Live Updates: No. 17 Tennessee basketball vs. George Mason

For the first time in three weeks, Tennessee basketball is back home at Thompson-Boling Arena, hosting George Mason Tuesday night in a 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network+. The Vols have played four straight games away from home.

Follow along for all the live update before, during and after tonight’s game on The General’s Quarters.

Tennessee (4-3) has lost three straight, falling to then-No. 2 and then-No. 1 Kansas in the Maui Invitational on November 21 and 22, respectively, followed by a 100-92 loss at North Carolina in the ACC-SEC Challenge on Wednesday at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

George Mason (7-1) is ranked No. 96 overall in the KenPom.com ratings. The Patriots are ranked No. 96 in adjusted offensive efficiency, at 108.8, and are 103rd in defensive efficiency, at 101.8.

Charlotte beat George Mason 54-49 on November 19 in the only loss of the season for the Patriots so far. They’ve won four straight, beating South Dakota State, East Carolina, NJIT and Toledo.

No. 17 Tennessee vs. George Mason: How To Watch

Start Time: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Streaming: SEC Network+

Radio: WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville. The Vol Network radio broadcast can be heard on local affiliates across the state of Tennessee. 

Location: Thompson-Boling Arena (21,678)

KenPom Prediction: Tennessee 75, George Mason 61 (Vols 90% chance to win)

How to Watch SEC Network+

SEC Network+ is not a TV channel, but is a complementary online addition providing content and programming online. Fans can access content on SEC Network+ through the ESPN app or ESPN.com/watch. 

Viewers must have a cable or satellite subscription and log-in info to gain access to the SEC Network+ stream.

Fans can also watch on ESPN+, the streaming platform from ESPN that requires a paid subscription. ESPN+ is separate from cable or satellite subscriptions. More info can be found here.

Injury Updates

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes before practice on Monday updated the injury status of fifth-year senior wing Dalton Knecht, sophomore power forward Tobe Awaka (ankle) and redshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione (foot).

Knecht, who rolled his left ankle with 1:39 left in the loss at North Carolina last week, after erupting for a game-high 37 points, was labeled “day-to-day” by the Vols on Monday.

“If he wants to play, if he’s capable (he’ll play),” Barnes said. “We’ll hold him out (if) we don’t think he’s ready. And players like that, they want to play and we’ll leave it up at what (team trainer) Chad (Newman) and he thinks. But again, we’ll know more after practice (on Monday).”

Awaka sprained his ankle on November 20 in the first round of the Maui Invitational against Syracuse and played only three minutes. He played the next two days against Purdue and Kansas, but was out last week at North Carolina.

“If things stay like it is, he will (play),” Barnes said of Awaka’s availability for the George Mason game. “He’s cleared and he had a good day yesterday and we expect him to do it today.”

Dilione has been out since November 14 with a left foot injury.

“He’s starting to work his way back in,” Barnes said. “He hasn’t been full going practice yet. But I think we’ll be able to use him some tomorrow if it goes well today in practice.”

Rankings Update

Tennessee dropped seven spots in the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday and is now ranked No. 17. The Vols dropped two spots in the USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 13.

They debuted at No. 17 in the first NET ranking of the new season on Monday. The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) replaced the RPI five years ago and is used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to help seed the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

The Vols have dropped three straight — at North Carolina after back-to-back losses to Purdue and Kansas in the Maui Invitational — after starting the season 4-0.