Memphis @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2018 ) Tennessee 102, Memphis 92

State bragging rights will be on the line when Memphis visits Tennessee on Saturday afternoon in a battle of teams tied for 17th in the national coaches’ poll. Memphis, still missing suspended star center James Wiseman for another month, has won six in a row overall while the Volunteers lead the all-time series 15-11 after last season’s 102-92 victory and boast a 31-game home-court winning streak.

“It’s definitely not just another game,” Tigers coach Penny Hardaway told reporters. “You can’t ignore that it’s Tennessee-Memphis. I know it’s early in the season. But some games are just more important, and this is one of them.” Hardaway said the game would come down to sheer will, heart and smarts as Memphis looks to follow up a 65-57 road victory at UAB with another strong effort from a talented group of freshmen and sophomores, led by first-year forward Precious Achiuwa (13.9 points, 9.6 rebounds per game). Tennessee has won two straight since its lone loss against Florida State (60-57) on Nov. 29 and coach Rick Barnes goes after his 700th career victory on the big stage Saturday. The Volunteers are without three key players from last season’s 31-win team which reached the Sweet 16 - each of whom are in the NBA - but have shown great balance on the offensive end with four players averaging between 11 and 14 points per contest.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT MEMPHIS (8-1): Achiuwa had 14 points and 11 rebounds in the win at UAB for his fourth double-double in the past five games and freshman forward D.J. Jeffries is the only other active player averaging in double figures scoring (12.0). Sophomore guard Alex Lomax has taken on a big role running the show while averaging 9.1 points (12 in the past four contests) - on 62.8 percent shooting - along with a team-high 4.6 assists. Freshman guard Boogie Ellis (9.7 points) hopes to rebound from a 1-for-9 shooting performance against UAB, which followed two games in which he averaged 16.5 points.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (7-1): Jordan Bowden leads the Volunteers in scoring (13.9) while fellow senior backcourt mate Lamont Turner adds 13.8 points along with team-highs of 7.6 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Junior swingman Yves Pons, who averaged just 2.2 points last season, scores 12.2 per game in 2019-20 on 53.7 percent shooting from the floor and leads the team with 19 blocks. Junior forward John Fulkerson has also upped his production from last season, averaging 11.4 points on 69.2 percent from the field, and freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James adds 6.1 points and a team-best 6.8 rebounds.

TIP-INS

1. Tennessee freshman F Olivier Nkamhoua from Finland posted his first career double-double last time out (11 points, 13 rebounds).

2. Memphis freshman G Lester Quinones, who averages 10.3 points, is questionable with a hand injury after missing the past three games.

3. The Volunteers allow 36.5 percent field-goal shooting (Memphis 36.2) with a plus-8.5 rebounding margin - tied for 21st in the nation through Thursday.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 78, Memphis 72