As far as season openers go, there wasn't too much to glean from Tennessee's first game of 2024-25 earlier this week.

The No. 12 Vols, at times, looked very much like a team trying to figure out their largely new-look roster after losing key, veteran pieces from their Elite Eight run back in March. At others, Tennessee was dominant.

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The result was an 80-64 win over Gardner-Webb at Food City Center. The Vols (1-0) led by as much as 27 points but struggled over the last eight minutes, allowing the Runnin' Bulldogs to trim their deficit late.

Tennessee will likely learn a little bit more about itself on Saturday when it goes on the road for the first time to face Louisville at KFC Yum! Center.

What the Vols did get out of their opener was the emergence of Chaz Lanier. The guard, who was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal after last season, headlined Tennessee's efforts on the offensive end, finishing with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and four 3-pointers.

Guard Jordan Gainey added another 16 points in the 26 minutes he played off of the bench.

That was a promising sign for the Vols as they try and recapture some of the offensive production lost from Dalton Knecht's departure to the NBA.

Saturday will be a test for the Cardinals (1-0) and their first-year head coach Pat Kesley.

Kelsey, who led the College of Charleston to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in the last two years, was hired to try and bring Louisville back to the upper echelon of college basketball after winning just eight games last season.

The Cardinals impressed in their season opener, beating Morehead State, 93-45 on Monday behind five players that finished in double scoring figures.

Here is a closer look at the match up between Tennessee and Louisville.

Who: No. 12 Tennessee (1-0) at Louisville (1-0)

When: Saturday, Nov. 9 | Noon ET

Where: KFC Yum! Center | Louisville, Kentucky

TV: ACC Network (Kevin Fitzgerald, play-by-play; Eric Devendorf, analyst)

Series: 21st meeting all-time (Louisville leads, 15-8)

KenPom projection: Tennessee 77, Louisville 75

-- Tennessee and Louisville will meet for the 21st time on Saturday, but the two programs share more history than on-court match ups. Wade Houston, who became the first black head basketball coach in SEC history when took over the Vols in 1989, was one of three first black players at Louisville in 1962.

-- Tennessee will go on the road for the first time this season. The Vols have had success as of late on the road, holding a 5-2 mark in their last seven road openers. Tennessee beat Wisconsin, 80-70 at Khol Center last in its first road game last season. The Vols went 8-3 in road games overall in 2023-24.

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-- Tennessee has performed well under Rick Barnes against ACC teams. The Vols vs. the conference since Barnes' arrival in 2015, including wins over Clemson, NC State, North Carolina and Syracuse. Tennessee beat Louisville, 92-81 in the last meeting between the two teams in the NIT Preseason Tip-off on Nov. 21, 2018.

-- Louisville had replace nearly all of its production from last season. The Cardinals return just two total points from their 2023-24 roster that finished 8-24 overall and 3-17 in ACC play. Louisville added 15 transfers and one freshman during the offseason, including 6-foot-10 senior forward Kasean Pryor, who scored 18 points vs. Morehead State.

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