Tennessee has entered its final stretch before a daunting SEC slate that will test its No. 1 billing.

The Vols have two games left in non-conference play to round out December, beginning Monday night with an in-state clash against Middle Tennessee State at Food City Center.

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Tennessee has dominated up to this point, running out to a commanding 11-0 start where even in its one late-game test it managed to survive at the buzzer on Jordan Gainey's walk-off layup to beat Illinois on the road two weeks ago.

The Vols are overwhelming favorites in each of their next two games before they open conference play against Arkansas in January. The line against the Blue Raiders favors Tennessee by 26.5 points and KenPom has the Vols winning by 23 on their home floor.

MTSU has the makeup of perhaps the most challenging mid-major team on Tennessee's schedule. The Blue Raiders are 9-3 and have won four of their last five, including wins over UAB and Lipscomb.

Here is everything you need to know about the match up, from projected lineups to notes of interest.

Who: MTSU (9-3) at No. 1 Tennessee (11-0)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23 | 7 p.m. ET

Where: Food City Center | Knoxville

TV: SEC Network (Roy Philpott, play-by-play; Dane Bradshaw, analyst)

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

Series: 12th meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 9-2)

KenPom Projection: Tennessee 81, MTSU 58

POINTS PER GAME

Tennessee 81.1

MTSU 80.8

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 49.5%

MTSU 46.7&

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 35.8%

MTSU 31.6%

ASSISTS

Tennessee 16.8

MTSU 12.8

REBOUNDS

MTSU 41.1

Tennessee 39.5

BLOCKS

Tennessee 5.5

MTSU 4.3

-- Tennessee currently ranks second in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom. The Vols are limiting opponents to just 88.6 points per 100 possessions. On the offensive end, Tennessee is 14th in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring 120.2 points per 100 possessions.

-- Tennessee and MTSU are separated by 180 miles but are only meeting for the 12th time ever. The Vols hold a 9-2 edge in the series that began in 1988 and was last played in 2012. Tennessee won nine-straight between 1991 and 2010 by an average of more than 22 points.

-- Tennessee will look to continue its success as the No. 1 team in the AP poll. After beating Western Carolina last week, the Vols are now 11-2 all-time as the top-ranked team and 10-2 under Rick Barnes. Tennessee has been ranked No. 1 in both major polls for three-straight weeks.

-- MTSU was ranked fourth in the Conference USA preseason media poll. The Blue Raiders are paced in scoring by guard Jestin Porter, who was tabbed to the Preseason All-CUSA team. He is averaging 15.8 points per game through 12 games.

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