Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech: Preview, how to watch, gamethread

The Tennessee Volunteers take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tonight in Thompson-Boling Arena. It will conclude a four-game stretch at home before they head to Brooklyn to participate in the NIT Season Tip-off tournament.

It’s only the third game of the season for the Vols, but things are already looking up as they’ve handled their first two opponents with ease.

How will they fare against Georgia Tech?

Overview

• All-time series: The Vols lead the series with a 44-28 record overall. Tennessee is 25-9 at home, 15-19 on the road, and 4-0 on a neutral court.
• Most recent meeting: Tennessee beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta last season, 77-70.
• Coaches’ records: Tennessee’s Rick Barnes holds a 7-4 mark against the Yellow Jackets throughout his career while Tech’s Josh Pastner is 3-4 against the Volunteers.

Georgia Tech won their first game of the season, a 88-69 win over Lamar. Four players scored in the double-digits and the team forced 16 first-half turnovers.

26 of the 32 made baskets came off of assists, so Tennessee will need to be on point defensively. This will be the toughest game to date.

Key Players

Tennessee Volunteers

• Grant Williams: He’s picked up right where he left off, leading the team with 22 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
• Admiral Schofield: The heart and soul of the team, Schofield is a matchup nightmare.
• Kyle Alexander: This team is basically unstoppable when Alexander is playing at his best.

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

• Brandon Alston: The senior led Tech with 17 points in the opener against Lamar.
• Jose Alvarado: Tennessee will need to shut down Alvarado, a very good point guard.
• Shembari Phillips: Sound familiar? The former Vol has carved out a decent role in Atlanta.

What to watch for:

• Tennessee’s defense vs. an effective Georgia Tech offense: The Vols boast one of the top defenses in the country, but the Yellow Jackets scored over 80 and had four players with double-digit points against Lamar.
• Who will matchup with Alexander: Tech boasts little-to-no-size, so you have to wonder who will be on the Vols’ big man.
• The development of Jordan Bone: If he can continue to develop into a true point guard, then Tennessee will take the next step this season.

Outlook

Georgia Tech is no slouch and gave the Vols all they could handle last season in Atlanta, but this Tennessee team is locked, loaded, and focused. They know what they need to do to get a win and keep the train moving.

How to watch

Tip-off time: 9 PM Eastern, Tuesday November 13th

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Vol Network

Streaming: Watch ESPN

Odds: Tennessee -16