Score updates and GoVols247’s live coverage from No. 10 Tennessee basketball’s game at No. 17 North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
No. 10 Tennessee basketball squares off with No. 17 North Carolina on Wednesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Tipoff
Center is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN with Karl Ravech (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (analyst) and Myron Medcalf (reporter) on the call.
GoVols247’s Tennessee basketball beat writer Ben McKee and columnist Wes Rucker is on hand for Wednesday night’s matchup between the Vols and Tar Heels. You can follow their coverage of tonight’s contest for score updates and conversation in the link below.
- Wednesday’s game at North Carolina will mark the first time in program history that Tennessee plays three straight ranked teams in non-conference play in a single season.
UT last played three consecutive ranked opponents in January of 2012 during SEC play. That 2011-12 season is also the last time the Vols played four straight regular season games away from home.
Tennessee dropped three spots to No. 10 in Monday’s updated AP Poll coming off a 1-2 appearance in last week’s Maui Invitational.
The Vols have now finished 1-2 each of the four times they’ve appeared in tournament. UT also went 1-2 in 2016 (seventh place), 1-2 in 2011 (seventh) and 1-2 in 2004 (fourth).
Tennessee remains the highest ranked SEC team in the AP Poll. Kentucky joins them in the top 25 at No. 12 along with Texas A&M (No. 14), Mississippi State (No. 21) and Alabama (No. 23).
“I’ve got great respect for the University of North Carolina,” Barnes said. “It’s a storied tradition and everyone that is from North Carolina knows about it, know what it’s about
front of the gym talking to him. And at the time he wasn’t being highly recruited and obviously he grew up wanting to go to North Carolina. I did in high school play against his uncle Walter Davis.
So he grew up a huge Carolina (fan) and he basically just said, hey, gimme a chance. And, he went there and made the most of it. And just a great human being and a person I have great respect for. His whole staff. I mean, I’ve watched all those guys that seem like grow up through the years.
“The fact is that I’ve always thought these are the two leagues that should be playing in a challenge, being as close as we are, border up against each other. And I think it’s gonna be good for both leagues.”
With the Heels in the middle of a ten day exam break, Inside Carolina’s On the Beat crew of Adam Smith, Jeremiah Holloway and Evan Rogers join host Tommy Ashley for a newly formatted show highlighting the sights and sounds from the North Carolina basketball beat. Nine games into Hubert Davis’s third season, the beat team provides their favorite quotes, moments and stories from the season so far.
Highlighting the new format, Ashley provides this week’s debate topic – UNC team MVP so far – while Smith, Holloway and Rogers present their choice and arguments supporting those picks. Head to the InsideCarolina.com message boards to pick the winner!
