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Men’s BasketballAugust 20, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday afternoon the league schedule for the upcoming 2024-25 men’s basketball season.
The Volunteers, coming off arguably the best season in program history, will play 18 conference games between Jan. 4 and March 8, with both the opener and the finale on their home court at Food City Center. Fewer than 150 season tickets remain and can be purchased HERE.
“The SEC is the nation’s premier basketball conference. It is a deep league the features talented and experienced players, as well as high-level coaches,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “All 18 games will provide a challenge, which we fully embrace. We look forward to hearing our fans cheer us on at Food City Center as we host some of the very best teams in the country throughout conference play.”
Tennessee, the reigning outright SEC regular season champion, begins league play Jan. 4 at home against Arkansas. The team then heads to Gainesville, Fla., to play its first road contest of the calendar year Jan. 7/8 at Florida.
The Volunteers next visit Austin, Texas, where they play Jan. 11 for their first SEC matchup with new conference member Texas. The two sides met in the NCAA Tournament last year, with Tennessee notching a 62-58 victory to reach a second straight Sweet 16.
Barnes, now in his 10th year on Rocky Top, and the Volunteers then return home for a Jan. 14/15 contest against Georgia before traveling down I-40 to face Vanderbilt in a Jan. 18 affair in Nashville, Tenn.
Tennessee next welcomes Mississippi State to Knoxville for a Jan. 21 game, then makes the trip to Auburn, Ala., where it plays Jan. 25 at Auburn. The Volunteers close the month with a home contest Jan. 28 versus Kentucky.
In the second of three straight SEC home games—its lone stretch with even two in a row—Tennessee has a Feb. 1 outing against Florida. It closes the homestand Jan. 4/5 versus Missouri.
The Volunteers face the SEC’s other new member, Oklahoma, Feb. 8 in Norman, Okla. They follow that with a Feb. 11/12 visit to Lexington, Ky., for a second clash with Kentucky in under two weeks.
Up next for Barnes’ team is a Feb. 15 meeting with Vanderbilt at Food City Center, followed by a midweek bye.
Tennessee then has its third and final back-to-back road swing, first playing Feb. 22 against Texas A&M in Bryan-College Station, Texas, and then Feb. 24/25 versus LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
To begin the final month of the regular season, the Volunteers play March 1 against Alabama. Their SEC road finale is slated for March 4/5 at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss.
Tennessee concludes the 2024-25 regular season March 8 versus South Carolina at Food City Center. The program will recognize its six-man senior class prior to tipoff.
The Volunteers return two of their top five scorers, senior guards Jordan Gainey and Zakai Zeigler, from a 2023-24 team that went 27-9 (14-4 SEC) and earned the second Elite Eight berth in program history.
Tennessee also brings back senior guard Jahmai Mashack, who appeared in all 36 contests last year, along with sophomores Cameron Carr (guard), J.P. Estrella (forward) and Cade Phillips (forward). The team also brings in five newcomers, including a quartet of experienced transfers and one top-75 freshman.
FULL 2024-25 SEC SCHEDULE
Jan. 4 – ARKANSAS
Jan. 7/8 – at Florida
Jan. 11 – at Texas
Jan. 14/15 – GEORGIA
Jan. 18 – at Vanderbilt
Jan. 21 – MISSISSIPPI STATE
Jan. 25 – at Auburn
Jan. 28 – KENTUCKY
Feb. 1 – FLORIDA
Feb. 4/5 – MISSOURI
Feb. 8 – at Oklahoma
Feb. 11/12 – at Kentucky
Feb. 15 – VANDERBILT
Feb. 22 – at Texas A&M
Feb. 25/26 – at LSU
March 1 – ALABAMA
March 4/5 – at Ole Miss
March 8 – SOUTH CAROLINA
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
