Tennessee basketball is set to open the season as a top-15 team, as the Vols came in ranked No. 11 in the Preseason AP Top 25, which was released Monday.
It marks the fourth time in the past five seasons that Tennessee has been ranked preseason and the 17th time in program history that the Vols have been ranked as a preseason top-25 team.
Tennessee spent the entirety of the 2021-22 season—19 weeks—ranked in the AP Poll last season, including rising all the way to No. 5 in the final rankings of the season.
Tennessee is scheduled to face at least six of the AP Preseason ranked teams during the regular season: No. 4 Kentucky (twice), No. 10 Arkansas, No. 12 Texas, No. 15 Auburn (twice), No. 17 Arizona and No. 20 Alabama.
Before the regular season begins, the Vols are set to face preseason No. 2 Gonzaga in the Legends of Basketball Classic exhibition on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas.
Coming off a season in which it captured the SEC Tournament championship and posted a perfect 16-0 record at home, Tennessee is primed for another breakout campaign in 2022-23.
Returning upperclassmen Santiago Vescovi—a 2022 first-team All-SEC performer—Josiah-Jordan James, Olivier Nkamhoua and Uros Plavsic lead a group of seven returners from last season’s squad that also includes SEC All-Defensive Team selection Zakai Zeigler and rising sophomores Jonas Aidoo and Jahmai Mashack.
Tennessee’s returning contributors are complemented by four scholarship newcomers—transfer guard Tyreke Key along with highly-rated high school prospects B.J. Edwards, D.J. Jefferson and McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips.
Tennessee opens its regular season on Monday, Nov. 7 against Tennessee Tech inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Fan interested in being part of the action can purchase season tickets HERE.
-UT Athletics
