The SEC announced a basketball scheduling change at the spring meetings in Destin, Fla., on Thursday, and it will result in the Vols playing two of their biggest rivals every season.
In the updated format, every team in the SEC will play its three “permanent opponents” twice per season, while playing every other team in the SEC at least one time per year.
The Vols have been paired with Kentucky, Vanderbilt and South Carolina as permanent opponents, restoring the opportunity to play the Wildcats twice a year after that had been removed from the schedule the past two years. The changes take place immediately. Here’s the full list of permanent opponents released by the SEC. The full schedule will be released in August.
Alabama – Auburn / Mississippi State / LSU
Arkansas – Missouri / Texas A&M / LSU
Auburn – Alabama / Ole Miss / Georgia
Florida – Kentucky / Georgia / Vanderbilt
Georgia – South Carolina / Florida / Auburn
Kentucky – Florida / Tennessee / Vanderbilt
LSU – Texas A&M / Alabama / Arkansas
Ole Miss – Mississippi State / Auburn / Missouri
Mississippi State – Ole Miss / Alabama / South Carolina
Missouri – Arkansas / Texas A&M / Ole Miss
South Carolina – Georgia / Tennessee / Mississippi State
Tennessee – Vanderbilt / Kentucky / South Carolina
Texas A&M – LSU / Arkansas / Missouri
Vanderbilt – Tennessee / Kentucky / Florida
