Tennessee Basketball to face Duke in one of two preseason exhibition games

Tennessee Basketball is finalizing a loaded preseason schedule, including two exhibition games. Sources indicate the Vols are working on a road exhibition game at Michigan in October and will host Duke in an exhibition at Food City Center on October 26. This follows an NCAA rule change in January allowing two exhibitions against any four-year schools. Tennessee played exhibitions against Indiana (loss) last October and at Michigan State (win) in 2023.

Historically, Tennessee holds an 8-8 record against Duke, winning the most recent matchup in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. They haven't hosted Duke since 1976. Against Michigan, the Vols are 5-7 and have lost the last four meetings, including three NCAA Tournament games (2011, 2014, 2022).

The regular season opens on November 3rd against Mercer. Tennessee will then participate in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas from November 24-27, facing Rutgers, Houston, and a third team. December starts with a road game at Syracuse in the ACC-SEC Challenge on December 2nd. Further non-conference games include Illinois in Nashville on December 6th, Louisville at home on December 16th (completing a home-and-home series), Gardner-Webb at home on December 21st, and South Carolina State at home on December 30th.