TENNESSEE VOLS BASKETBALL: Trip to Duke on tap for exhibition

The No. 8/9 Tennessee men's basketball team is set to take the floor for another exhibition contest Tuesday as it travels to Durham, N.C., to take on the No. 2/2 Duke Blue Devils.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.Fans can watch Sunday's game on ACCN and stream the game on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Tennessee is coming off an exceptional 2025-26 campaign which included 25 victories, a fourth-straight appearance in the Sweet 16 and a third-straight trip to the Elite Eight. 

THE MATCHUP

• The Volunteers and Blue Devils have split their 16-game all-time series, which dates to 1910-11, UT's third year as a program.

• After starting 5-2 in the series, Tennessee dropped four in a row, but it is 3-2 over the last five meetings (since 1974-75).

• The sides last officially met in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in Orlando, Fla., on 3/18/23, with UT earning a dominant 65-52 victory.

• UT's last trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium was on 12/3/75, an 86-80 win. It is 2-2 all-time against Duke there, with its first visit on 1/5/42.

• After going 35-3 (17-1) in 2025-26 and sweeping the ACC titles, Duke was picked to win the ACC.

• Junior center Patrick Ngongba II, a Preseason First Team All-ACC pick, is Duke's leading returner with both 10.1 ppg and 5.8 rpg.

• The Vols are 129-102 versus current ACC schools, including 17-6 under Rick Barnes and 10-2 the past five years (2021-26). Barnes is 87-78.

• Tennessee is 88-21 in exhibitions, including 66-14 in the U.S., 29-4 against U.S. colleges, 16-3 under Barnes and 2-0 in DI road action.

NEWS & NOTES

• The Volunteers are the only team to play in the Sweet 16 in each of the last four years and in the Elite Eight in each of the past three.

• Last year, Tennessee logged, per CBS, the sixth instance of an SEC team reaching the Sweet 16 at least four years in a row, since the field grew to 32 in 1975.

• UT is, according to Stats Perform, one of three SEC schools—five instances—to make the Elite Eight at least three years in a row, since the tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951. The others are Kentucky (2010-12, 1995-99, 1956- 58) and Florida (2011-14).

• The Volunteers' +12.6 rebounding margin in 2025-26 was the third-best of the last 30 years (1996- 2026), according to Stats Perform.

• UT had 10-plus offensive boards in 36 of 37 games last year, co-fourth-most in a season the last 30 years (1996-2026), per Stats Perform. Its 44.6 offensive rebounding percentage ranked fourth this century, per KenPom.

• Seven of UT's 12 setbacks last year were by fewer than six points. Four were by one possession. • UT finished 4-1 versus AP top-11 teams, with the wins by 11.3 ppg. It beat #3 Houston (11/25/25) by three, #11 Louisville (12/16/25) by 21, #9 Virginia by seven (3/22/26) and #6 Iowa State by 14 (3/27/26).

• Barnes' 861 wins are second among active DI coaches and No. 10 all-time (min. 10 years in DI).

• Barnes has led UT to seven of its 10 25-win seasons. The Vols are one of five teams with 25-plus wins in each of the last five years.

• The Vols' 226 wins the last nine seasons (2017-26) rank eighth in DI. Only Houston (273), Gonzaga (270), Duke (255), Kansas (236), Purdue (236), Arizona (230) and Saint Mary's (227) possess more. Liberty (225) and Auburn (224) complete the top 10. In addition, UT is also eighth over the last five seasons (2021-26) with 134 wins

• UT is the nation's seventh-best program, atop the SEC, the past 10 years (2016-26), per Haslametrics' average end-of-season rankings.

• The Vols finished in the AP top 20 for the fifth year in a row, notching their fourth top-12 spot in that span, which dates to 2021-22.WINNING WAYS• Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee (226-85; .724) paces all SEC schools in total victories, overall winning percentage and postseason victories (27). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).

• In that same period, the Volunteers are one of two SEC teams with even 210-plus wins and/or a winning percentage above .685, alongside Auburn (224-87; .720), which is second in both.• Over SEC play across the same span, Tennessee (109-52; .677) is first in both league victories and league winning percentage. The only other schools at even 100-plus wins and/or a .620 clip are Kentucky (107-54; .665), Alabama (104-58; .642) and Auburn (103-59; .636).

• In just the last five seasons (2021-26), the Vols own a 134-48 (.736) overall record. That is good for the most total wins and the best winning percentage in the SEC, far ahead of Auburn (.726; 130-49).• In that time, Tennessee (62-28; .689) is second in league victories and league winning percentage, behind only Alabama (64-26; .711).