Tennessee Basketball 2010-11 Schedule

[Note from Will - 3:17 PM EDT] - Post now updated with the complete schedule

The 2010-11 basketball schedule continues to take its time to be fully released (EDIT:  and by take its time, I mean 15 minutes after I wrote this), but today we got the most important piece:  the complete SEC portion of the schedule, by way of the SEC's release of the full television schedule for basketball.  As part of the SEC's outstanding television deal with ESPN, every one of the Vols' 16 SEC contests will be televised:

COMPLETE SCHEDULE AFTER THE JUMP:

• Thu Nov 11 - vs Chattanooga - TBA
• Tue Nov 16 - NIT Game One - vs Belmont - 9:30 PM - ESPNU
• Wed Nov 17 - NIT Game Two - vs Arkansas State/Missouri State - 7:00 or 9:30 PM
• Wed Nov 24 - NIT Semifinals - Madison Square Garden - ESPN2
• Fri Nov 26 - NIT Championship/Consolation - Madison Square Garden - ESPN
• Tue Nov 30 - vs MTSU - TBA
• Sat Dec 11 - SEC/Big East Invitational - at Pittsburgh - 3:15 PM - ESPN
• Tue Dec 14 - vs Oakland - TBA
• Fri Dec 17 - at Charlotte - TBA
• Tue Dec 21 - vs Southern Cal - TBA
• Thu Dec 23 - vs Belmont - TBA
• Wed Dec 29 - vs Tennessee-Martin - TBA
• Fri Dec 31 - vs College of Charleston - 2:00 PM - ESPN2
• Wed Jan 5 - vs Memphis - 9:00 PM - ESPN2 
• Sat Jan 8 - at Arkansas - 1:30 PM - SEC Network
• Tue Jan 11 - vs Florida - 9:00 PM - ESPN
• Sat Jan 15 - vs Vanderbilt - 12:00 PM - ESPN (w/ College Gameday)
• Tue Jan 18 - at Georgia - 7:00 PM - ESPNU
• Sat Jan 22 - at UConn - 2:00 PM - CBS
• Wed Jan 26 - vs LSU - 8:00 PM - SEC Network
• Sat Jan 29 - at Ole Miss - 4:00 PM - SEC Network
• Thu Feb 3 - at Auburn - 9:00 PM - ESPN/2
• Sat Feb 5 - vs Alabama - 5:00 PM - Fox Sports Net
• Tue Feb 8 - at Kentucky - 9:00 PM - ESPN
• Sat Feb 12 - at Florida - 6:00 PM - ESPN/2
• Wed Feb 16 - vs South Carolina - 7:00 PM - CSS
• Sat Feb 19 - vs Georgia - 1:00 PM - CBS
• Tue Feb 22 - at Vanderbilt - 9:00 PM - ESPN
• Sat Feb 26 - vs Mississippi State - 6:00 PM - ESPN
• Thu Mar 3 - at South Carolina - 7:00 PM - ESPN/2
• Sun Mar 6 - vs Kentucky - 12:00 PM - CBS 

Non-Conference Thoughts:  Keeping the money in-state, the Vols get five games against our little brothers (six if you count Memphis), including a double dose of Belmont.  At Pittsburgh and at UConn (in the middle of SEC play) will certainly boost the RPI, and if the Vols see Villanova in Madison Square Garden, UT could play three Big East teams.

SEC Thoughts:  Hoo boy...the Vols have to get a fast start with this schedule, catching Florida and Vandy at home and then going to Georgia in the first four games.  A four game stretch against the West Divison could have the Vols sitting pretty in early February, but then check out the slate in the second half:  at Kentucky and at Florida back to back (a scenario that did not go well for us when we played at Kentucky and at Vanderbilt back to back last year), and the final three home games against Georgia, Mississippi State, and the big prize:  CBS has finally figured out what the real marquee game in the SEC is, as the Vols supplant Florida and get the coveted season finale spot, hosting Johnny C and the Cats on the final day of the regular season.

It's incredibly light in games five through eight, and incredibly heavy everywhere else.  Two nationally televised home games on CBS, and as many as eight others on ESPN...this is how far we've come, boys and girls.  And to keep going...well, we've got our work cut out for us.  But this should be fun.