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#6 Tennessee Vols Basketball Hosts Georgia in Pivotal SEC Contest Wednesday Night

#6 Tennessee Vols Basketball Hosts Georgia in Pivotal SEC Contest Wednesday Night

Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 | 7:00pm CT / 8:00pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | TV: SEC Network

Knoxville, TN – Returning home from a two-game road trip, the sixth-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team is set to face No. 23 Georgia Wednesday night at Food City Center. Tipoff is set for 7:00pm CT, 8:00pm ET.

Fans can catch Wednesday’s game between the Volunteers (15-1, 2-1 SEC) and Bulldogs (14-2, 2-1 SEC) on SEC Network. Brian Custer (play-by-play) and Richard Hendrix (analyst) will have the call.

Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.

In Tennessee’s most recent outing, it earned a hard-fought, 74-70, road victory Saturday night at Texas. Senior guard Zakai Zeigler paced UT with 16 points and a game-high eight assists in a triumph during which neither side led by greater than seven in front of a near-capacity crowd of 10,195 the Moody Center.

The Matchup

The Volunteers’ 99 wins over Georgia are their second-most against any school, trailing only their 131 against Vanderbilt.

This is the first time in series history both sides are in the AP top 25. It is also the first time UT faces a ranked Georgia team since 2/8/03, a 78-72 home win.

UT is 6-1 in its last seven outings versus Georgia after going 2-9 in the prior 11 (with defeats in each of the five before the current seven-game span). The Vols were ranked in all six wins in this stretch and unranked in the lone loss.

Last season, on 1/13/24 at Georgia, Tennessee trailed by 11 with under seven minutes to go, but closed on a 21-4 run in the last 6:08, including a 15-1 ledger in the final 4:49, to win by six, 85-79. Dalton Knecht dropped 36 points, including 20 in the second half.

Coming off a 20-17 (6-12) showing that included an NIT semifinal berth, Georgia placed No. 12 in the SEC preseason poll.

Freshman forward Asa Newell leads the Bulldogs with 15.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg.

News and Notes

Tennessee’s 12 matchups with Mike White are its sixth-most against any active head coach.

UT Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Dr. Daniel J. White (Danny) is the younger brother of Georgia head coach Mike White. Both played college basketball: Danny at Towson and Notre Dame, Mike at Ole Miss. The Volunteers fell to Florida, where Mike then worked, two days before Danny was hired on 1/21/21, but are 5-1 against him since then.

Rick Barnes and Mike White both joined the SEC in 2015-16. Barnes is 10-2 against White, posting an 8-2 ledger during the latter’s time at Florida (2015-22) and winning both matchups between their current schools.

Georgia sophomore guard Blue Cain is a native of Knoxville, Tenn., and went to Knoxville Catholic for his first three years of high school.

Tennessee is 18-7 (.720) versus AP top-25 teams at home under Rick Barnes, including 13-1 (.929) in the last 14 such games, since 1/30/21.

Tennessee is looking to start at least 3-1 in SEC play for the fifth time in seven years, including the third in a row.
UT is also seeking a 2-0 start in SEC home play for the fifth time in seven years and fourth in a row.

Zakai Zeigler is seven assists away from 600, while his 209 steals put him three shy of Santiago Vescovi‘s program record (212).

UT’s DI-best 24.8 3P% defense is 1.8 percent better than second- place Southeast Missouri State (26.6). That is the same gap as No. 2 to No. 19 Kentucky (28.4).

 

Igor Milic?ic? Jr., is one of 10 Power Five players averaging at least 10.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 2.0 apg. The others are Oumar Ballo, Brooks Barnhizer, Johni Broome, Hunter Dickinson, Collin Murray-Boyles, Great Osobor, Ian Schieffelin, Thomas Sorber and Danny Wolf.

The Volunteers’ 186 wins over the last eight seasons (2017-25) rank co-seventh nationally, alongside Saint Mary’s. Only Gonzaga (227), Houston (220), Kansas (203), Duke (199), Purdue (195) and San Diego State (187) possess more.

High-Caliber Company

Tennessee and Kansas are the only two schools to earn an AP top-five ranking in each of the last four seasons (2021-25). Only two others, Arizona and Purdue, entered 2024-25 with a three-year streak.

The Volunteers are one of only four teams to reach the AP top six in each of the past five seasons, alongside Alabama, Houston and Kansas.

UT is one of just five programs to reach the AP top six in at least six of the last seven seasons (2018- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky. Those are also the only five schools to enter the AP top five in at least five different years in that stretch.

The Vols are among only eight teams to reach the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll in at least two of the last seven seasons (2018-25), joining Auburn, Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas and Purdue.

Over that same seven-year stretch (2018-25), UT is also one of seven teams to claim an AP top-two position in at least three seasons, alongside Baylor, Connecticut, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Purdue.

Tennessee is one of just seven schools to earn an AP top-20 ranking in each of the past eight years (2017- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina. Just two others— Houston and Purdue—have even reached the AP top 25 in each of those seasons.

Additionally, over the last three years (2022-25), the Vols are one of just five teams to reach the AP top two in multiple seasons, joining Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas and Purdue.

Dynamite “D” A UT Trademark

Tennessee, through 1/12/25, ranks third in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (88.1), just shy of Houston (86.3) and Duke (87.8).

The Volunteers finished third in 2023-24 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2) and placed fifth in DI in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).

In 2022-23, Tennessee led the nation in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.5), holding the top spot for 15 total weeks. The Vols also led all DI teams in 3-point defense (26.5) that year, as well as ranked third in both scoring defense (57.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.3).

In five of the last seven seasons (2017-24), UT has finished top-10 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: third in 2023-24, first in 2022-23, third in 2021-22, fifth in 2020-21, and sixth in 2017-18.

UT, through 1/5/25, has won 42 times in a row when holding its foe under 60 points, including posting a dazzling 22-0 mark in 2022-23.

The Vols, through 1/5/25, have won 49 straight when allowing 50 points or fewer, since 12/29/12. That includes 12 such victories in 2022-23, matching Houston for the most of any team that season.

Racking Up Ranked Victories

TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee has an SEC-best 22 AP top-25 wins, good for fourth nationally,. It is behind just Kansas (24), Connecticut (23) and Iowa State (23). Only Purdue (21) is even within one of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC school is two behind (Alabama with 20).

TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 19 AP top-20 wins over that span, the third-most of any DI school, trailing only Connecticut (22) and Kansas (21). The only other schools with even 17-plus are Purdue (18) and Iowa State (17). The closest SEC program is two shy (Alabama with 16).

TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 16 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, trailing just Kansas (19). Only Alabama (14) and Iowa State (14) are even within two of Tennessee.

TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, co-second in the SEC and co- sixth nationally, alongside Alabama and North Carolina. Only Connecticut (11), Iowa State (11), Kansas (11), Purdue (10) and Kentucky (nine) have more. The eight such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).

TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the country. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.

…And Doing So Efficiently

Tennessee, at 22-15 (.595), has the SEC’s best record versus AP top-25 opponents over the last four seasons (2021-25). Auburn (13-10 .565) ranks second, while no one else has a mark above .530.

The Volunteers are nine games over .500 (19-10; .655) against AP top-20 teams in that span, while just one other SEC team, Auburn (11-8; .579), is even at a .500 clip.

UT is also nine games over .500 (16-7; .696) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, while the next closest SEC teams in winning percentage are Auburn (8-6; .571) and Kentucky (12-9; .571). No others are above a .500 mark.

At 8-6 (.571), the Volunteers have the best record in the SEC against AP top-10 foes over those four seasons. Kentucky (9-8; .529) places second and no one else is at even a .500 mark.

Tennessee (5-4; .556) is the only SEC team with a winning record versus AP top-five teams in that four-year stretch. Arkansas (3-3; .500) ranks second, while all others are under a .500 tally.

The Volunteers, despite their excellent winning percentage, have played the fourth-most games (37) against AP top-25 foes of any SEC team in the last four years (2021-25). They trailing just Texas (45), Oklahoma (41) and Alabama (38) in such outing, while no other SEC school is above 33.

Winning Ways

Over the last eight seasons (2017-25), Tennessee paces all SEC programs in total wins (186), plus is tied for first in postseason victories (18) and sits a close second in overall winning percentage (.735). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).

In that same eight-year stretch, the Vols are one of only three SEC teams with an overall winning percentage above even .660, alongside Auburn (.737) and Kentucky (.704).

In SEC play over the same eight-year period, Tennessee (88-40; .688) is second in the league, behind Kentucky (89-39; .695), in both victories and winning percentage. Only Auburn (84-45; .648) and Alabama (80-48; .622) are at even 75-plus wins.

Over just the last four seasons (2021-25), the Volunteers own a 94-29 (.764) overall record. That is good for the most victories and the second-best winning percentage (just .0005 behind Auburn) in the SEC over that span.

In that same four-year stretch, Tennessee (41-16; .719) is tied with both Auburn Kentucky for the best record in conference play among SEC teams.

Poll Presence

Tennessee has played 219 games as a ranked team in the AP Poll in Rick Barnes‘ tenure, posting a 166-53 (.758) record. Over 68.0 percent of the Volunteers’ 319 games since Barnes arrived in 2015- 16 have come with the team ranked in the AP Poll, all since 2017-18 (219 of 253, 86.6 percent).

UT is 145-48 (.751) while in the AP top 20 under Barnes, 114-35 (.765) while top-15, 88-26 (.772) while top-10, 44-13 (.772) while top-five, 25-3 (.893) while top-three and 14-2 (.875) while No. 1.

The Vols are 30-23 (.566) in AP top-25 matchups under Barnes, including 23-16 (.590) with both teams in the top 20, 14-10 (.583) with both in the top 15 and 7-7 (.500) with both in the top 10.

Happy At Home

Over the last five seasons, since 2020-21, the Volunteers are 66-7 (.904) on their home court.

In 10 seasons under head coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee is 131-24 (.845) at Food City Center. Twice during the Barnes era, UT has gone undefeated at home: 18-0 in 2018-19 and 16-0 in 2021-22.

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