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The Players Era Tournament Heads to ESPN With a New Format
KNOXVILLE, TENN. - The biggest early-season event in college basketball just got a major new home and the Tennessee Volunteers are invited back. College basketball’s most ambitious non-conference event is making a significant leap. ESPN has acquired the broadcast rights for the 2026 Players Era Tournament, which will once again be held in Las Vegas, with the two parties jointly announcing the multi-year media rights agreement. It’s a power move for a tournament that has gro
Ellie Williamson
5 min read
Rocky Top Reload: A New Trio Lays The Foundation For The Future
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The transfer portal window has barely been open a week, and Rick Barnes has already made two of the most important moves of his Tennessee tenure. Facing an almost complete roster overhaul, Rick Barnes went to work fast. The result is a trio of commitments that give Vol fans reason for optimism heading into the 2026-27 season: sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade. scoring guard Dai Dai Ames, and rim protector Miles Rubin. Tyler Lundblade : The Shooter Earned His
Ellie Williamson
4 min read
Big Ten vs. SEC, One Final Time: Michigan and Tennessee Leave It All in Chicago
CHICAGO, Illinois - Dusty May did not mince words on the eve of the biggest game of his young Michigan tenure. Appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay Saturday morning, the Wolverines head coach offered a preview that was equal parts scouting report and battle cry. “They want Armageddon,” May said. “It’s going to be a brawl. It’s literally going to be feudal warfare in the paint.” Welcome to the Elite Eight. No. 1 Michigan (34-3) and No. 6 Tennessee (25-11) tip off Sunday aft
Ellie Williamson
4 min read
No. 6 Tennessee Vols Seek Elite Eight Berth For Third Consecutive Season
CHICAGO — Tennessee basketball arrives at its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 with momentum, a budding star and a sobering reality: the road to the Elite Eight runs through one of the most defensively suffocating programs in the country. The sixth-seeded Volunteers (24-11) will meet No. 2 seed Iowa State in the Midwest Region semifinals Friday night in Chicago. Tipoff is set for 10:10 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on TBS It is difficult to find another program, except perh
Ellie Williamson
3 min read
No. 6 Tennessee, No. 3 Virginia Collide for Round of 32 Shootout. Sweet 16 on the Line.
PHILADELPHIA - Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie put on one of the most complete performances in NCAA Tournament history Friday afternoon. Now the Volunteers must follow his lead and do it again. This time it will be against a Virginia program that may be the hottest team in the country. The No. 6 seed from the Midwest bracket is Tennessee (23-11) and the No. 3 seed is Virginia (30-5). They tip off Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 6:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on TN
Ellie Williamson
3 min read
Cinderella Meets an Orange Wall
Every March needs its feel-good story. In March of 2026, Miami (Ohio) has volunteered. Miami (Ohio), a midsized public school tucked in the southwest corner of the state, finished the regular season a perfect 31-0, jumped into the Top 25 rankings and became the talk of college basketball. Then came the stumble. The RedHawks lost to UMass in the MAC Tournament, blowing their chance at a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Tournament and forcing them to watch Selection Sunday like
Ellie Williamson
3 min read
Tennessee, Vanderbilt Set for Win-or-Go-Home Rivalry Rematch
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Familiar foes meet again Friday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena, but this time the stakes extend far beyond in-state bragging rights. No. 5 seed Tennessee and No. 4 seed Vanderbilt will square off in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, renewing one of the conference’s most heated rivalries just days after the Commodores closed the regular season with a statement win over the Volunteers. The matchup is scheduled for approximate
Ellie Williamson
2 min read
Grit, Defense, and Tournament Stakes Define The Tennessee Auburn Matchup in Nashville
NASHVILLE, TN - March basketball in the SEC rarely lacks intensity, and Thursday’s matchup between Tennessee and Auburn brings urgency, contrasting styles, and postseason implications into a single high-stakes setting. The No. 5 seed Tennessee Volunteers (21–10) open their SEC Tournament run against No. 12 seed Auburn (17–15) at Bridgestone Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network. The winner moves one step closer to the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament
Ellie Williamson
4 min read
No. 17 Alabama, No. 22 Tennessee Set for Critical SEC Showdown in Knoxville
Knoxville, TN - One of the SEC’s most consequential late-season matchups will be in Knoxville as the No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers 20–8 overall, 10–5 SEC hosts No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide 21–7 overall, 11–4 SEC. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. on ESPN. These two teams are separated by just one conference game and Coach Barnes said yesterday at his media practice that being at home, after two road games is nice, but it will not help this game be easy. “We are getting r
Ellie Williamson
2 min read
Tournament Stakes Rise as Tennessee Looks to Maintain Momentum vs. Missouri
KNOXVILLE, TN - The #22 ranked Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team (20–7 (10–4 SEC) continues their push toward postseason positioning. Tuesday night, they are on the road to face Missouri Tigers men’s basketball in a pivotal Southeastern Conference matchup at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Both of these SEC programs enter the contest firmly in the NCAA Tournament conversation as March approaches. You can listen to the game here a
Ellie Williamson
3 min read
Built for the Future: Tennessee’s Freshmen Step Onto The Big Stage
Knoxville, Tenn. - As extra eligibility continues to reshape college athletics, head coaches in revenue sports have openly questioned the growing age gap among student-athletes. In Knoxville, Tennessee the buzz is a little different. The University of Tennessee’s athletic programs are brimming with emerging new talent, as a new class of freshmen across multiple sports have carved out meaningful roles and begun shaping the future of Vols’ athletics. These young athletes are
Ellie Williamson
4 min read
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