Chris Lofton joining Mike Keith on Tennessee Basketball broadcasts for The Vol Network

Mike Keith will be joined Chris Lofton and Steve Hamer as color analysts on Tennessee Basketball broadcasts this season on The Vol Network, with the two former Vols rotating in their roles to start the season.

Tennessee announced the broadcast details on Thursday, ahead of Keith making his basketball debut as the new “Voice of the Vols” in the sold-out exhibition game against Duke Sunday night at Food City Center.

John Wilkerson, the longtime voice of Tennessee Baseball on The Vol Network, will backup Keith and will do basketball play-by-play when the Tennessee Football schedule conflicts with basketball games

“We’re excited to bring together an incredible team for Tennessee basketball this season,” Brandon Parks, the Vice President and General Manager of the Vol Network, said in a press release. “Mike Keith, John Wilkerson, Chris Lofton and Steve Hamer each bring unique perspective, energy, and passion for the game.  Together, they’ll deliver an insightful and energetic broadcast experience for Vol fans everywhere.”

Up Next: Tennessee vs. Duke, Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

No. 18 Tennessee and No. 6 Duke are scheduled for a 7 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN2. The Vols start the regular-season schedule November 3 at home against Mercer.

Lofton, who had his No. 5 jersey retired by Tennessee in 2023, starred during his career with the Vols (2004-08), making an SEC record 431 3-point field goals while shooting .422 from the 3-point line. 

Hamer, a standout forward for Tennessee (1992-96), has filled in as the color analyst on basketball broadcasts in recent seasons. He’s currently Tennessee’s Director of Letterwinner Relations. 

Keith was announced as the new Voice of the Vols in January, replacing Bob Kesling, who retired after Tennessee’s basketball season ended with the Elite Eight loss to Houston at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. 

Mike Keith started Tennessee Basketball prep work in January

Keith said at the time that he would begin shadowing Kesling’s Tennessee basketball broadcasts to begin preparing for the 2025-26 basketball season. 

“I’m not going to be calling basketball games (this season),” he said, “but we’re going be working on a lot of things towards that. Because the important thing is when it’s time for the 2025-26 basketball season, then we’re not going to have time to do all this because we’ll be in the middle of football. 

“And so I want to spend a lot of time on that between now and spring (football) practice of really diving into basketball.”

Kesling was Tennessee’s basketball voice the last 25 years, after repacking John Ward at the beginning of the 1998-99 season. Keith spent the last 27 years as the radio voice of the Tennessee Titans.

“I love basketball,” Keith said in an interview with Volquest’s Brent Hubbs in January. “I mean, basketball was my passion as a little kid. And quite frankly, Tennessee was better in basketball when I started following it than (the Vols) were in football.

“And so I would keep score with John Ward. My dad mimeographed sheets with all the names on it and I would keep score with him as I listened on a transistor radio. 

“I needed to have more of a life,” Keith added with a laugh, “but I didn’t.”