As the Basketball Vols prepare for their second game in Italy, the 2012-13 schedule was released in full today. Aside from the annual Memphis rivalry, which could be making its last appearance on our schedule for a while with Tiger High heading to the Big East, the Vols could see NC State in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and will see Georgetown in the SEC/Big East Invitational. The schedule also includes dates with Wichita State, Xavier, and a road trip to UVA.
The SEC slate was also kind to the Vols: aside from the annual Vanderbilt rivalry, UT gets home-and-home dates with Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Georgia, and of the remaining one-off games, the Vols get both Florida and Missouri in Knoxville. In a year where the Vols could be very, very good, the schedule will give them a chance to build a solid RPI and then capitalize in SEC play. We'll have to see what Kentucky's new faces look like, but this Tennessee team can challenge for the SEC title and a high NCAA Tournament seed, and this schedule will help that journey.
You'll also notice here that the Vols have a much greater national television presence than they did last season. The non-conference TV arrangements haven't been made yet, but last year the Vols had just four SEC games on ESPN or ESPN2 in anticipation of a post-Pearl apocalypse. This time around the Vols return to CBS in league play for the home date with Kentucky, and have seven other dates on ESPN or ESPN2 in conference play.
After the jump, the complete schedule:
Fri Nov 9 vs Kennesaw State - TBA
Thu Nov 15 vs UNC-Asheville - 12:30 PM ESPNU (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
Fri Nov 16 vs Oklahoma State or Akron - TBA ESPNU/3 (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
Sun Nov 18 vs NC State, Penn State, UMass, or Providence - TBA (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
Mon Nov 26 vs Oakland - TBA
Fri Nov 30 at Georgetown - TBA (SEC/Big East Invitational)
Wed Dec 5 at Virginia - TBA
Thu Dec 13 vs Wichita State - TBA
Tue Dec 18 vs Presbyterian - TBA
Fri Dec 21 vs Western Carolina - TBA
Sat Dec 29 vs Xavier - TBA
Fri Jan 4 vs Memphis - 8:00 PM ESPN2
Wed Jan 9 vs Ole Miss - 8:00 PM SEC Network
Sat Jan 12 at Alabama - 1:00 PM ESPN2
Tue Jan 15 at Kentucky - 7:00 PM ESPN
Sat Jan 19 vs Mississippi State - 4:00 PM SEC Network
Thu Jan 24 at Ole Miss - 7:00 PM ESPN/2
Sat Jan 26 vs Alabama - 2:00 PM ESPN/2
Tue Jan 29 vs Vanderbilt - 7:00 PM ESPNU
Sat Feb 2 at Arkansas - 4:00 PM ESPN2
Wed Feb 6 vs Georgia - 8:00 PM SEC Network
Sun Feb 10 at South Carolina - 1:00 PM Fox Sports Net
Wed Feb 13 at Vanderbilt - 8:00 PM SEC Network
Sat Feb 16 vs Kentucky - 1:00 PM CBS
Tue Feb 19 vs LSU - 7:00 PM ESPNU
Sat Feb 23 at Texas A&M - 4:00 PM SEC Network
Tue Feb 26 vs Florida - 9:00 PM ESPN
Sat Mar 2 at Georgia - 1:30 PM SEC Network
Wed Mar 6 at Auburn - 8:00 PM CSS
Sat Mar 9 vs Missouri - 4:00 PM ESPN/2