The Official #13 Tennessee vs. Texas Tech Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

Jimmy V Classic Presented by Corona

#13 Tennessee Volunteers: 6-1 (0-0 SEC)

vs.

Texas Tech Red Raiders: 6-1 (0-0 Big 12)

GAME 8 | TENNESSEE vs. TEXAS TECH - Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 | 7:04 p.m. ET | Madison Square Garden (20,789)

Line: UT -4
O/U: 137.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 81 / XM: 81 / Internet: ---
Online: Watch ESPN app


Texas Tech Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

• Tennessee lost its only previous meeting with Texas Tech when the Red Raiders posted an 88-71 win in Knoxville on Dec. 3, 1953.
• The Vols own a 15-19 all-time record against current members of the Big XII Conference.
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is very familiar with the Red Raiders from his 17 years as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns. Barnes led Texas to a 33-4 record against Texas Tech.
• Barnes's 33 career wins vs. Texas Tech are his most against any opponent.
• Tennessee owns an all-time record of 9-18 in the state of New York, dating to Jan. 27, 1937 (a 30-24 loss at Long Island).
• In New York City, the Vols are 7-17 overall.
• The Vols are 7-8 all-time at the current Madison Square Garden.
• Tennessee freshman Zakai Zeigler is from nearby Wyandanch on Long Island.

 

[YankeeVol]

SCOUTING REPORT

• The Vols' 18.9 assists per game rank eighth nationally and lead the SEC. Tennessee also owns the best assist/turnover ratio in the SEC (1.63, 12th nationally).
• 47 percent of Tennessee's points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (263 of 561).
• UT's backcourt duo of Kennedy Chandler and Santiago Vescovi is averaging 31.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting .400 from 3-point range. They average 33.3 ppg away from Knoxville this season.
• After missing three games with a left-hand injury Josiah-Jordan James came off the bench at Colorado to log a game-high plus/minus rating of +22. He led the Vols in both blocks (4) and rebounds (9) in the true road win.
• Through seven games this season, the Vols have already played in front of more fans (92,630) then they did all of last season (89,467).

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES

• The Vols have embarked on a six-day, two-game, 3,909-mile road trip that takes them from Rocky Top to Boulder, Colorado, and then to New York City before returning home.
• Tennessee has produced five basketball All-Americans from New York: Ed Wiener (Brooklyn), Ernie Grunfeld (Forest Hills), Bernard King (Brooklyn), Howard Wood (East Hampton) and Tobias Harris (Dix Hills).
• Tennessee's all-time leading scorer and New York Knicks great Allan Houston is expected to attend Tuesday's game. Houston scored 2,801 points as a Vol.

 

[YankeeVol]

A WIN WOULD...

• Improve Tennessee to 3-1 against major-conference opposition this season.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT TEXAS TECH

• Boasting a 6-1 record, Texas Tech enters Tuesday's game against Tennessee coming off of its lone loss of the 2021-22 season. The Red Raiders lost at Providence last Wednesday, 72-68.
• The Red Raiders are in the midst of their first season under the direction of head coach Mark Adams, who previously served as Texas Tech's associate head coach from 2016-21 under former TTU head coach Chris Beard.
• After finishing sixth in the Big 12 last season and earning a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Texas Tech was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 this season by the league's head coaches.
• Terrence Shannon Jr., a Preseason All-Big 12 team selection, missed the Red Raiders' first three games due to an eligibility review process but has started all four games since returning to the lineup. Shannon Jr. leads Texas Tech in scoring at 16.5 ppg.
• Redshirt junior guard Kevin McCullar is Texas Tech's second-leading scorer (14.2 ppg) and the team's leading rebounder (5.8 rpg). McCullar missed two games due to illness, but returned to the TTU lineup against Providence. He has started all five games that he has been available for.
• Texas Tech got a boost during the offseason with the addition of highly-rated transfer Kevin Obanor from Oral Roberts. Obanor helped lead the Golden Eagles to the 2021 Sweet 16 and had three straight double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament. A starter in all seven of the Red Raiders' games this season, Obanor is averaging 10.6 points and 4.4 points per game.
• In addition to Obanor, the Red Raiders added six more Division I transfers this past offseason: Adonis Arms (Winthrop), Daniel Batcho (Arizona), Sardaar Calhoun (Florida State), Davion Warren (Hampton), Bryson Williams (UTEP), Mylik Wilson (Louisiana).

 

[cwbytruckers]

thats some tough competition they have played. NOT

 

[Volfan1000]

Are they expecting a sellout tomorrow night?

 

[ndubvols]

Based off the notes TTU’s been off almost a full week prior to tomorrow, while we’ll be on our last day of a 6 day road trip via Colorado.

Big difference in schedules over the last week, hopefully the team will have their legs back under them. Either way should prepare them well for March.

 

[golfballs]

Vols favored by 4.5. More than I would have thought

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Vols favored by 4.5. More than I would have thought

Opened -2.5, money came in quick on Tennessee

 

[Kosmalski]

Opened -2.5, money came in quick on Tennessee

Hard to make people understand the concept. Vegas wants even bets

 

[johnfnkelly]

Are they expecting a sellout tomorrow night?

I'd be surprised if it's even 40% full for the UT game. It'll be closer to 60-70% for Cuse v Nova, i'd assume.

The 18-19 team played in Brooklyn vs UL and it wasn't a good turn out, especially for a team fans were more likely to travel for.

 

[gordonr24]

Would love to win tonight and be 9-1 going into the 2 game stretch against Memphis and Arizona

 

[cwbytruckers]

Sure hope we dont pull a Florida / Texas Southern performance tonight

 

[Voltopia]

Texas Tech is 6-1, with its six wins coming against North Florida, Grambling State, Prairie View, Incarnate Word, Omaha, and Lamar. I'm not calling their early schedule soft, but it evokes a certain unmistakable air of ... puffy, pastry, cupcake-y, squishy gooey goodness.

 

[BurninOrange]

Shulman and Bilas on the call tonight

 

[LeannaVol]

Texas Tech is 6-1, with its six wins coming against North Florida, Grambling State, Prairie View, Incarnate Word, Omaha, and Lamar. I'm not calling their early schedule soft, but it evokes a certain unmistakable air of ... puffy, pastry, cupcake-y, squishy gooey goodness.

I agree that is a cream puff schedule but they lost a close one to Providence which looks like a solid team with only one loss so far. Virginia beat Providence bad but the Friars have beaten # 22 Wisconsin.

 

[AngryButchJones]

TTU's strength of schedule ranks 356th in the country.

There are 358 D1 teams in college hoops.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Shulman and Bilas on the call tonight

How many times does Bilas mention Coach K's last season at Duke during the broadcast?

 

[omghulkhands]

A lot is being made of their strength of schedule. Just because they played a weak schedule doesn’t mean they suck

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I think the Vols can win this one tonight. TX Tech is a young team in rebuild mode with a new coach.

 

[MAD]

Villanova vs Syracuse follows the Tennessee game.
Will the winners of each game play each other?

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Villanova vs Syracuse follows the Tennessee game.
Will the winners of each game play each other?

No

 

[cncchris33]

I think the Vols can win this one tonight. TX Tech is a young team in rebuild mode with a new coach.

Young team in rebuild mode? They have 6 seniors and 4 juniors. I’d venture to guess they are one of the oldest and most experienced teams amongst high major programs, if not all of D1.