KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee basketball fans get their first look at the 2026-27 Volunteers on Thursday night, when Rick Barnes’ team hosts Xavier in a preseason exhibition at Food City Center.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Eastern, and the game will stream on SEC Network+. Tennessee comes in ranked No. 8 nationally in a preseason poll released Oct. 7.
The Vols are coming off a 25-12 season that included an 11-7 mark in SEC play and a third straight Elite Eight appearance, which ended with a loss to eventual national champion Michigan. Tennessee finished No. 12 in the final AP poll, its fifth straight top-20 finish.
Thursday is only the start of a demanding preseason. Five days later, on Oct. 20, Tennessee travels to Cameron Indoor Stadium for an exhibition against Duke. The Vols and Blue Devils are the only programs in the country to reach the Elite Eight in each of the past three seasons.
Xavier arrives with momentum and a reshaped roster under second-year coach Richard Pitino. The Musketeers won their exhibition opener against Dayton 82-76 on Oct. 7, with Mike Nwoko putting up 19 points and 11 rebounds. Ruben Dominguez added 15 points on four 3-pointers, Tru Washington scored 14 and Jovan Milicevic had 13.
The Musketeers return forward Jovan Milicevic, who averaged 12.4 points per game last season, and added experienced transfers including former UAB guard Chance Westry, who averaged 15.5 points last season, LSU transfer Nwoko and Miami transfer Washington.
The two programs have a long history. Tennessee holds a 12-5 all-time regular-season record against Xavier, including a 7-1 mark at home, and they last met in 2013, when the Vols won 64-49 at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Xavier wraps up its preseason against Kent State on Oct. 23 in Cincinnati.
