A big one for Coach Barnes.
Tennessee and Texas will meet once again tonight, this time for the first time as co-members of the SEC. The Volunteers got past the Longhorns last season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16.
Rick Barnes is 2-1 against his former school and is set for his second return trip to Austin this evening. Barnes lost the first return game back in 2022. He’ll be looking for a win tonight in his first chance to coach inside of the new Moody Center.
Tennessee is also looking to bounce back from an ugly 30 point loss to Florida on Tuesday night. Nothing went right for the Volunteers in Gainesville, which was their first big road test of the SEC slate. Their response tonight will be interesting to see.
Injury note: Forward Cade Phillips is not listed on the official injury report. He played just three minutes against Florida. Obviously, Tennessee needs his minutes in the front court for depth.
How to watch Tennessee at Texas
Location: Austin, Texas
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV Channel: ESPN
Streaming Link: ESPN App
Odds: Tennessee -5