Despite being without two preseason All-SEC players, Tennessee looked impressive in its first outing in a two-game exhibition circuit at No. 4 Michigan State on Sunday.

Led by transfer guards Dalton Knecht and Jordan Gainey, the No. 9 Vols never trailed and overcame a late game-tying 3-pointer to win at the free throw line, 89-88 in front of a Breslin Center crowd that was in mid-season form.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

For Tennessee, it was the kind of game that head coach Rick Barnes wanted to give the Vols' short-handed roster an opportunity to play in a regular season-like setting. Finding a way to win provided an even lesson.

Tennessee will wrap up its preseason slate against NCAA Div. II Lenoir-Rhyne at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Tuesday.

Here is a closer look at the match up.

Who: Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 9 Tennessee

When: Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Food City Center | Knoxville

TV: SEC Network+ (Roger Hoover, play-by-play; Steve Hamer, analyst; Sarah Detwiler, reporter)

Series: Tennessee leads, 1-0

-- Tennessee made 12 of its first 14 field goal attempts vs. Michigan State, which included a run of 11-straight shots made. The performance allowed the Vols to build a lead in the first half, which it held for all but two seconds.

-- In his Tennessee debut since transferring from USC Upstate, guard Jordan Gainey finished with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He was 4-of-7 from 3-point range and tied for a game-high six assists.

-- Dalton Knecht had a statement performance in his first outing for the Vols, totaling a game-high 28 points on 8-of-16 from the floor. The Northern Colorado transfer tallied seven rebounds and four assists.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Key takeaways: Knecht, Gainey lead Vols to high-scoring win vs. Michigan State

-- Tennessee got plenty of help from its returning veterans, too. Starting junior guard Jahmai Mashack rattled off 11 points in the second half, most of which came in critical moments while junior forward Jonas Aidoo led the team with eight rebounds.

-- Lenoir-Rhyne's rosters features guard Nas Tyson, who is the Bears' lone returner who averaged double figures during the 2022-23 season. Tyson averaged 10.3 points and more than 31 minutes per game.

-- Lenoir-Rhyne finished 11-15 overall with a 6-12 mark in SAC play last season but the Bears pulled off an upset in their last exhibition game vs. a Power Five team, toppling Louisville, 57-47 at KFC Yum! Center on Oct. 30, 2022.

–––––

– 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, @TMansfieldMedia, @ByNoahTaylor, @RealTBannerman, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media, @TylerIvens, @Hunter_DeNote.

–––––