Tennessee impressed in its first test at Wisconsin last week. Now the Vols are set to face a Final Four caliber field in Honolulu next week.

Seventh-ranked Tennessee (3-0), begins its stay in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational against Syracuse (3-0) on Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, putting its unbeaten start, stifling defense and new-look offense up against its toughest challenge to date.

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The invitational field also includes Associated Press Top 25 No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Purdue, No. 4 Marquette, No. 8 Creighton, No. 11 Gonzaga, UCLA and Chaminade.

Tennessee, which is coming off of a 82-61 win over Wofford on Tuesday, has been paced in scoring by transfer guard Dalton Knecht through three games. Knecht is averaging 19.7 points per game while guard Jordan Gainey averages 13.7.

As a team, the Vols are averaging 80.7 points per game and shooting 47.2% from the field.

The Orange outlasted Colgate, 79-75 in their last outing. Under first-year head coach Adrian Autry, Syracuse is averaging 45.2% shooting from the field through three games. Gaurd Judah Mintz leads the team in scoring with 23.0 points per game.

In anticipation for the matchup, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and fifth-year senior guard Santiago Vescovi previewed Syracuse and the Maui Invitational on Friday.

On status of freshman guard Freddie Dilione V after injury vs. Wofford

"I'm just telling you off the top of my head, I think that he--what I heard that it was a partial tear in his plantar fasciitis there, but I haven't even asked them about a time table yet. I think it varies on the degree of where it was partially torn, but other than that, I don't know what to tell you. That's what I remember them telling me about it."

On playing against a stacked field in the Maui Invitational

"When I walked over on Hawaii's campus today, back in, I think it '86, '85, the year I was at Ohio State, we came over and played I think it was called the Rainbow Classic at the time. I remember it being like four of the six teams were all ranked, you know. I had forgot all about that until I walked back on campus and deja vu kind of came back. As a head coach, no. I don't know if you could get one better with the teams that are playing right now. And all of them are geared up to have a pretty good year."

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Dalton Knecht shows up on offense and defense for Vols in win over Wofford

On guards Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi adjusting to new lineup

"It's probably a little bit of both, I would think. I think both of them really enjoy playing with Dalton (Knecht) and Jordan (Gainey). I would say that. But I do think (Zeigler) coming back, for him it's different. Santi, I know that he went through a very tough, emotional time, even before he left. I really think they've adjusted and I would tell you that they've all, no question, they've embraced them as well as you can. I was thinking about still, ourselves here because (Zeigler) is still under that time restriction that we're trying to keep him under. We're still trying to get the minutes and the rotations the way we need to get them. We've got other guys that we believe are going to get into the rotation. Every game we've felt like we need to get Tobe (Awaka) more minutes. One of you asked the other night if we would play the two big guys together. We fully think that's going to happen at some time. We're going to do that. As we go through here, I think this tournament is going to be good and we'll come out of this with a lot of the answers that you all and we as a coaching staff probably had."

On how playing three games in three days will effect Zeigler's minutes

"I haven't talked to (team director of sports medicine Chad Newman) about (that). I think the last game, (Zeigler) was right around 19 minutes, 20 minutes. I don't know if he's going to tell me he can go to 22 or 23. To be quite frank, early in the year we'd like to keep as many guys around 27-28 minutes, but you're in tournament you have to do what you have to do. We just got back. We did more of a shooting workout today. We'll start our two day-out prep. We'll do it tonight because we've got these early games here. We'll have to get up early, so we've got to change some things. We're going to see as we go through it. We're counting on our depth to help us here."

On if it is safe to say that Dilione will miss the invitational

"I would think that's a fair assessment. I should have asked Chad (Newman) when I came in, but I just know that when I was there when (Dilione's MRI) results came back the other day, they thought it could be a week, week and a half. That's what they said and from there, it would depend on his progression, what he could do. He had been having some problems with it. He was trying to do everything he could, but the other game, he said he felt something pop and he partially tore it."

On Dalton Knecht's path to Tennessee

"I do think it's unique. I think we're going to start seeing more and more stories like this, though. Andy Katz was telling me today about some kid that started out at George Mason and then he went to Marquette and somewhere. I think he had a similar path. I think he was player of the year in the Big East, has a chance to do it again. I think we're going to see more stories with guys doing what Dalton has done. He's certainly pushed all the right buttons with our guys. I mean, they really respect him and they know that we need him. They know that he brings us something. He's been able to take pressure off players, certainly because he does a lot scoring the ball and he's willing to take shots and create tough shots for himself. I admire him because the fact is, during the process he said, 'I know I've got to get better defensively and I know you'll hold me accountable.' He's embraced that part of it. Offensively, it will get tougher for him as the season goes because he's going to continue to get game-planned for in ways that he never has. I think what's going to help him is he's going to have those other guys helping him when he's getting that kind of attention. He made a couple of great passes the other night when he was starting to get double-teamed. I'm sure he's been double-teamed in the past but he's going to get more attention than he has once he gets the ball in certain areas of the court."

On if team needs to be more intentional in rebounding

"I will tell you, after seeing it on tape (vs. Wofford), we got pursuit but we didn't block out. Guys turned and went and we told them that they were going to shoot a bunch of threes. How many, we didn't know. They were going to shoot close to 38-40%, whatever it was. So we were running past the ball. Long shots leads to long rebounds. Tobe obviously has a great way of going to get it. The problem was, again, we were going but we should have been checking first. We ran under the ball more than we should have."

On filling out role on offense through three games

"It's been fun. Nothing short of fun. We've just been playing. We've been winning. That's really all that matters. At this point in my life, all that matters is winning. So, I don't really care. We've got a lot more talent. That's something we talked about before the season started. Got a lot of guys that can shoot the ball. Just focused on winning and having fun with my teammates."

On adjustment to playing with Knecht and Gainey

"I mean, it's just a thing you've got to feel. Both of them had a really hot start and I know they can maintain it because they're both great players. So it's just a thing of making shots. I'm fine with that. It's fun to play with them. As long as we're winning, I don't care what it takes to win. Just facilitating this point in the game for them, more than anything. Just trying to find a role, too."

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Jordan Gainey provides glimpse of what role could be in Vols' offense

On challenge of playing three games in three days

"I think two things. The first one is definitely distractions. Hawaii is a beautiful place, like a paradise over here. Bahamas (last season) was the same thing. I think the team did a great job of focusing on what it took, which was playing basketball and doing our jobs. I'm completely confident that our team is going to do great in that aspect again. And the second thing is recovery and just the loads of playing three games straight and managing that, which we also did great in the (Battle 4 Atlantis) Bahamas. Those are the two main things and I know this team can take care of both of them."

On facing Syracuse

"We haven't watched scout on them yet. We've talked, just kind of individually with some of the coaches about them. We know they have a really good team. Good guards. They have a big man (Naheem McLeod) that's like 7-foot-4. We know it's a team that's trying to figure stuff out, too. They have a new coach now. They're trying to put all the pieces together. So, we know it's going to be a battle. We're ready to play them."

On emphases put on guards in rebounding

"Definitely that's been one of the big focus points that we've had as a team. We have bigs that can rebound the ball like Jonas (Aidoo) and Tobe. They're just monsters going after the ball. We know now that if we want to get to the next level, we need the guards to come in and help them, too. Get those rebounds that are out of the space of the bigs. We're working on that offensively and defensively. That's one of the main things that we need to do for us to get to the next level."

On how Jonas Aidoo's defense has improved

"We knew that already. We know that Jonas is one of the top defensive centers in the country. He's around the rim. He is a great blocker. He's just a really tall guy, long wingspan and he's very good at timing it, too. We know anytime someone gets driven by in whatever rotation gets to the basket, we still count on Jonas down there blocking, making plays and blocking shots. The other thing, too is I think our bigs are doing a great job of guarding especially outside of the lane on ball screens off the touch. Even when they get switched up on the guards, they have great feet. We've also got to help them with it."

On if this season feels different than previous four seasons

"I mean, every year I've been confident in all of my teammates and the coaching staff and everything. It's (my) last year. I know we have a really special team. We have a special opportunity as well and I think it's just going to depend on us and how we react to adversity that's going to come in the future and just how we stick together and our mindsets. I think we can do it."

The Maui Invitational will be held at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, beginning with Tennessee's game against Syracuse.

The invitational was moved to Honolulu due to the wildfires in Maui last summer.

The field features six teams that reached the 2022 NCAA Tournament, including multiple previous Maui Invitational champions in Kansas, Gonzaga, UCLA and Syracuse.

The Vols are playing in the invitational for the first time since 2016.

Monday, Nov. 20

Game 1: Syracuse vs. Tennessee | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Game 2: Gonzaga vs. Purdue | 5 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Game 3: Kansas vs. Chaminade | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN

Game 4: Marquette vs. UCLA | 11:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

Tuesday, Nov. 21

Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 | 5 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game. 2 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN

Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 | 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

Wednesday, Nov. 22

Game 9: Third place game | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Game 10: Championship game | 5 p.m. ET | ESPN

Game 11: Seventh place game | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPNU

Game 12: Fifth place game | 12 a.m. ET | ESPN2

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