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Report: Opponent set for Tennessee Basketball in next season's ACC-SEC Challenge

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey06/11/25GrantRamey
Syracuse
SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 27: Detail view of basketball with Nike swoosh on the court during the game between the Syracuse Orange and the Maryland Terrapins at the Carrier Dome on November 27, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeats Maryland 72-70. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Tennessee Basketball will be back on the road in the ACC-SEC Challenge next season and will again play Syracuse, according to a report from Jon Rothstein. The Vols beat Syracuse 96-70 at Food City Center last December.

The first ACC-SEC Challenge also had the Vols on the road two seasons ago, a loss at North Carolina in November 2023.

Much of the 2025-26 schedule has yet to be announced, including SEC opponents.

Tennessee to face Illinois, Louisville next season

Tennessee will continue its series with Illinois and will play the Illini on December 6 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The two teams played a home-and-home over the last two seasons, with the Vols sweeping the series.

Tennessee will also host Louisville on December 16 at Food City Center, after starting the home-and-home with a win at Louisville last November.

The Vols will play three games in late November in the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, with matchups in the tournament yet to be announced.

The Players Era field at the MGM Grand also includes Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State, St. Joe’s, St. John’s, Syracuse and UCLA. The tournament will use a group-play format given the number of teams involved next season.

Tennessee is 5-3 in eight meetings with Syracuse, including a current streak of four straight wins. The Vols also beat Syracuse in the Maui Invitational in November 2023, in Knoxville in January 2022 and at Syracuse in December 2000. 

Syracuse won 93-88 in the first round of the 1977 NCAA Tournament, played in Baton Rouge, and swept a home-and-home in 1992 and 1993, starting with a road win at Tennessee before a home win at Syracuse. 

Tennessee won the first meeting between the two teams in December 1972 in Knoxville. 

Tennessee returns four scholarship players next season

The new-look roster for the Vols next season returns just four scholarship players in Felix Okpara, JP Estrella, Cade Phillips and Bishop Boswell.

Tennessee added three players from the NCAA Transfer Portal in point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Maryland), guard Amaree Abram (Louisiana Tech) and power forward Jaylen Carey (Vanderbilt).

The Vols also signed five prep prospects in their 2025 class, headlined by five-star freshman small forward Nate Ament. The class is ranked No. 14 nationally and No. 4 in the SEC.

Along with Ament, Tennessee signed four-star guard Amari Evans, four-star center Dewayne Brown II, three-star guard Clarence Massamba and three-star point guard Troy Henderson. 

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