#1 Tennessee (12-0) vs. Norfolk State (9-6)
Tuesday, December 31st 2024 | 2:00pm CT / 3:00pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | Online: SEC Network+
Knoxville, TN – Closing both non-conference action and the 2024 calendar year, the No. 1 Tennessee men’s basketball team faces Norfolk State at home Tuesday afternoon at Food City Center. Tipoff is set for 2:00pm CT, 3:00pm ET.
Fans can catch Tuesday’s game between the Volunteers (12-0) and Spartans (9-6) on SEC Network+. Will Boling (play-by-play) and Steve Hamer (analyst) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
In Tennessee’s most recent outing, it increased its season-opening winning streak to a dozen for the third time in program history with an 82-64 win last Monday night against Middle Tennessee State.
Facing a halftime deficit for the first time in 2024-25, top-ranked Tennessee controlled much of the second stanza to claim the win in front of 20,706 fans at Food City Center. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier paced the victors with 23 points, while senior guard Zakai Zeigler posted his second straight double-double, notching 17 points and career-high 15 assists, tied for the fifth-most in program history.
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.
Rick Barnes is 8-0 against the current MEAC membership. Norfolk State is the lone such school he has faced at Tennessee.
News and 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.
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.
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.
Racking Up Rankeed Victories
TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee has an SEC-best 21 AP top-25 wins, good for co- fourth nationally, alongside Purdue. It is behind just Kansas (24), Connecticut (23) and Iowa State (22). Only Marquette (19) is even within two of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC school is three behind (Alabama with 18).
TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 19 AP top-20 wins over that span, the third-most of any DI school, trailing only Connecticut (22) and Kansas (21). The only other schools with even 17-plus are Purdue (18) and Iowa State (17). The closest SEC program is four shy (Alabama with 14).
TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 16 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, trailing just Kansas (19). Only Iowa State (14), Connecticut (13) and Purdue (13) are even within three of UT, while the closest SEC team is four behind (Alabama with 12).
TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, co-first in the SEC and co-fifth nationally, alongside Kentucky and North Carolina. Only Connecticut (11), Iowa State (11), Kansas (11) and Purdue (10) have more. The eight such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).
TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the nation. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.
…And Doing So Efficiently
At 21-14 (.600), Tennessee has the best record versus AP top-25 opponents over the last four seasons (2021-25). Auburn (13-10 .565) ranks second, while no one else has a mark above .500.
The Volunteers are 10 games over .500 (19-9; .679) against AP top-20 teams in that span, while just one other SEC team, Auburn (11-8; .579), is even at a .500 clip.
UT is also 10 games over .500 (16-6; .727) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, while the next closest SEC team in winning percentage, Auburn (8-6; .571), has half as many wins with the same amount of losses.
At 8-5 (.615), the Volunteers are the only team in the SEC with a winning record against AP top-10 foes over those four seasons. Kentucky (8-8; .500) places a distant second.
Tennessee (5-4; .556) and Arkansas (3-2; .600) are the only SEC programs at .500 or better versus AP top-five teams in that four-year stretch.
The Volunteers, despite their excellent winning percentage, have played the fourth-most games (35) against AP top-25 foes of any SEC team in the last four years (2021-25). They trail just Texas (42), Oklahoma (39) and Alabama (36) in such outings, while no other SEC school is above 30.
Winning Ways
Over the last eight seasons (2017-25), Tennessee paces all SEC programs in total wins (183) and overall winning percentage (.735), plus is tied for first in postseason victories (18). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
In that same eight-year stretch, the Vols are one of only three SEC teams with an overall winning percentage above even .660, alongside Auburn (.733) and Kentucky (.704).
In SEC play over the same eight-year period, Tennessee (86-39; .688) is second in the league, behind Kentucky (87-38; .696), in both victories and winning percentage. Only Auburn (81-45; .643) and Alabama (78-48; .619) have even 70-plus wins.
Over just the last four seasons (2021-25), the Volunteers own an 91-28 (.765) overall record, that is good for the most victories and best winning percentage in the SEC over that span.
In that same four-year span, Tennessee (39-15; .722) is tied with Kentucky for the best record in conference play among SEC teams.
Dynamite “D” A UT Trademark
Tennessee, through 12/28/24, ranks second nationally in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (88.6), just behind first-place Duke (88.2).
The Volunteers finished third in 2023-24 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2) and placed fifth in DI in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).
In 2022-23, Tennessee led the nation in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.5), holding the top spot for 15 total weeks. The Vols also led all DI teams in 3-point defense (26.5) that year, as well as ranked third in both scoring defense (57.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.3).
In five of the last seven seasons (2017-24), UT has finished top-10 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: third in 2023-24, first in 2022-23, third in 2021-22, fifth in 2020-21 and sixth in 2017-18.
UT, through 12/29/24, has won 40 times in a row when holding its foe under 60 points, including posting a dazzling 22-0 mark in 2022-23.
The Vols, through 12/29/24, have won 49 straight when allowing 50 points or fewer, since 12/29/12. That includes 12 such victories in 2022-23, matching Houston for the most of any team that season.
Poll Presence
Tennessee has played 215 games as a ranked team in the AP Poll in Rick Barnes‘ tenure, posting a 163-52 (.758) record. Over 68.0 percent of the Volunteers’ 315 games since Barnes arrived in 2015- 16 have come with the team ranked in the AP Poll, all since 2017-18 (215 of 249, 86.3 percent).
UT is 142-47 (.751) while in the AP top 20 under Barnes, 111-34 (.766) while top-15, 85-25 (.773) while top-10, 41-12 (.774) while top-five, 22-2 (.917) while top-three and 11-1 (.917) while No. 1.
The Vols are 29-22 (.569) in AP top-25 matchups under Barnes, including 23-15 (.605) with both teams in the top 20, 14-9 (.609) with both in the top 15 and 7-6 (.538) with both in the top 10.
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.
