NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An in-state rivalry renewed. The 18th ranked Tennessee men's basketball team travels to Nashville on Saturday to face Memphis at a neutral-site location, Bridgestone Arena.
It's the 28th all-time meeting between Tennessee and Memphis in basketball.
Saturday's game is the third of a three-game series between the schools, where the Vols and Tigers split the first two meetings.
Tennessee won on the road at Memphis during the 2018-2019 season and Memphis won in Knoxville in 2019-2020.
Saturday's game at Bridgestone Arena was originally slated to be played last season, but both teams agreed to postpone it one year so that it could be played in a full arena.
“I’ve said from the first day that I took this job, I think that the University of Tennessee has to have a presence in Nashville." Head coach Rick Barnes said.
"I’ve also said that I think it’s important that we play in-state teams. Looking forward, does that means we’re going to play more conference games? There’s just so much that we don’t know right now. Like I said, we have to be in Nashville, that’s important. We’ve always said we think it’s important to play in-state teams. Everything’s on the tab."
The Tigers enter Saturday's game straight off a home win over sixth-ranked Alabama on Tuesday. Memphis defeated the Crimson Tide, 92-78.
As for the Vols, Tennessee enters Saturday's rivalry game coming off a 40+ point win over USC Upstate on Tuesday.
Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler finished with a double-double, scoring 15 points and dishing out 10 assists.
As a team, Tennessee totaled 29 assists against the Spartans, it's most in a game since Jan. 4, 2014.
"The fact is we will go about our preparation and what we do and I think our players are certainly aware that we’re going to have to get it to another level in all areas of what we’re doing and how challenging that’s going to be," Barnes said on facing Memphis.
Tip-off at Bridgestone Arena Saturday is at 12:00 p.m. EST.
