Tennessee will face its toughest test yet once the calendar flips to January.

Standing between the No. 1 Vols (12-0) and a daunting SEC slate is Norfolk State (9-6), their final tuen-up before league play at Food City Center on Tuesday afternoon.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Tennessee has won just about every way in its unbeaten start and path to the top billing in college basketball for the last four weeks.

The Vols have largely dominated, but needed a second half surge to come from behind and beat MTSU in their last outing. They will look to finish off their non-conference schedule against the Spartans, which have won three-straight.

Here is everything you need to know about the matchup.

Who: Norfolk State (9-6) at No. 1 Tennessee (12-0)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 31 | 3 p.m. ET

Where: Food City Center | Knoxville

TV: SEC Network+ (Will Boling, play-by-play; Steve Hamer, analyst)

Radio: Vol Network (Bob Kesling, play-by-play; Bert Bertelkamp, analyst)

Series: Second meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 1-0)

KenPom Projection: Tennessee 81, Norfolk State 57

POINTS PER GAME

Tennessee 81.2

Norfolk State 75.6

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 49.4%

Norfolk State 48.3%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 36.5%

Norfolk State 36.0%

ASSISTS

Tennessee 17.0

Norfolk State 12.6

REBOUNDS

Tennessee 39.6

Norfolk State 32.7

BLOCKS

Tennessee 5.3

Norfolk State 2.1

-- Tennessee is one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division I college basketball and one of three in the SEC, joining Florida and Oklahoma. The Vols are looking to become just the 12th team from the conference to finish non-conference play unbeaten while playing 13-plus games.

-- Tennessee has gone undefeated against a non-conference schedule three previous times in program history: 8-0 in 1956-57, 8-0 in 1980-81, 8-0 in 1997-98 and 6-0 in 2020-21. The Vols are currently on a 12-game win streak for the seventh time ever and fifth time in a single season.

-- Tennessee was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 for the fourth-straight week on Monday. The billing tied the Vols' longest consecutive streak atop the poll, both of which have taken place under Rick Barnes. Tennessee was ranked No. 1 for four weeks in 2018-19.

-- Norfolk State finished 24-11 last season and won the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. The Spartans were tabbed second in the preseason MEAC poll. Guard Brian Moore Jr. paces the team in scoring with 19.4 points per game.

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.