6/15/2023 football Edit

Tennessee basketball to play in Italy this summer

Mar 18, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Santiago Vescovi (25) and Tennessee Volunteers guard Jahmai Mashack (15) react as they head to the bench against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Legacy Arena. (Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports)

Noah Taylor • VolReport

Managing Editor

Noah is a graduate of the UT College of Journalism & Electronic Media and has covered Tennessee football since 2019. He joined Rivals in 2022.

The Tennessee men’s basketball team is going abroad.

The Vols are set for a 10-day tour of Italy which will include three exhibition games beginning July 31 and wrapping up Aug. 9, the school announced Thursday.

Tennessee will play the Lithuanian U21 National Team in Florence twice on Aug. 4-5 before facing the Italian club team A.S. Stella Azzura in Rome on Aug. 7.

The tour will mark the second time under head coach Rick Barnes that Tennessee has played internationally. The Vols took part in a European Tour in 2017, going 3-0 in games in France and Spain.

Tennessee played in Spain in 1976, France and Italy in 1997, the Dominic Republic in 2003 and the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria in 2007.

Tennessee is set to return the bulk of its production from a team that reached the Sweet 16 last season.

Leading scorer Santiago Vescovi, Zakai Zeigler, Josiah-Jordan James, Jahamai Mashack, Tobe Awaka and Jonas Aidoo as well as transfer portal additions Jordan Gainey, Chris Ledlum and Dalton Knecht.

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