Instant Reaction to Tennessee’s SEC Basketball Schedule
Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics
By Tucker Harlin
Tennessee, along with the rest of the SEC, had its conference basketball slate unveiled Tuesday.
This is my instant reaction to the Vols’ SEC schedule in 2024-25.
Let’s start from the top with Arkansas.
Arkansas at home to start the season should provide some fireworks. Jonas Aidoo and John Calipari coming to town alone is enough to put butts in seats. With everything Arkansas brought in with John Calipari, this should be a battle to start conference play.
The next two are on the road at Florida and Texas. I think Texas is the more winnable game between the two, but trips to the Moody Center are no joke. Todd Golden is building a strong program in Gainesville, so I don’t love Tennessee’s chances this far out.
I like Tennessee’s three-game against Georgia, at Vanderbilt, and against Mississippi State.
The first Vandy game is early enough in the season to where the Vols should be able to capture a win. Mississippi State hasn’t been to Knoxville in two years.
I fully anticipate a Saturday trip to Auburn to be a hornets nest on January 25.
The Vols play three straight at home against Kentucky, Florida, and Missouri.
Florida looks the most losable on paper, but you never know. Even with Mark Pope as the head coach, you can’t count out Kentucky, and Missouri’s last two regular season wins over the Vols have been in Knoxville.
The Vols have two straight on the road against Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Oklahoma hasn’t been anything special under Porter Moser, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s a tough out for the Vols. As for Kentucky, Rupp Arena is Rupp Arena.
Vandy comes to Knoxville February 15. I definitely think the Commodores will have improved by that time, but probably not enough to get a win in Knoxville.
The Vols then play two more road games at Texas A&M and LSU.
Trips to Reed Arena generally haven’t been pleasant in recent years. I feel like the odds of a Tennessee win in the PMAC look better than Reed Arena this far out, but Matt McMahon’s group is looking to make a tournament push this season.
Alabama is Tennessee’s second to last home game.
If both of these teams are as good as advertised, this should be a fun one to start March. Nate Oats’ bunch has taken the college basketball world by storm, but Rick Barnes seems to have figured out something in order to beat him the last two seasons.
Ole Miss is the Vols’ last road game. The Vols’ trips to the Pavilion haven’t been easy ones, and I don’t expect that to change this season.
The Vols finish the season at home against South Carolina. The Gamecocks left Knoxville with a tight win last season, but coaching with expectations is something new for Lamont Paris.
