George Mason head coach Tony Skinn called it the toughest non-conference schedule in college basketball history. At the very least, Tennessee's slate over the last month is one of the toughest this season.
The No. 17 Vols played at Wisconsin in just its second game. A week later, they faced the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in consecutive games at the Maui Invitational in Hawaii then returned stateside to play a then-No. 17 North Carolina in Chapel Hill in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Now, Tennessee (5-3) is preparing for its fourth top 20 match up in its last six games in No. 20 Illinois, this time on its own home floor at Food City Center on Saturday (Noon ET, CBS).
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"When you think of like the mecca of college basketball you think of the Maui tournament, you think of blue bloods like UNC and I've experienced that the first month of playing," freshman forward Cade Phillips said. "It's been blast. It's been a learning curve. There's been no easing into college basketball...The learning curve was steep, but I've really enjoyed it so far."
Tennessee played at preseason top five Michigan State in one of its two exhibition games and Wisconsin has since jumped into the top 25 after a 6-1 start. The only non-ranked team Tennessee has played during its most recent stretch was George Mason, which entered the game one of the top mid-major teams according to KenPom.
The Vols snapped a three-game losing skid with a 87-66 win in Knoxville on Tuesday, a timely victory as it heads into its next test.
“It’ll be interesting. I mean, they're (Illinois) a hard nosed, physical team as you would expect. It’s gonna be a hard fought basketball game," Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. Great basketball coach (Brad Underwood), great scheme, physicality is going to be there. I know they’re gonna play extremely hard. I have confidence in our guys."
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee basketball assistant coach Rod Clark previews Illinois
Illinois (7-1) is coming off of a 98-89 win over No. 11 Florida Atlantic in the Jimmy V Classic, one of number of impressive showings. The Fighting Illini's lone blemish was a 71-64 defeat against No. 4 Marquette nearly a month ago.
For llinois will offer up another challenge in the paint in 6-foot-8 forward Quincy Guerrier, who is averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. He's pacing a Fighting Illini team that tops the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally with 46.4 rebounds per game while 6-foot-6 forward Marcus Domask tied a team-high in scoring with 33 points in his last appearance.
Tennessee has seemingly returned to full strength on the inside. Tobe Awaka returned against George Mason, totaling a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds after missing the North Carolina game and playing only limited minutes in Hawaii after a lower leg injury vs. Syracuse.
Jonas Aidoo had to carry much of the load with Awaka out and is having his best season in his three years at Tennessee, averaging 9.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. He led the Vols in scoring in his last outing with 17 points.
Phillips and fellow freshman J.P. Estrella have turned in productive minutes, too.
"(Illinois is) big. They're versatile. They have a lot of guys that can play multiple positions," Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark said. "Their five man can sometimes look like their point guard. Their point guard can sometimes look like their five man...In today's age, positionless basketball, that's what everybody wants. They're a really good team.
"They do a lot of funky things defensively. They're very handsy. I think they're No. 1 in the country to field goal defense. We'll have our hands full. They're a really good team."
Tennessee will have its work cut for it on the perimeter. Illinois' leading scorer is guard Terrance Shannon Jr., who averages 21.6 points and scored 33 points against Florida Atlantic.
"We played against him two years ago when he was at Texas Tech," Clark said. "It was a low-scoring game. He still find a way to be up to near 20 (points). Terrence Shannon is really good, man. He's good getting downhill. He's really athletic. He's really strong. He's physical...I think preparing our guys in the best way possible, trying to limit his opportunities, limit his touches, make every catch really tough.
"Make every drive, make him see bodies, is a big thing for us...I think our guys are ready for the challenge. They love any opportunity they have to play against a high-level player."
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee basketball freshman Cade Phillips talks ahead of Illinois
Tennessee's daunting schedule a month before SEC play could be a sign of things to come for the league.
Power Six conferences like the Big Ten and ACC began conference play in the last two weeks with the Pac 12 and Big East set to start before the New Year. Barnes expects the SEC to follow suit with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma in 2024, making December even more critical.
"I still believe it’s going to help us in the long run, but you’re basically talking about a conference game here in December," Barnes said. "I don’t think there’s any question the next year or two we’re going to be playing, like the Big Ten, a conference game this time of year. I think the Big Ten opened up conference play (Tuesday).
"I think it’s going to happen to us. So might as well get used to it and know that it’s going to be a tough, hard fought game.”
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