Just weeks out from the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season and Tennessee is already well represented in the preseason polls.
The Vols debuted at No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll on Monday.
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Tennessee came in as the highest ranked team in the SEC, placing ahead of Arkansas (14), Texas A&M (15), Kentucky (16) and Alabama (24).
The Vols' non-conference schedule includes two teams in the rankings in No. 19 North Carolina and No. 25 Illinois.
Tennessee's veteran laden roster includes leading scorer Santiago Vescovi, who averaged 12.5 points per game while shooting nearly 40% last season as well as Josiah-Jordan James. James averaged 10.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Both players opted to return for a fifth and final season.
Jahmai Mashack, Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka return after increased roles during the Vols' NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 run a year ago and the Vols will have Zakai Zeigler back following his season-ending ACL tear last February.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Vols crack top 10 in KenPom preseason rankings
Zeigler averaged 5.4 assists and 2.0 steals before his injury. As of now, there is no timetable for his return, though head coach Rick Barnes said earlier this month that he has been more active at practice.
Tennessee will have a number of freshmen that will contribute after red-shirting last season, including Freddie Dilione V and D.J. Jefferson and the Vols brought in experience from the transfer portal in Dalton Knecht and Jordan Gainey.
Knecht averaged 20.2 points per game and shot better than 47% from the field at Northern Colorado during the 2022-23 season.
Tennessee will open its exhibition slate against No. 4 Michigan State at the Breslin Center on Oct. 29 (3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network) before returning to Knoxville to face Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Plus.
The Vols officially open their season vs. Tennessee Tech on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
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