otherwise there’s very little challenges that the Bulldogs present.
With the game going on at the same time as the Music City Bowl, it could be a very small and sleepy crowd. But I expect that to matter little.
Tennessee 98, South Carolina State 46
