The No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers begin their 2026-27 campaign against the Wofford Terriers on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tennessee enters the season after an Elite Eight appearance last year and a busy transfer portal period that added Juke Harris, Tyler Lundblade, Terrence Hill Jr., Jalen Haralson, Dai Dai Ames, and Miles Rubin. The Volunteers hold a 9-0 all-time record against Wofford, including a 77-62 victory in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Wofford finished 19-13 last season, marking its ninth consecutive winning season. The Volunteers are listed as 25.5-point favorites with an over/under of 155.5 points.
A projection model simulating the matchup 10,000 times leans toward the under on the total, citing head coach Rick Barnes' defensive reputation. Tennessee allowed fewer than 70 points per game last season and ranked 32nd nationally in field-goal defense at 40.9%. Despite a roster built for more offense, the Volunteers showed inconsistency in exhibition play, and the new pieces may need time to gel.
The past four meetings between the programs have not exceeded 151 combined points, with the two matchups since 2023 averaging 141 points. The model projects 152 total points, with the under hitting in 58% of simulations. The model also indicates one side of the spread covers in over 60% of simulations.
The game will be streamed on Fubo.
