Get ready, basketball fans, because this Saturday is about to get a whole lot more exciting! Tennessee Basketball is opening its doors for a free scrimmage at Food City Center, and you’re invited! But here’s where it gets even more thrilling: this event kicks off at 11:30 a.m. ET, just hours before Tennessee Football takes on Arkansas at Neyland Stadium in a highly anticipated 4:15 p.m. ET showdown, airing live on SEC Network. Talk about a sports-filled day!
The Vols announced this can’t-miss scrimmage on Wednesday, with doors opening at 11 a.m. for fans eager to catch a glimpse of the team in action. And this is just the beginning of their preseason lineup. Next Saturday, they’ll host Ohio State for a closed scrimmage, followed by a sold-out exhibition game against Duke on October 26 at 7 p.m. ET, televised on ESPN2. But here’s the part most people miss: Tennessee and Duke have a storied history dating back to 1911, with the Vols holding an 8-8 record against the Blue Devils. Their last meeting? A 65-52 Tennessee victory in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Will this exhibition game set the tone for another memorable season?
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes is particularly excited about the Duke matchup. ‘I’m excited about (the Duke exhibition), obviously, for a lot of different reasons,’ he shared last week. ‘It’s going to be good. And again, I appreciate (Duke) coming here. We’ll both get a lot out of it.’ But Barnes isn’t stopping there—he’s advocating for more preseason games, believing they could reduce injuries and enhance team performance. Controversial take? Some argue that more games could lead to player fatigue, but Barnes counters that it keeps the competitive edge sharp. What do you think? Should college basketball teams play more preseason games?
Looking ahead, the Vols’ regular season starts on November 3 against Mercer, with SEC play tipping off at Arkansas on January 3 and wrapping up at home against Vanderbilt on March 7. Their non-conference schedule is no walk in the park, featuring matchups against powerhouses like Houston, Louisville, Illinois, and Syracuse. And let’s not forget, for the third straight season, Tennessee has sold out its 14,500 season tickets, marking the seventh consecutive year of full-capacity crowds. That’s fan dedication at its finest!
But let’s circle back to the preseason action. Last year, Tennessee faced Indiana in a preseason exhibition, falling 66-62. They also secured wins against Michigan State in 2023 and Gonzaga in 2022. Interestingly, a planned exhibition game at Michigan fell through, as Barnes revealed, ‘We were supposed to go to Michigan, and at the end they canceled the game.’ Instead, Ohio State steps in for a closed scrimmage on October 18. And this is where it gets thought-provoking: Barnes believes these scrimmages, while valuable, don’t fully replace the benefits of exhibition games. ‘I wish we really could play four or five of those exhibition games,’ he said. ‘I think it would cut down on injuries and make the year even better.’
So, as you mark your calendars for this Saturday’s scrimmage and the Duke exhibition, here’s a question to ponder: Are preseason games the unsung heroes of college basketball preparation, or do they risk overloading players? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this debate is just heating up!
