The Official #1 Tennessee vs. Norfolk State Game Thread, 3:00 PM ET, SEC Network+

#1
YankeeVol

YankeeVol

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#1
#1 Tennessee Volunteers: 12-0 (0-0 SEC)
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vs.

Norfolk State Spartans: 9-6 (0-0 MEAC)
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GAME 13 | TENNESSEE vs. NORFOLK STATE - Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tenn. | Food City Center (21,678)


Line: UT -31.5
O/U: 140.5

TV: SEC Network+ / Watch
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Online: WatchESPN.com


Norfolk State Game Notes




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#2
#2
THE MATCHUP

• After never playing previously, this is the second matchup between Tennessee and Norfolk State in 2024. The Volunteers won, 87-50, on 1/2/24 behind a game-best 17 points from Zakai Zeigler.
• This is the second season in a row Norfolk State is UT's 13th and final non-conference opponent.
• After going 24-11 (11-3) and winning the CIT in 2023-24, the Spartans placed second in the MEAC preseason poll.
• Graduate student guard Brian Moore Jr. leads Norfolk State with 19.4 ppg and 1.6 spg.
• Tennessee is just 2-0 all-time versus current MEAC schools. In addition to its win over Norfolk State, UT beat Coppin State, 99- 65, on 11/19/06 in Knoxville.
• The Vols are 4-0 in prior games, all at home, against then-MEAC members: 1-0 vs. Florida A&M (under Rick Barnes), 2-0 vs. North Carolina A&T and 1-0 vs. Savannah State (in the NIT).
• Rick Barnes is 8-0 against the current MEAC membership. Norfolk State is the lone such school he has faced at Tennessee.
 
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#3
#3
NEWS & NOTES

• Tennessee is among just four undefeated Division I schools— three are in the SEC—alongside Drake, Florida and Oklahoma. Only UT is also unbeaten in women's basketball.
• The Volunteers are 4-3 all-time on New Year's Eve, including 3-1 at home. It previously played on Dec. 31 in 1932 (lost at Tulane), 1936 (lost to Arkansas at a neutral site), 1947 (beat Wake Forest at home), 1996 (beat ETSU at home), 2009 (won at Memphis), 2010 (lost to Charleston at home) and 2014 (beat ETSU at home).
• UT is 12-2 all-time as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll. It is 11-1 under Rick Barnes (4-0 in 2023-24, 7-1 in 2018-19) and was 1-1 under Bruce Pearl (1-1 in 2007-08). This is the first time UT is ranked first nationally during pre-SEC action.
• The Volunteers are 26-4 all- time as an AP top-three team, including 22-2 under Barnes.
• Tennessee is looking for its fifth straight undefeated regular season non-conference slate. It has won 35 such games in a row over the last five years (2020-25).
• Tennessee is seeking to be the 12th SEC team ever to go undefeated in non-conference regular season competition while playing 13-plus games, including the third in 2024-25.
• A win over Norfolk State would give Tennessee its fifth undefeated regular season non- conference slate since joining the SEC in 1932-33. It went 6-0 in 2020-21, 11-0 in 1997-98, 8-0 in 1980-81 and 8-0 in 1956-57.
• The Volunteers are 12-0 for the third time ever. They started 14-0 in 1922-23 and finished with a perfect 12-0 mark in 1915-16.
• UT is on a 12-game winning streak for the seventh time (fifth in a single season). It is seeking its fifth 13-game ledger (third in a single campaign, alongside 1922- 23 [14] and 2018-19 [19]).
• Tennessee's 183 wins over the last eight years (2017-25) rank co-seventh nationally, alongside Liberty and Virginia. Only Gonzaga (222), Houston (216), Kansas (200), Duke (195), Purdue (190) and San Diego State (185) possess more.
 
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#4
#4
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 during that stretch.
• The Vols are among only seven teams to reach the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll in at least two of the last seven seasons (2018-25), joining 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 seasons (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.
 
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#5
#5
HAPPY AT HOME

• Over the last five seasons, since 2020-21, the Volunteers are 64-7 (.901) on their home court.
• In 10 seasons under head coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee is 129-24 (.843) 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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#12
#12
Hmmm. These lines are always tough. Think I’ll take the points and NSU. 31 is a lot. Plus these weird holiday break games always seem to be a bit more of a struggle at times because of lack of focus and rust from holiday travel schedules.

Should be a good final tune up though before Saturday. Biggest goal for today is to stay healthy.
 
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#13
#13
TheMookieMonster said:
Hmmm. These lines are always tough. Think I’ll take the points and NSU. 31 is a lot. Plus these weird holiday break games always seem to be a bit more of a struggle at times because of lack of focus and rust from holiday travel schedules.

Should be a good final tune up though before Saturday. Biggest goal for today is to stay healthy.
Click to expand...
Same here. If I'm Coach Barnes, mixing the subs into mix more today. Save the ponies for Saturday.

Vols by 23
 
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#15
#15
TheMookieMonster said:
Hmmm. These lines are always tough. Think I’ll take the points and NSU. 31 is a lot. Plus these weird holiday break games always seem to be a bit more of a struggle at times because of lack of focus and rust from holiday travel schedules.

Should be a good final tune up though before Saturday. Biggest goal for today is to stay healthy.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree about being rusty, but the defense shouldn't be. Once the offense gets rolling (would love to see Milic hit a couple 3's), this will be a blow out. Get some offense going and get ready for Arkansas to start SEC play @ 1-0!
JMO

Go Vols!!
 
#19
#19
TheMookieMonster said:
Hmmm. These lines are always tough. Think I’ll take the points and NSU. 31 is a lot. Plus these weird holiday break games always seem to be a bit more of a struggle at times because of lack of focus and rust from holiday travel schedules.

Should be a good final tune up though before Saturday. Biggest goal for today is to stay healthy.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t touch that spread either way myself.
 
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