Tennessee @ Cincinnati preview

Two teams on the rebound from disappointing losses collide Wednesday night when No. 21 Tennessee visits Cincinnati in a non-conference matchup. Tennessee was tripped up at home by No. 13 Memphis on Saturday and Cincinnati suffered a stunning loss to Colgate the same day on its home floor.

The worst shooting performance (25 percent) in Rick Barnes' five years as Tennessee coach led to his team's 51-47 loss to Memphis. The Volunteers showed in that game why they're one of the nation's best defensive teams but that their offense is not nearly as proficient, averaging 68.6 points and shooting 42.7 percent from the field. Cincinnati has struggled out of the gate in its first season with John Brannen as coach and the schedule doesn't get any easier with games this week against Tennessee and Iowa. Making matters more difficult for Brannen and the Bearcats is the lackluster play of Jarron Cumberland, last season's American Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT TENNESSEE (7-2): Barnes has used the same lineup in all nine games and four of the starters are scoring in double figures, led by senior guard Jordan Bowden at 12.9 points per game and followed closely by senior Lamonte Turner at 12.8. Turner also is one of the nation's assists leaders at 7.1 per game and freshman Josiah-Jordan James, a 6-foot-6 guard, leads the team in rebounding at 6.6. The Volunteer were fifth nationally entering Tuesday in fewest points allowed (55.3 points) and ninth in opponents' field goal percentage (36.2).

ABOUT CINCINNATI (6-4): The Bearcats will be looking to recover from their 67-66 loss to Colgate in which Cumberland inexplicably threw up a half-court shot with less than five seconds remaining and then Cincinnati, which had led by five with 1:10 remaining, committed a foul on the rebound that resulted in the winning free throw. Cumberland, who has battled various injuries, finished 2-for-8 from the field for eight points and is averaging 13.1 points - 5.5 less than last season - while shooting 33.7 percent from the field and 26.2 percent from 3-point range. Center Chris Vogt had a strong game against Colgate with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field to boost his season average to 12.9.

TIP-INS

1. Tennessee hasn't allowed 70 or more points in a game this season.

2. Barnes needs one win to reach 700 in a career that has spanned 33 seasons.

3. Keith Williams has moved past Cumberland as Cincinnati's leading scorer at 13.2 points per game.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 67, Cincinnati 59