Tennessee basketball is off to a 9-1 start to the season climbing all the way to No. 6 in the AP Poll after dropping an early season game against Colorado.
The Vols have started the season strong despite dealing with a plethora of injuries and absences. Senior leaders Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi have each missed multiple games due to injuries while defensive anchor Jonas Aidoo missed Tennessee’s last game due to illness.
As the Vols prepare for their toughest task of the season to date, who will and won’t be available for No. 6 Tennessee at No. 9 Arizona Saturday night.
“I think Santi and Jonas are back for certain,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said Thursday. “I haven’t gotten a report today on Josiah yet.”
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Vescovi missed three games with a left shoulder sprain before returning to the lineup against Maryland. However, Barnes had to call a timeout at one point during the game when Vescovi fell on his shoulder. Still, Vescovi is expected to be ready to play against the Wildcats.
James has been in-and-out of the lineup this season with a knee injury that severely limited him in the preseason and has lingered into the regular season. The senior wing played the first two games, missed the next four games, returned for one game against Eastern Kentucky but then missed the Maryland game.
After returning to the lineup against EKU, James said the injury would be a “game-to-game thing.”
The top 10 tilt in Tucson pits the nation’s best defense (Tennessee) against the nation’s best offense (Arizona) and should make for a great game.
Tip-off at the McKale Center is at 10:30 p.m. ET. Kevin Fitzgerald and Jimmy Dykes are on the call for ESPN2.
