No. 17 Tennessee (4-0) will host Tennessee State (2-2) on Thursday at Food City Center. Tipoff between the Vols and Tigers is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and can be watched on SEC Network+.
Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
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The Vols lead the all-time basketball series against Tennessee State, 6-0, dating to Nov. 23, 1990. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is 1-0 versus the Tigers.
Tennessee has recorded wins versus Mercer, Northern Kentucky, North Florida and Rice since tipping off its 2025-26 regular season.
Ahead of Thursday’s in-state matchup, Tennessee has a 98.8 percent chance to defeat the Tigers, according to ESPN’s FPI. Nolan Analytics projects the Vols to defeat Tennessee State, 88-63.
More: Vols-Tennessee State basketball series
2025-26 Tennessee men’s basketball schedule
*All times Eastern
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Oct. 26 – DUKE (exhibition – L, 83-76)
Nov. 3 – MERCER (W, 76-61)
Nov. 8 – NORTHERN KENTUCKY (W, 95-56)
Nov. 12 – NORTH FLORIDA (W, 99-66)
Nov. 17 – RICE (W, 91-66)
Nov. 20 – TENNESSEE STATE (7 p.m. on SECN+)
Nov. 24 – vs. Rutgers (1 p.m. on TNT, HBO Max)
Nov. 25 – vs. Houston (6 p.m. on TNT, HBO Max)
Nov. 26/27 – vs. TBD (TBD on TNT/truTV, HBO Max)
Dec. 2 – at Syracuse (7 p.m. on ESPN2)
Dec. 6 – vs. Illinois (8 p.m. on ESPN)
Dec. 16 – LOUISVILLE (7 p.m. on ESPN)
Dec. 21 – GARDNER-WEBB (3 p.m. on SECN+)
Dec. 30 – SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (8 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 3 – at Arkansas (3 p.m. on ESPN2)
Jan. 6 – TEXAS (9 p.m. on ESPN/2)
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Jan. 10 – at Florida (Noon on ESPN/2)
Jan. 13 – TEXAS A&M (7 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 17 – KENTUCKY (12 p.m. on ESPN)
Jan. 24 – at Alabama (8:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Jan. 27 – at Georgia (7 p.m. on SECN)
Jan. 31 – AUBURN (8:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Feb. 3 – OLE MISS (9 p.m. on ESPN2)
Feb. 7 – at Kentucky (8:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Feb. 11 – at Mississippi State (9 p.m. on ESPN2/U)
Feb. 14 – LSU (6 p.m. on SECN)
Feb. 18 – OKLAHOMA (7 p.m. on ESPN/2/U)
Feb. 21 – at Vanderbilt (2/2:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
Feb. 24 – at Missouri (9 p.m. on SECN)
Feb. 28 – ALABAMA (6/6:30 p.m. on ESPN/2)
March 3 – at South Carolina (6 p.m. on SECN)
March 7 – VANDERBILT (2 p.m. on ESPN/2/U)
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Tennessee-Tennessee State basketball game score prediction
