Tennessee basketball released new black “dark mode” uniforms on Monday afternoon that they are debuting in its ACC-SEC Challenge game on Tuesday night against Syracuse.
the nightmare before Christmas
Dark Mode debuts Tuesday 🟠⚫️
tickets → https://t.co/Xj6Lhkg4dG@DICKS pic.twitter.com/WhMwoxObwQ
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) December 2, 2024
Dark mode uniforms have become extremely popular for Tennessee sports in recent years with the Vol football team debuting them in 2021 and posting 4-1 record while wearing. Tennessee baseball debuted them during its 2022 season and has had a ton of success wearing them including this past season when they clinched the SEC Tournament and National Championship while wearing them.
The basketball uniforms are almost a carbon copy of the baseball uniforms. They’re all black with orange Vols letting in block script and the number right under them. There’s also a small power T on the bottom of the pants.
It’s the first time that Tennessee has worn black uniforms in program history. Under head coach Rick Barnes, the Vols usually opting for their traditional home and away uniforms. Tennessee wore smokey grey uniforms early in Barnes tenure before the head coach nixed them by his third year in Knoxville.
Tennessee wore the same two uniforms from 2017-18 until 2021-22 before debuting new alternate “cream” uniforms during the 2022-23 season that they’ve continued to wear periodically for big games. They wore the cream uniforms in their NCAA Tournament wins over Duke and Creighton over the last two games.
More From RTI: Tennessee Basketball Jumps Into Top Five Of Latest AP Top 25
But while Rick Barnes was not a fan of the smokey grey uniforms, he previously hinted that a dark mode uniform could be coming soon for the basketball program.
“I will tell you this,” Barnes said on the Josh and Swain Show this summer. “we have designed one in the offseason. Because one, Nike wants us to do that. Obviously our brand is popular and I know people like (black uniforms). I wear black most every day.”
The Vols are off to a 7-0 start to the season with a trio of power five wins over Louisville, Virginia and Baylor. Tennessee has climbed all the way to No. 3 in the latest AP Poll ahead of three straight games against power five opponents.
Syracuse is off to a less impressive start to the season and enters the challenge with a 4-2 record having dropped neutral site matchups against Texas and Texas Tech— its only power conference games so far.
Tickets are still available for the power five matchup and can be purchased at AllVols.com. Tipoff between the Syracuse and Tennessee is at 7:30 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Dave Pasch and Sean Farnham are on the call for ESPN.
