Tennessee’s 2019-20 non-conference schedule in men’s basketball is officially set.
The Vols’ non-conference slate for the upcoming men’s basketball season consists of four monumental games in addition to an appearance in the Emerald Coast Classic Showdown against Florida State. Depending on the result, Tennessee will then face Purdue or VCU.
Florida State went 29-8 last season and 13-5 in ACC play. The Seminoles were 15-1 at home and lost to Gonzaga 72-58 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
As for the other five marquee match-ups, Tennessee will face Memphis at home on Dec. 14 before traveling to Cincinnati four days later for a match-up with the Bearcats on Dec. 18. Fast forward 10 days later, and the Vols will host Wisconsin on Dec. 28 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Then, as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, Tennessee will face Kansas on the road in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 25. The two teams faced-off in Brooklyn, NY last season as part of the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Jayhawks bested the Vols in overtime in that match-up.
Before any of those games, though, the Vols will play Washington in Canada as part of the James Naismith Classic. Tennessee will play their first-ever game in Canada when they take on the Huskies on Nov. 16 in Toronto.
Memphis is the most anticipated non-conference game on the schedule considering how last year’s game went down. Entering year two under Penny Hardaway, the Tigers bring in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country led by the No. 1 player in the country James Wiseman. Memphis went 22-14 during Hardaway’s first season.
Cincinnati was one of the best teams in the country last year. The Bearcats went 28-7 with a 14-4 record in the American Conference, making it to the NCAA Tournament. Former Northern Kentucky head coach John Brannen enters his first year at the helm after replacing Mick Cronin, who took the UCLA job.
Wisconsin went 23-11 last season and made it to the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers are just a handful of years removed from a National Championship Game appearance under Bo Ryan.
Tennessee also announced six more non-conference games.
The Vols will host UNC Asheville on Nov. 5, Murray State on Nov. 12, Alabama State on Nov. 20, Tennessee-Chattanooga on Nov. 25, Florida A&M on Dec. 4, and Jacksonville State on Dec. 21.
Tennessee’s games with Alabama State and Chattanooga are part of the Emerald Coast Classic. They lead into the four-team championship round in Niceville, Florida during Thanksgiving week – where the Vols face Florida State.
According to Tennessee’s press release, the Vols first action of the 2019-20 season will be against Eastern New Mexico in an exhibition on Oct. 30.
Seven of Tennessee’s non-conference opponents reached the NCAA Tournament last season. The dates for the Vols’ SEC match-ups are expected to be announced later this month.
Senior guards Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden return from a Tennessee team that loses Admiral Schofield, Grant Williams, Jordan Bone, and Kyle Alexander to the NBA. Both senior guards are closing in on reaching Tennessee’s 1,000-point club.
Tennessee has made back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and have won 57 games over the past two years. Rick Barnes is entering his fifth season as head coach.
Tennessee officially begins their 2019-20 season on November 5th when they take on UNC-Asheville in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip-off times will be announced at a later date.
Here’s Tennessee’s full non-conference schedule for the 2019-20 season:
- Oct. 30 — Eastern New Mexico (exhibition)
- Nov. 5 — UNC-Asheville
- Nov. 12 — Murray State
- Nov. 16 — Washington (Toronto, Ontario)
- Nov. 29 — Florida State (Niceville, FL)
- Nov. 30 – Purdue/VCU (Niceville, FL)
- Dec. 4 — Florida A&M
- Dec. 14 — Memphis
- Dec. 18 — Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)
- Dec. 21 — Jacksonville State
- Dec. 28 – Wisconsin
- Jan. 25 — Kansas (Lawrence, KS)
