Tennessee Volunteers and Illinois Fighting Illini are set to continue their basketball rivalry with a neutral-site game on December 6th at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This highly anticipated matchup is part of a series that will see the two teams face off again in Chicago during the 2027-28 season.
Head Coach Rick Barnes expressed his excitement about the upcoming game. "Our program is really looking forward to this matchup with Illinois," Barnes stated. "We have a great deal of respect for Coach Underwood and the Illini, and we know playing them will help prepare us for SEC action. The opportunity to compete in Nashville, a city filled with diehard Tennessee fans, is always special, and we can’t wait to see Vol Nation pack Bridgestone Arena."
Recent History Favors Tennessee
Tennessee has dominated the recent matchups against Illinois, sweeping the home-and-home series over the past two seasons. In December 2023, the Volunteers secured an 86-79 victory at Food City Center. The previous January, Tennessee pulled off a thrilling 66-64 win at Illinois, highlighted by Jordan Gainey's buzzer-beating layup.
In that dramatic victory at Illinois, Gainey led the team with 23 points off the bench, while Chaz Lanier contributed 17 points. Igor Milicic Jr. was a force on the boards, grabbing 14 rebounds to go along with his seven points. Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack each added six points, with Mashack also recording four steals.
During the home win against Illinois two seasons ago, all five Tennessee starters scored in double figures. Dalton Knecht led the way with 21 points, followed by Jonas Aidoo with 14, Santiago Vescovi with 12, and Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James with 11 each.
Series History: Volunteers Lead
Tennessee holds a 4-1 all-time record against Illinois. The Volunteers won in Knoxville in December 1967 and December 1985. Their only loss to the Illini came in January 1988 at Illinois.
Barnes' Tradition of Challenging Schedules
Under Head Coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee has consistently scheduled marquee non-conference home-and-home games. Since the 2015-16 season, the Volunteers have faced formidable opponents such as North Carolina, Gonzaga, Arizona, Wisconsin, Louisville, Miami, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Colorado, Cincinnati, and Memphis. They have also participated in charity exhibition games at Michigan State, Indiana, and Clemson.
Looking Ahead: Future Games and Tournaments
Tennessee's schedule for the upcoming seasons is packed with exciting matchups. The Volunteers will host Louisville in the second game of a home-and-home series.
Tennessee is also set to open the 2025-26 season on November 3 against Mercer at Food City Center.
The Volunteers will participate in the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas in late November. Their first two matchups are scheduled against Rutgers and Houston. The tournament boasts a strong field, including Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Creighton, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, San Diego State, South Carolina, Saint Joseph’s, St. John’s, Syracuse, and UNLV.
Tennessee will travel to Syracuse on December 2 for the ACC-SEC Challenge and will host Louisville on December 6 in the second game of a home-and-home series that began with a 77-55 road win at Louisville last November.
SEC Schedule Awaits
The SEC schedule has yet to be finalized, but the conference opponents have been announced. Tennessee will host Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M. They will play on the road against Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, and South Carolina. Additionally, the Volunteers will engage in home-and-home series with Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt.
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