Tennessee basketball will host a former player in a non conference game this coming season at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
Former Vol wing DJ Jefferson is now at Gardner-Webb two seasons after leaving Tennessee, and the Vols will host the Bulldogs in a non conference game on Dec. 21 in Knoxville. Jefferson spent two seasons in Knoxville, redshirting his freshman year before playing in just one game during the 2023-24 season.
A former four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, the left-handed wing hit a three-pointer and grabbed two rebounds while playing three minutes in the Vols’ season-opening victory over Tennessee Tech that year.
Jefferson transferred to Longwood after leaving Tennessee and spent just one season with the Lancers, playing in 13 games and averaging 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-5 wing re-entered the portal after the season and committed to Gardner-Webb.
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It’s the second straight season that Tennessee will face Gardner-Webb in Knoxville. The Vols knocked off Gardner-Webb 80-64 in their season-opener a season ago with Chaz Lanier leading the way with 18 points followed by Jordan Gainey’s 17 points and Zakai Zeigler’s 13 points and nine assists.
The 2023-24 season was the Bulldogs’ first under head coach Jeremy Luther. Gardner-Webb struggled a season ago, posting just an 11-20 (5-11 Big South) record.
There aren’t too many players left on Tennessee’s roster that Jefferson played with in Knoxville, but the athletic wing was teammates with Cade Phillips, Felix Okpara and Grant Hurst. The matchup is Tennessee’s penultimate non conference game. Tennessee faces South Carolina State nine days later before opening up SEC play at Arkansas.
