Tennessee Hosts Northern Kentucky in Men’s Basketball Showdown Saturday

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 18/17 Tennessee men’s basketball team is set to host the Northern Kentucky Norse on Saturday, November 8, at 3 p.m. ET at Food City Center.

Fans can watch the game on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app, with Zach Nelson providing play-by-play commentary, and a color analyst yet to be announced. For radio coverage, Chris Lofton will call the action on local Vol Network affiliates.

Tennessee enters the match after a strong 2024-25 season, where the team recorded 30 wins, a fifth-place finish in the AP Poll, and a trip to the Elite Eight. Just last week, they defeated Mercer, 76-61, to kick off the regular season.

In their opener, freshman forward Nate Ament led the scoring with 19 points, marking an impressive debut. Tennessee has a solid home opener record, now standing at 36-3 at Food City Center.

The matchup against Northern Kentucky will be particularly interesting as Tennessee has never played them before. This season, they face not only Northern Kentucky but also North Florida and South Carolina State for the first time.

Northern Kentucky, coming off a 17-16 record last year, was picked sixth in the Horizon League preseason poll. Senior guard Dan Gherezgher is the team’s top returning scorer with an average of 7.5 points per game.

In Tennessee’s history against current Horizon League members, they boast a 4-2 record over six games. Coach Rick Barnes has previously faced other Horizon teams while maintaining an undefeated record.

News of record-setting performances from last season looms large, as Tennessee recorded 10 AP top-25 wins, setting school records. They also share a spot with Alabama and Houston as the only teams to reach the Sweet 16 in the last three seasons.

The Volunteers are currently on a 37-game non-conference home winning streak, closely trailing their second-longest streak in program history. This includes consistent top-ranking performances in NCAA and coaches’ polls in recent years.

As Tennessee prepares for Northern Kentucky, head coach Rick Barnes will look to continue improving their impressive statistics at home while boosting the team’s profile in national rankings.

Tennessee’s men’s basketball will take the court against Northern Kentucky on Saturday, live on SEC Network+. Fans are encouraged to support their Vols as they aim for another successful season.