Published Jun 15, 2023
Tennessee adds game vs. NC State in San Antonio to out-of-conference slate
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Ryan Sylvia  •  VolReport
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With basketball season beginning in October, teams across the country are beginning to finalize their out-of-conference schedules.

On Thursday afternoon, another piece of Tennessee's non-SEC slate was revealed.

First reported by Jon Rothstein, the Vols will take a trip to San Antonio to battle NC State. The game will take place on Dec. 16 at the neutral site.

This will be the first meeting between the teams since Tennessee won in the Bahamas in 2017. The Vols currently trail 7-4 in the all-time series dating back to 1929.

Last year, the Wolfpack finished 23-11 and 12-8 in the ACC. After earning an 11-seed, the team's season was finalized with a loss to 6-seed Creighton in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.

However, leading scorers Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner will be entering the NBA Draft. With many pieces from last year's team departing, NC State has done a great job of adding pieces from the transfer portal. The Wolfpack also bring in 4-star freshman Dennis Parker.

Additonally on the NC State roster is former Vol DJ Burns Jr. Burns joined Tennessee as a 4-star recruit but redshirted after never playing in a game. He would stand out at Winthrop for the following three seasons before transferring to NC State.

Last year, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He has announced his intention to return for his final season of eligibility in the 2023-24 campaign.

The addition of the Wolfpack to the Vols' schedule further boosts an already tough slate. Tennessee will also play in the Maui Invitational along with games scheduled at Wisconsin, vs. Illinois and a pending ACC/SEC Challenge.

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