Published Nov 29, 2022
Vols basketball vs. McNeese State: Information, notes, lineups, preview
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Tyler Mansfield  •  VolReport
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After an impressive showing last week in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in The Bahamas, Tennessee men's basketball is back in Knoxville on Wednesday night to host McNeese State at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Vols (5-1) – who are ranked No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll – are coming off a 64-50 win over then-No. 3 Kansas, which clinched the Battle 4 Atlantis championship. The team's lone loss came to Colorado back on November 13 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

McNeese State (2-5), which is a member of the Southland Conference, makes the trip to Knoxville after losing 86-83 at UT Martin. Tennessee has never played the Cowboys.

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GAME INFORMATION

Who: No. 13 Tennessee (5-1 overall) vs. McNeese State (2-5)

When: Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | 7:15 p.m. ET

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tennessee

TV: SEC Network (Tom Hart, play-by-play; Dane Bradshaw, analyst)

ESPN Matchup Predictor: Tennessee 98.4%, McNeese State 1.6%

KenPom Projection: Tennessee 83, McNeese State 49

Series History: First meeting

PROJECTED LINEUPS

TENNESSEE (5-1)
PlayerPositionPoints Per GameRebounds Per Game

Tyreke Key

Guard

11.0

3.2

Santiago Vescovi

Guard

11.3

5.0

Julian Phillips

Forward

10.7

5.3

Olivier Nkamhoua

Forward

9.3

4.5

Uros Plavsic

Forward

2.6

3.4

MCNEESE STATE (2-5)
PlayerPositionPoints Per GameRebounds Per Game

Trae English

Guard

12.7

1.4

Harwin Francois

Guard

4.1

4.0

Johnathan Massie

Guard

10.6

2.3

Dionjahe Thomas

Forward

2.8

3.3

Malachi Rhodes

Forward

5.9

5.3

PREVIEW

Tennessee heads into Wednesday's non-conference game with plenty of momentum after going a perfect 3-0 in The Bahamas. Despite their early-season loss to Colorado on a neutral court, the Vols are playing at a high level as December approaches.

Rick Barnes' team is tough to beat inside Thompson-Boling Arena as the Vols have won 19 straight home games, and that streak should easily be pushed to 20. Tennessee has never lost to a Southland Conference team, and the Vols have won 16 straight home games against non-conference opponents.

McNeese State lost at UT Martin on Monday and suffered an 89-60 defeat at Baylor on November 23. The Cowboys' two wins this season have come against Champion Christian College and Lamar.

The Vols are heavy favorites against McNeese State – KenPom projects them to win 83-49 – and they should be able to cruise to an easy victory before hosting Alcorn State on Sunday.