Tennessee basketball enters the new year with a 13-0 record and as the nation’s top ranked team. But a new season begins on Saturday afternoon as the Vols host Arkansas in their SEC opener in Knoxville.
The SEC has never been better in men’s basketball than it is this season and Tennessee is looking to defend its conference championship. Its title defense begins at home against the Razorbacks.
Here’s everything to know about the top 25 conference matchup.
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How To Watch — No. 1 Tennessee (13-0, 0-0 SEC) vs. No. 23 Arkansas (11-2, 0-0 SEC)
- Start Time: 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT
- Location: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
- Watch: ESPN. PxP: Karl Ravech. CC: Jimmy Dykes
- Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
- Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
Betting Lines
- Tennessee -11.5 Arkansas
- Over/under 141.5
- Tennessee -12 Arkansas
- Over/under: 140
What Rick Barnes Said About The Razorbacks
On John Calipari’s first season at Arkansas after so long at Kentucky
“Obviously it’s always new when you go somewhere else because it takes you a while to realize, what, he spent many, many years in Lexington, just like 17 years at Texas for me, you come here. But what happens, you get so into the job, where your life in terms of the way you do things doesn’t change you just in a different environment. And obviously you went from one great fanbase to another great fanbase. And watching his team, he’s always been a great basketball coach everywhere he has been. It doesn’t matter where he goes. He turns things around quickly, wins games and the teams are all always so fundamentally sound. And you have to beat them, they’re not going to beat themselves. But I’m sure he is still making some adjustments, he and his family personally. But basketball wise, you look at what he’s done, pretty much the same.”
On if it’s strange to watch film of Arkansas and see Jonas Aidoo on the floor
“Yeah. We appreciate what Jonas did from while he was here, but you all know the landscape of where we are in intercollegiate athletics. And you’re going to see more of that, obviously, as time goes on, when guys leave and go other places for various reasons sometimes. But Jonas, really, we loved him when he was here, what he did and loved his growth. But he’s there, we’re here and it’s about competition now.”
On what Jonas Aidoo looks like on film this season, how Arkansas tries to use him vs. how Tennessee used him
