By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee is battling an early-season slump for the second year in a row.
The Volunteers (4-3) aren't struggling as much as they did a year ago, when they lost six of their first nine games. But they're 0-3 against major-conference opponents and are coming off two of their worst offensive performances of the shot-clock era.
Tennessee will try to end its two-game skid Thursday against No. 23 Wichita State (9-0).
In its last two games, Tennessee fell 37-36 to Georgetown and 46-38 to Virginia. The only other time Tennessee scored below 40 points since the 1985-86 introduction of a shot clock was a 43-35 loss to Auburn on Jan. 15, 1997.
Tennessee is averaging 77.8 points in its four wins and 39.7 points in its three losses.