Tennessee will play a men's basketball game at Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 21 this season, the night before the Vols play a football game at Vanderbilt.
But don't expect UT basketball coach Bruce Pearl to get caught up in the excitement of what figures to be a Big Orange weekend in Middle Tennessee until after the final buzzer sounds.
The Vols scored a 109-40 win over the Blue Raiders - the second-largest margin in UT history - when the teams met in Thompson-Boling Arena last November.
"It's going to be a very tough place to play,'' Pearl said. "We played as good as we could play that night, and that's a team that wound up playing for the Sun Belt Conference championship.''
Middle Tennessee returns its top seven players from a team that finished 17-15.
This will be the third meeting in a five-game contract between the teams. The next year's game (2009) will be played in Nashville's Sommet Center before the contract concludes with a game in Knoxville the following season.
But Pearl's not looking past the next meeting, and he's encouraging UT fans to purchase tickets to support the Vols in Murfreesboro as soon as possible.
"Playing them at that time (the night before the Vanderbilt game) could give this a very special atmosphere,'' Pearl said. "As you would expect, they will sell as many tickets to Blue Raiders' fans as possible.
"But with our football team playing in Nashville, this is an opportunity for our fans to be aggressive and get their tickets as soon as possible.'' Middle Tennessee State coach Kermit Davis told the Daily News Journal he expects a sellout, and also said he expects a strong performance from the Blue Raiders. "Every guy on our team will walk into the arena that night expecting a win,'' Davis said.
Middle Tennessee State also has a home football game the day after the basketball meeting with the Vols, playing host to Sun Belt Conference rival North Texas.
UT played MTSU in men's basketball in Murfreesboro in 1988, losing 85-80 an NIT game, before a crowd of 11,520.
Remaining Schedule: The Vols have not officially released their entire men's basketball schedule and won't until the SEC grants its approval in early August. Other UT non-conference game dates have been released, however. Here's a tentative list of opponents and dates: Old Spice Classic (Orlando, Fla.), Nov. 27-30, opponents yet to be named; at Temple, Dec. 13; Marquette, in Nashville, Dec. 16; at Kansas, Jan. 3; home vs. Gonzaga, Jan. 7; home vs. Memphis, Jan. 24. UT also is also expected to have home games against Chattanooga, UT-Martin, Belmont and Louisiana-Lafayette, but dates for the contests have not been released.
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Comments » 29
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
barely mentioned the football game...Go Pearl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gnm53108 writes:
That should be a great weekend.BB gettin into the meat of the sec and Coach CPF getting us ready for a SEC crown.
gnm53108 writes:
Correction...BB gettin ready to start sec slate and Coach getting us ready for a SEC crown.
vol2211insc writes:
Sounds like a great weekend for Tennessee...interesting to see that Kansas may be on the schedule. I would love to see that game. The Vols have proven that they can beat a #1 team and become # 1 (granted, they lost it two days later), so playing last years National Champion is great.
tigervol9802 writes:
Hmmmmmm........
A kickoff to the b-ball season and seeing the football team try to secure bowl eligibility, what more could a UT fan in middle TN ask for?
bobbarbilly writes:
The Vols by knockout. Both contests.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
tigervol9802 -LMAO!
Just think, if we get to 8 wins not only will Fulmer get a much deserved contract extension, but also we will be back in Nashville for the much heralded Music City bowl vs. a blockbuster big 10 team.
Chartervol writes:
MTHS people are already fuming that UT folks are buying season tickets and flipping all of them except UT game in the trash.
Murphy Center -- what a dump.
THE_VOL writes:
vol2211...are you new to TN???? Kansas MIGHT be on the schedule???? They ARE on the schedule moron! And it won't be last year's national champ that TN plays - ALL of those key guys are now in the NBA. In case nobody has noticed - BP tends to schedule "name" teams when they aren't at their traditional strength. It's good cause TN gets the national pub for playing the big boys, those teams usually have good RPI's, and we can usually pick up a "profile" win even though it's not against a "power" team in a particular year. Sly like a fox he is!
BigOrangeJeff writes:
THE_NOT_VOL,
Nice try, but still off the mark. Are you actually suggesting that Pearl can see more than a year into the future, so he can tell which power teams will be down the following season? If so, I imagine he's in the wrong business.
Here's an idea. Why don't you tell us which team you actually support, instead of posing as a Vol fan? It'd be interesting to compare your team's schedule with UT's.
BOJ
PS - By all accounts, UT had the toughest SOS in the country last season. I guess Pearl's scheme backfired on him.
b_neas writes:
The_Vol - Please tell me how Pearl knew when he scheduled the game that all Kansas key players would leave to the NBA. Only two key players that left were seniors. Also, I think Memphis was a "power" team last year. Your post is way off base. Pearl will play anyone, anytime, anwhere. West Va, Texas, Gonzaga (away), Western KY, and Xavier (away) last year were all teams with a good name but also very solid competition and not in down years as you elude to. Next time think before you type.
Volchaz writes:
I can picture a sea of orange in the Murphy Center. Govols...
alfrizzle097 writes:
You fail to mention Ohio State Connely and Oden. Did they not make the nc game? Texas with Durant?
Last three years Tennessee is 4-3 against teams that played in that year's national championship. I guess these teams that were top 2 in the country were having down years though.
He is a smart scheduler. Playing teams at the top of a minor conference generally will allow you to get a win against an opponent that will pick up 20 some wins.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
THE_VOL getting tossed in the toilet, LOL!!!!!!
utvolz#637682 writes:
Yippee! I'm moving to Tullahoma next month...
Frank in Miami
overatedvols writes:
Middle Tenn St. huh... Vandy in football.
You say Memphis plays the cupcakes. This is cupcake city.
The_Vol, you see i'm not all bad. I just took the heat off of your comments and transfered it over to me. I enjoy those comments....coming from cupcake city limits.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
over-rated pussycats,
At the end of the year, let's see whose schedule ranks higher, UT's or Memphis State's. Loser leave town match.
Whaddya say?
BOJ
BigOrangeJeff writes:
Oh yeah, that's right. Memphis State gets their cupcakes from within their own conference.
BOJ
Colliervol writes:
I was about to say fellas. You'd better pay attention. Anybody that plays in CUSA would certainly recognize a cupcake when they see one.
CoverOrange writes:
Not that I am in way supporting TheVol's statements but the contract to play Memphis was inked before BP got here and we have to play UF every year regardless of BP's desires.
Also, didn't CUSA teams have a winning record vs SEC teams last year?
But frosting holders UTMartin, Austin Peay, Richmond, MTSU, Ark St, Pepperdine all played Memphis last season.
VOLS85 writes:
I'm typically a homer for the program and I will always stand up for it, but I too agree that Mikey H has set the bar wayyyyyy too low for Fulmer. However, Fulmer almost got fired this year with a final record of 10-4...I don't think the boosters will allow 8 wins a year to be the norm, especially if we get blown out by Bammer and Flo rida again. I'm not going to go as far to say that we cannot win the SEC with Fulmer, because the talent is obviously there. I think watching this Clawson offense will decide that question. We have playmakers now as Crompton has the ability to run, G. Jones can be scary good, and an RB crew that is among the most experienced and talented in the country.
However, if 8-4 happens this year, I'm gonna be pissed.
P.S. 99 - you're free to comment on what you think about our program because you use logic and don't take cheap shots, it's the memphis fans on here that make no sense...
knoxnewsuser writes:
"UT Football, the appetizer for UT Basketball!"
overatedvols writes:
"UT played MTSU in men's basketball in Murfreesboro in 1988, losing 85-80 an NIT game, before a crowd of 11,520."
Say what? Not the Vol basketball dynasty..no way.
rockytop47 writes:
Wow a small bb game before the Big Orange play the real sport FOOTBALL! Should be a great weekend! Finishing out the SEC east title with Big Phil leading the Vols with great coaching. It really is amazing to be a UT fan these days. Not many schools have a National Championship coach and great recruiter. As ESPN says, Fulmer as always recruits with the best in America. Not to mention his winning percentage! Could be worse, have Richt (who Phil keeps beating!) or that idiot in Florida, how about Satan (lost to Louisiana-something), Miles (who) or that guy in Auburn who always chokes! Anyway, IT IS GREAT TO BE A TENNESSEE VOL!
gnm53108 writes:
rockytop47...Have to disagree with ya about bb being a real sport but LOVE the part about Big Phil.
100% agree.
And now we pretty much have him in a life time contract.
GO VOLS!!!
brokebackvol writes:
ouch - I was at the game in 1988, and it was painful to lose to the Blue Monkeys on the road. Vols of those days seem like light years from the program we now enjoy at RockyTop.
mike#208050 writes:
bigorangejeff...
Over-rated pussycats? What were Bruce Almighty's players doing the night of the National Championship game in April? They were watching TV, while trying to heal those smack-down brusies put on them by Louisville! Last year UT had a very high schedule rating for sure, but even playing in Conf-USA, Memphis was right there with you boys. That meant Memphis had to play a lot of beasts along with those cupcakes to get there. Now do you want to call UConn, Georgetown, UCLA, Texas (which stomped your butt), Mich.St., USC, Arizona, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, Kansas an easy schedule? You can take your "higher rated schedule", put on your sweet-sixteen t-shirt and go play on the street little girl.
Memphis in the elite 8 twice and the final 4 over the last 3 years, simply says it all loser!
Daddyvol... remember November 9, 1996?
TIGRFAN in knoxville
overatedvols writes:
Watermelon, you can also not that both Florida and Memphis made it to the final 4 and championship game. Tennessee did not. You can spin it anyway you want but the fact remains, both Florida and Memphis have had way way more success in basketball than Tenn. The fact remains.. Tenn. sweet 16.
mike#208050 writes:
Watermellon corporal... Points well taken however, Pearl continues to watch the final four on the side lines while Calipari and Donavon have coached in two final fours each. Are Pearls seats getting any better at those final fours?
TIGRFAN in knoxville
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